A Surprise Diplomatic Visit: Turkey’s Top Officials in Damascus
In a sudden and significant move, Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, defense minister, Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, paid an unannounced visit to Damascus on Thursday. This high-level delegation, accompanied by Turkey’s ambassador to Syria, Burhan Koroglu, arrived just days after Syria’s interim government reached a contentious agreement to integrate a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led armed group, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), into the Syrian army. The SDF, which Turkey designates as a terrorist organization due to its ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has long been a point of contention in the region.
The visit came on the heels of fierce clashes last week between government security forces and gunmen loyal to ousted leader Bashar Assad. Monitoring groups reported that hundreds of civilians were killed in the violence, primarily targeting members of the Alawite religious minority, to which Assad belongs. The integration of the SDF into the Syrian government’s army has sparked concerns in Turkey, which has consistently demanded the disarmament and expulsion of groups it deems terrorist organizations.
According to a Turkish Defense Ministry official, speaking anonymously, Ankara aims to examine "how the agreement reached will be implemented and its reflections on the field." The official emphasized that Turkey’s expectations regarding Syria remain unchanged, reiterating the demand for the termination of terrorist activities, the disarmament of terrorists, and the expulsion of foreign terrorists from Syria.
The SDF Integration Deal: A Thorn in Turkey-Syria Relations
The SDF, a Kurdish-led force that has been a crucial ally for the United States in the fight against ISIS, has been a longstanding point of tension between Turkey and Syria. Turkey views the SDF and its military arm, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as extensions of the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The recent agreement to integrate the SDF into the Syrian government’s army has only deepened Turkey’s concerns, as it sees this move as strengthening the position of a group it considers a security threat.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president and a former rebel, met with the Turkish delegation to discuss the implications of the SDF integration. The meeting highlights the complex dynamics at play, as both countries navigate their shared concerns about terrorism and regional stability. However, the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army poses significant challenges for Turkey, which has long sought to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish enclave along its southern border.
A Ceremony Honouring a Former Syrian Fighter Pilot
While the diplomatic efforts in Damascus were unfolding, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presided over a ceremony that drew attention to the human side of the conflict. Erdogan honoured Ragheed al-Tatari, a former Syrian fighter pilot who spent 43 years in prison under the Assad regimes, with an award for "benevolence and kindness." The ceremony, hosted by a foundation linked to Turkey’s religious authority, recognised al-Tatari’s perseverance and his decision to follow his conscience.
Al-Tatari was imprisoned in 1981 under Hafez al-Assad and remained incarcerated through the rule of Bashar al-Assad. His imprisonment was marked by transfers to notorious prisons, including Palmyra and Sednaya, known for holding political dissidents. His release in December by opposition forces brought an end to one of the longest-known detentions of a political prisoner in Syria. Erdogan praised al-Tatari as "the brave Syrian pilot who listened to his conscience," a nod to the moral dilemmas and personal sacrifices that have defined the Syrian conflict.
Turkey’s Enduring Concerns in Syria
The Turkish delegation’s visit to Damascus underscores Ankara’s persistent concerns about the Syrian conflict and its implications for regional stability. While the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army may be seen as a step towards national reconciliation by some, it poses significant challenges for Turkey, which views the group as a terrorist threat. The visit also reflects Turkey’s broader objectives in Syria, including the desire to play a mediating role in the conflict and to safeguard its own security interests.
As the situation in Syria continues to evolve, the visit by Turkey’s top officials serves as a reminder of the complex web of alliances, rivalries, and interests that shape the region. The integration of the SDF into the Syrian army, coupled with the enduring legacy of political imprisonment represented by Ragheed al-Tatari’s story, highlights the multifaceted challenges that Syria faces in its path towards peace and stability.
