Turkey ‘Cannot Ignore’ the US, Russian Bases in Syria

An aerial view shows a convoy transporting humanitarian aid parked at customs in Syria after crossing from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on January 18, 2022. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
An aerial view shows a convoy transporting humanitarian aid parked at customs in Syria after crossing from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on January 18, 2022. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
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Turkey ‘Cannot Ignore’ the US, Russian Bases in Syria

An aerial view shows a convoy transporting humanitarian aid parked at customs in Syria after crossing from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on January 18, 2022. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
An aerial view shows a convoy transporting humanitarian aid parked at customs in Syria after crossing from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on January 18, 2022. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country could not ignore the presence of Russian and US bases and terrorist organizations in large parts of its neighbor to the south, Syria.

Speaking to members of the Turkish press on the way back from Albania, Erdogan criticized Washington’s support for terrorist organizations, referring to the PKK’s Syrian wing, the YPG.

Erdogan underlined that the continued US support for the YPG, which lies at the core of the Washington-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), cannot be ignored and that it was a topic in his talks with US President Joe Biden.

“They have significantly supported terrorist organizations in our south, the northeast of Syria, through thousands of trucks of arms and ammunition.”

The US has primarily partnered with the YPG in northern Syria to fight ISIS.

Turkey strongly opposes the YPG’s presence in northern Syria, a major sticking point in strained Ankara-Washington relations.

The US has provided military training and truckloads of weaponry to the YPG, despite its NATO ally’s security concerns.

The president noted that the US claims it is withdrawing from the country and not supporting terrorist groups, but stressed that this is not true.

“Similarly, Russia is also not withdrawing. If Russia had withdrawn support for Syria, (Bashar) Assad would not be standing now,” he added.

Russia joined Syria’s now 10-year conflict in September 2015, when the regime military appeared close to collapse.

Moscow has since helped tip the balance of power in favor of Assad. Hundreds of Russian troops are deployed across Syria, and they also have a military airbase along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

In the meantime, the Turkish forces reinforced their positions at one of the points positioned on the outskirts of the village of Al-Ruwaiha, east of Jabal Al-Zawiya in Syria’s Idlib countryside.

The area overlooks Maarat Al-Numan and the Aleppo-Damascus International Road (M5).

Turkish forces deployed tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel carriers.



Syria, Israel Agree to Further Talks on De-escalating Conflict

A drone view shows the remains of a destroyed tank, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces, in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, Syria July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
A drone view shows the remains of a destroyed tank, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces, in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, Syria July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
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Syria, Israel Agree to Further Talks on De-escalating Conflict

A drone view shows the remains of a destroyed tank, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces, in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, Syria July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
A drone view shows the remains of a destroyed tank, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces, in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, Syria July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

Syrian and Israeli officials agreed to meet again after no final accord was reached in US-mediated talks in Paris on de-escalating the conflict in southern Syria, state-run Ekhbariya TV reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic source.

The source described the dialogue as "honest and responsible", in the first confirmation from the Syrian side that talks had taken place.

On Friday, US envoy Tom Barrack said officials from both countries spoke about de-escalating the situation in Syria during the talks on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Representatives from the Syrian foreign ministry and intelligence officials were in attendance, Syria's Ekhbariya reported.

Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern Syrian province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killings of Druze by government forces.

Last week's clashes underlined the challenges interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in stabilizing Syria and maintaining centralized rule, despite warming ties with the US and his administration's evolving security contacts with Israel.

The diplomatic source said the meeting involved initial consultations aimed at "reducing tensions and opening channels of communication amid an ongoing escalation since early December".

The Syrian side held Israel responsible for the latest escalation, saying that the continuation of such "hostile policies" was threatening the region, according to the source. The Syrian delegation also said that Damascus would not accept "imposing new realities on the ground".