Türkiye: No Normalization with Damascus at Syrians Expense

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (Reuters)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (Reuters)
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Türkiye: No Normalization with Damascus at Syrians Expense

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (Reuters)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (Reuters)

Türkiye reaffirmed it will not take any decision regarding the normalization of ties with the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria so long that it could damage the lives of Syrians in opposition-run territory in the north.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stressed that his country will not take any decision that would harm the Syrians in Türkiye or those residing in northwestern Syria.

During a meeting with army leaders on Monday night, Akar discussed many issues, including the fight against terrorism and the path of normalization with the Syrian regime sponsored by Russia.

Akar reaffirmed that his country uses international relations and diplomacy extensively in combating terrorism.

The minister also pointed out that Türkiye made it clear that it is determined to fight terrorism.

According to Akar, his country made this clear at a tripartite meeting held in Moscow on December 28. The meeting included the defense and intelligence services of Türkiye, Russia and Syria.

The Turkish side also expressed to its interlocutors its desire to put an end to the flow of migration and its intention to ensure that the Syrians in Türkiye return to their lands and homes “voluntarily, safely, and in a dignified manner” after the necessary conditions are met.

“We have Syrian brothers and sisters and we have no room to take a decision in any situation that would put them in trouble. This should be known to everyone as we follow a very clear policy in this regard,” said Akar.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, during a meeting with representatives of the Syrian community in New York last Friday, renewed Türkiye’s support for the political process in Syria in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Akar, for his part, stressed that Türkiye respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring countries, and that its military operations in northern Syria and Iraq solely target “terrorists.”

The minister pointed to the attacks that targeted the Bab al-Salameh border crossing in the Syrian city of Azaz last Friday and said that Turkish forces retaliated to the assault in kind.

He revealed that 20 “terrorists” had been killed in the retaliatory attack. Türkiye labels elements from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the Kurdish People’s Protection (YPG) make up the primary component of forces, as terrorists.

“We've done whatever needed to be done. We are determined to continue to do so in the future, and there is no room for concessions to terrorists, and we will continue our fight resolutely to end terrorism,” said Akar.

On Saturday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that it had responded to the shelling launched from SDF-run sites in Tal Rifaat in the countryside of Aleppo. The SDF had targeted a Turkish base in Kilis, a city in south-central Türkiye, near the border with Syria.

Akar also noted that Turkish forces had “neutralized” a total of 134 terrorists (SDF fighters) in the last month.

In other news, Turkish authorities denied social media reports made by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and YPG loyalists. According to the Kurdish groups, the Syrian regime had attacked a Turkish base in Idlib, wounding and killing several soldiers.

The Turkish Directorate of Communications, however, has labeled the reports as fake news.

The Directorate corrected the report and said that the attack was launched by the SDF, not the regime.

It said that the shells fell in Kilis but did not cause any casualties.

“Turkish armed forces immediately responded to the sources of fire, targeted the terrorists’ concentration points, and managed to neutralize 20 elements,” the Directorate reported.



Druze Group ‘Rijal al-Karama’ Rejects Disarmament, Calls for Weapons Regulation in Sweida

Mourners attend funeral of those killed in clashes in southern Sweida town on Saturday (AFP)
Mourners attend funeral of those killed in clashes in southern Sweida town on Saturday (AFP)
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Druze Group ‘Rijal al-Karama’ Rejects Disarmament, Calls for Weapons Regulation in Sweida

Mourners attend funeral of those killed in clashes in southern Sweida town on Saturday (AFP)
Mourners attend funeral of those killed in clashes in southern Sweida town on Saturday (AFP)

A leading Druze movement said on Sunday that the issue of surrendering arms remains unresolved, even as local leaders in southern Syria announced the official start of implementing a peace agreement brokered by Druze clerics and dignitaries in Sweida province.

Bassem Abu Fakhr, spokesman for the “Rijal al-Karama” movement, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group's weapons were solely for defense and had never been used offensively.

“The matter of handing over weapons falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense, and no final decision has been made yet,” Abu Fakhr said. “Our arms have never posed a threat to any party. We have not attacked anyone, and our weapons exist to protect our land and honor.”

He added that while the group does not object to regulating the presence of weapons, full surrender was out of the question.

“We have no issue with organizing arms under state authority, provided they remain within the province’s administrative boundaries and under state supervision,” he said. “But the matter of weapons remains unresolved.”

Formed in 2013, Rijal al-Karama was established to protect the Druze community and prevent its youth from being conscripted into fighting for any side in Syria’s protracted conflict, which erupted after mass protests against then President Bashar al-Assad.

The group continues to operate as an independent local defense force, separate from state security institutions.

Abu Fakhr told Asharq Al-Awsat that a high-level meeting held last Thursday in Sweida—attended by senior Druze spiritual leaders Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri and Sheikh Hammoud al-Hanawi, along with local dignitaries and community members—resulted in an agreement to reactivate the police and judicial police under the Ministry of Interior.

Abu Fakhr also denied recent reports claiming that Druze clerics, tribal leaders, and faction commanders had agreed to fully surrender their weapons to the state.

“This issue has not been resolved by all parties in Sweida,” he said, reiterating the group’s position: “We have no objection to organizing the weapons under state oversight, as long as they remain within the administrative boundaries of the province, but not to surrendering them.”

The statement underscores continuing tensions over the role of armed groups in Sweida, a province that has largely remained outside the control of both government and opposition forces throughout Syria’s civil war.