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Opposition Sources Point to Signs of Russian Control over Latakia Port

The port of Latakia (Photo: Sputnik)
The port of Latakia (Photo: Sputnik)
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Opposition Sources Point to Signs of Russian Control over Latakia Port

The port of Latakia (Photo: Sputnik)
The port of Latakia (Photo: Sputnik)

Syrian opposition sources said that a joint patrol between the Russian military police and the Syrian regime forces in the port of Latakia, on Monday, was a military measure aimed at deploying observation points in the port, which was attacked twice by Israel in recent weeks. The attacks were said to have targeted Iranian weapon containers.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) had reported that the Russian military police, accompanied by Syrian forces, conducted patrols inside Latakia port on Monday, in response to a wave of popular discontent with the Israeli targeting of the port and the Russian silence.

Quoting Syrian opposition sources, SOHR said that Russia aimed to expel Iran from the port, and was seeking to extend its control to protect it from the repeated Israeli air raids. Russian forces had deployed their control nearly two years ago over the port of Tartus.

No stance was made by Damascus regarding the report.

Meanwhile, Sana Al-Ali, an opposition activist in the city of Latakia, said that a number of Russian armored military vehicles, accompanied by drones belonging to the Russian Air Force, entered the port of Latakia on Monday.

The vehicles transported a group of Russian military police, accompanied by five Syrian officers, who conducted a tour inside the port for more than two hours, during which they examined some of the yards and warehouses, and inspected the operations.

Quoted by the Syrian opposition sources, the activist added that the Russian forces were planning to establish military headquarters at the main gate of the port, and other points inside it, in order to monitor the daily operations, in cooperation with Syrian regime officers.

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Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
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Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)

Türkiye will do "whatever it takes" to ensure its security if the new Syrian administration cannot address Ankara's concerns about US-allied Kurdish groups it views as terrorist groups, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday.

Türkiye regards the YPG, the militant group spearheading the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought an insurgency against the Turkish state for 40 years and are deemed terrorists by Ankara, Washington, and the European Union.

Hostilities have escalated since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad less than two weeks ago, with Türkiye and Syrian groups it backs seizing the city of Manbij from the SDF on Dec. 9. Assad's fall has left the Kurdish factions on the back foot as they seek to retain political gains made in the last 13 years.

In an interview with France 24, Fidan said Ankara's preferred option was for the new administration in Damascus to address the problem in line with Syria's territorial unity, sovereignty, and integrity, adding that the YPG should be disbanded immediately.

"If it doesn't happen, we have to protect our own national security," he said. When asked if that included military action, Fidan said: "Whatever it takes."

Asked about SDF commander Mazloum Abdi's comments about the possibility of a negotiated solution with Ankara, Fidan said the group should seek such a settlement with Damascus, as there was "a new reality" there now.

"The new reality, hopefully, they will address these issues, but at the same time, (the) YPG/PKK, they know what we want. We don't want to see any form of military threat to ourselves. Not the present one, but also the potential one," he added.

Ankara, alongside Syrian allies, has mounted several cross-border offensives against the YPG-led SDF in northern Syria, while repeatedly demanding that its NATO ally Washington halt support for the fighters.

The US-backed SDF played a major role defeating ISIS militants in 2014-2017 with US air support, and still guards its fighters in prison camps. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the extremist group would try to re-establish capabilities in this period.

Fidan said he didn't find the recent uptick in US troops in Syria to be the "right decision", adding the battle against ISIS was an "excuse" to maintain support for the SDF.

"The fight against ISIS, there is only one job: to keep ISIS prisoners in prisons, that's it," he said.

Fidan also said that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which swept into Damascus to topple Assad, had "excellent cooperation" with Ankara in the battle against ISIS and al-Qaeda in the past through intelligence sharing.

He also said Türkiye was not in favor of any foreign bases, including Russian ones, remaining in Syria, but that the choice was up to the Syrian people.