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Türkiye: No Plans for Erdogan-Assad Meeting

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali, Indonesia, 16 November 2022. (EPA)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali, Indonesia, 16 November 2022. (EPA)
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Türkiye: No Plans for Erdogan-Assad Meeting

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali, Indonesia, 16 November 2022. (EPA)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali, Indonesia, 16 November 2022. (EPA)

Türkiye on Monday confirmed there are no plans for a meeting soon between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“We don’t have an immediate plan for such a meeting, but our president is sending a message: If you act responsibly, if you address the security concerns and allow the political process to move forward, then I might be prepared to take that step,” Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said in a television interview.

He added that Türkiye also needs to know whether the Assad regime will take a clear stance against the PKK and its Syrian offshoots the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Last week, Reuters said Assad had rejected a proposal by Russia's President Vladimir Putin to meet Erdogan. It said no rapprochement will happen before theTurkish presidential and parliamentary elections next year not to hand Erdogan a victory for free.

Meanwhile, Türkiye denied that Ankara requested a Russian-Iranian green light for its operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria.

“We don’t ask for permission, we just coordinate with our allies when we face a national security threat,” Kalin said

He also pointed out that under a deal signed in 2019, the US was supposed to make YPG/PKK ‘terrorists’ move 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from the Turkish border, but the agreement was never implemented.

Meanwhile, Turkish intelligence forces "neutralized" a senior PKK member in northern Syria.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency (AA) said Siham Mislih, codenamed "Mizgin Kobani," was neutralized in an operation by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

Mislih was one of the senior YPG/PKK terrorists in Ayn Issa and plotted terrorist acts against the Turkish security forces in the Operation Peace Spring region, AA added.

Also, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Turkish security forces “neutralized” five YPG/PKK members in northern Syria.

The PYG members were plotting to launch an attack in the Operation Peace Spring, Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield zones, the ministry said in a statement.

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Arab World

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.