Türkiye, Syria move to deepen counterterrorism alliance

As both nations vow joint front against terrorism, back Syrian territorial unity

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Türkiye and Syria are stepping up efforts to fortify regional security through enhanced cooperation on counterterrorism and governance reform, as top officials from both countries met in Ankara this week.

Vice President of Türkiye, Cevdet Yılmaz, hosted Syrian Interior Minister Enes Hattab at the Presidential Complex in the Turkish capital, in a high-level meeting attended by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The focus of discussions was long-term regional peace, with security, counterterrorism, and governance as key pillars.

Yılmaz, in a statement following the meeting, emphasised that the road to peace in the Middle East runs through a stable Syria.

“A secure and sovereign Syria is not only critical for its own citizens but essential for the broader peace and prosperity of the region,” Yılmaz said via his official account on X (formerly Twitter).

He reiterated Türkiye’s willingness to offer institutional support, technical assistance, and political backing to help the new Syrian government rebuild and stabilise post-conflict institutions.

The engagement signals a growing thaw in bilateral relations since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. The new Syrian leadership, keen on restoring order and defeating residual terrorist elements, has welcomed Turkish support in security and governance matters.

Yılmaz voiced Türkiye’s hope for “a Syria governed by inclusive leadership where all citizens enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms,” stressing Ankara’s enduring stance on preserving Syria’s territorial unity and sovereignty.

Curbing terrorism and external influence

Both sides expressed concern over the increasing integration of the YPG—widely regarded by Ankara as the Syrian extension of the PKK terrorist group—into official Syrian military structures. Turkish officials say this development, if left unchecked, could derail efforts to build a secure and unified Syria.

Türkiye also reasserted its opposition to foreign reliance on the YPG as a counterterrorism partner in the region.

Ankara is now coordinating directly with Damascus and other regional partners to address the threat of Daesh and similar non-state actors. In line with this, a four-nation Counter-Daesh Coordination Cell involving Türkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan has been activated.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who announced the regional coalition last month, said the multilateral initiative is designed to render “external dependence on proxies like YPG unnecessary.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has consistently maintained that Türkiye has no ambition beyond stability and peace for Syria. He has assured Syria’s new leadership of Ankara’s readiness to provide operational, intelligence, and military support against all terrorist threats.

“We will not allow terrorists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability,” Erdoğan declared at a recent security summit.

The evolving Türkiye–Syria alliance could mark a new chapter in regional cooperation, shifting the counterterrorism narrative from externally-driven interventions to local ownership and partnership-based solutions.

Source: Adapted from Daily Sabah

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