Turkey vows military support for Syria if asked amid Aleppo clashes

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKEY

Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense (MSB) has officially announced that Ankara is prepared to provide necessary military support to the Syrian government regarding the situation in Aleppo, provided a formal request is made by Damascus.

The statement, issued on January 8, follows three days of intense clashes between the Syrian National Army and Kurdish-led forces in the northern city. Reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, the ministry emphasized that current operations in Aleppo are being conducted independently by the Syrian military under the "one state, one army" principle. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused external actors, specifically Israel, of coordinating with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fuel regional instability.

Fidan denounces Israeli 'Divide and Rule' strategy

During a press briefing in Ankara, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan sharply criticized the alleged coordination between the SDF and Israel, stating it directly undermines the territorial integrity of Syria. Fidan characterized Israel’s regional approach as a "divide-and-rule" policy that targets the long-term stability of its neighbors.

"The SDF must stop serving as a tool for Israel’s disruptive policies and instead prioritize integration with the Syrian national military," Fidan stated. He further noted that Ankara remains in active consultation with Damascus and Washington to resolve the deadlock, urging the SDF to abandon its "uncompromising stance" which he described as the greatest obstacle to peace in northern Syria.

Humanitarian crisis: 145,000 displaced in Aleppo

The urban warfare has sparked a massive humanitarian emergency, with the Syrian government-run Aleppo Central Response Committee reporting that approximately 142,000 to 145,000 civilians have been displaced since the escalation began on January 6. Thousands of families are reportedly fleeing toward Afrin and Azaz in search of safety.

The Syrian military has designated the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Beni Zeid as military zones, implementing a strict curfew. While Damascus claims to have opened humanitarian corridors for evacuation, the United Nations has expressed grave alarm over the rising civilian death toll, noting that hospitals in the area have been forced to cease operations due to heavy shelling and sniper fire.

Deadlock over the March 10 Agreement

The latest violence is rooted in the stalled implementation of the March 10, 2025, integration agreement. The pact, signed between the Syrian transitional government and the SDF, was intended to merge Kurdish-led military and civil structures into the central state apparatus, including control over borders and oil fields.

Ankara has increased its pressure for the full implementation of this deal, viewing the SDF's semi-autonomous status as a direct extension of the PKK and a national security threat. Foreign Minister Fidan alluded to recent directives from Abdullah Öcalan at İmralı Prison, which reportedly urged the SDF to honor the March 10 agreement. Ankara maintains that a unified Syrian command is the only path toward a permanent resolution, warning that "parallel administrations" will not be tolerated.

www.wisenewspress.com

Source : EURO NEWS