Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a stern warning to Syria’s Kurdish YPG militia: disarm or face destruction. The ultimatum comes as Ankara intensifies pressure on Kurdish forces following the collapse of Bashar al‑Assad’s government.

Erdoğan spoke to MPs from his AK Party in parliament, declaring that “the separatist murderers will either bid farewell to their weapons, or they will be buried on Syrian lands along with their weapons,” pledging to “eradicate the terrorist organisation” perceived as an outgrowth of the PKK. His remarks followed reports from Turkey’s Defense Ministry that 21 YPG/PKK fighters were killed in recent operations in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey’s government brands the YPG—a core component of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces—as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it and Western allies designate a terrorist group. Ankara has repeatedly urged the U.S. and others to withdraw support, arguing Kurdish fighters have no place in Syria’s evolving balance of power.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi acknowledged the presence of PKK personnel in Syria but rejected organizational affiliation, stating they would return home if a comprehensive ceasefire is enacted—a key demand from Ankara.

The warning comes amid a broad Turkish military operation—Operation Dawn of Freedom—launched on November 30, targeting Kurdish-controlled areas like Manbij and Tell Rifaat, as Ankara seeks to establish a buffer zone and counter Kurdish autonomy in post‑Assad Syria.

 

By Staff Writer, Courtesy of Forbes | December 25, 2024 | Edited for WTFwire.com
Sources: Al Jazeera