Security in the Kurdish-dominated region of Syria is managed by the armed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which include the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization, citing its alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group engaged in an insurgency in Turkey since the 1980s.
“The only fate awaiting those who choose terror and violence is to be buried in the ground with their weapons. I am saying this openly, no power can prevent this,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently stated that the complete elimination of the YPG in Syria was “imminent” and emphasized that Ankara would not tolerate the group’s presence in the region. Over the years, Turkey has launched multiple military incursions into Syrian territory, particularly during the civil war that erupted in 2011.
Turkey, however, is not the only neighboring country with security concerns related to Syria. Since the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes on targets within Syria. Additionally, Israel has taken control of a demilitarized buffer zone established in a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Critics argue that Israel has violated the terms of the ceasefire and is looking to expand its influence in the border area.
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