Türkiye to Continue Normalization Talks with Assad Regime within Days

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits Land Forces Operation Center in Ankara, Türkiye, November 21, 2022. (Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits Land Forces Operation Center in Ankara, Türkiye, November 21, 2022. (Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters)
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Türkiye to Continue Normalization Talks with Assad Regime within Days

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits Land Forces Operation Center in Ankara, Türkiye, November 21, 2022. (Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits Land Forces Operation Center in Ankara, Türkiye, November 21, 2022. (Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Türkiye confirmed its intention to continue the normalization talks with the Syrian regime in the coming period, expressing its hope that Damascus would understand its concerns about the presence of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) near its borders.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar asserted that Ankara will continue the talks with Damascus after the upcoming technical meetings are held in Moscow between the deputy foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Syria and Iran.

In a press interview, Akar added that Ankara is waiting for Damascus to understand its position on the YPG, the military backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on Syrian territory.

Türkiye is not an occupier of Syrian lands, stressed the minister, adding that its presence aimed to combat terrorism and protect its borders and territorial integrity.

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu revealed during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a Russian proposal to hold a meeting between the four countries in Ankara at the technical level in preparation for a possible meeting between their foreign ministers.

Several meetings were held between the Turkish and Syrian intelligence officials, mediated by Russia, which developed into a meeting at the level of defense ministers and heads of intelligence services of the three countries, in Moscow on December 28.

The three foreign ministers were supposed to meet during the second half of January in preparation for a meeting at the level of presidents, as proposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

However, Damascus made conditions to continue the normalization talks. It stipulated the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Syria, Ankara's cessation of its support for the Syrian opposition, and the designation as terrorist the armed factions loyal to it under the Syrian National Army (SNA).

A meeting for the foreign ministers was scheduled for January, then postponed to early February, and then to the middle of the month. It was later delayed because of the earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6.

Ankara stated there was a need to hold a second meeting of defense ministers before the meeting of foreign ministers, which was viewed as a slowdown in normalization efforts sponsored by Russia and amid reports of Iranian interference.

Akar said the YPG and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) are two sides of the same coin, criticizing the visit of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, to the SDF-held areas in northeastern Syria, under the pretext of inspecting US forces there.

He hoped that Türkiye’s allies and friends would understand the danger of the deployment of Kurdish units along its border and the danger they pose to its citizens.

Ankara says the US continues to support the YPG, dismissing a US statement that denied Milley had met with SDF and YPG commanders. The statement said he had only met with American forces.

Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said that regardless of whether this meeting took place, Washington's support of the terrorist organization is undeniable.

Last Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador, Jeff Flake, to demand clarifications about the top US general's visit to northeast Syria.



UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.