Syria's territorial integrity ‘non-negotiable,’ no place for PKK/YPG terror group in country: Turkish foreign minister

By Esra Tekin and Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday said Syria’s territorial integrity is “non-negotiable," and reaffirmed that there’s no place for the PKK/YPG terror group in the country.

“This is not a time to wait and see. We must take action. The territorial integrity of Syria is non-negotiable. We want to reiterate that there is no place for the PKK/YPG in Syria,” Fidan said in joint news conference with Ahmed al Sharaa, leader of the new Syrian administration, in the capital Damascus.

The Turkish state, its people, and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will always stand by Syria and its people, Fidan added.

The minister said it is “absolutely unacceptable” to tolerate Israel exploiting current situation to seize Syria's territories, referring to Israel’s recent attacks on Syrian lands after the fall of the Ba’ath regime.

Al Sharaa, for his part, said he discussed Syria's future with Fidan, adding that “friendly country” Türkiye has stood by Syrians since beginning of the revolution.

He said the only arms in Syria will be held by the state, arguing that any armed groups, whether in areas under their control or those under the control of the terrorist PKK/YPG, will not be accepted.