After weeks of threats, is Turkey softening line on Syrian SDF?
Turkey’s dialing down of rhetoric may be linked to ongoing Israel-Damascus security talks, an expert told Al-Monitor.
ANKARA — Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said a potential military operation against the Pentagon-allied and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria is not being considered at this time.
Responding to questions about a potential operation against the group, Guler told Turkey’s CNN Turk television late Thursday, “We’re not saying a military operation is on the table right now.”
Over the past week, Turkish officials had intensified threats against the SDF over its refusal to disarm and fully integrate into Syria’s armed forces. The SDF, in turn, has voiced concern that losing autonomy could leave its fighters vulnerable to attacks from Islamist groups aligned with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Asked about Syria later Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan likewise refrained from using a threatening tone, a contrast to his earlier warnings.
