Erdogan warns no place for 'terrorist' groups in Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday issued a stark warning that "terrorist organizations" would have no role in Syria's future, targeting Kurdish forces accused of links to separatist groups in Turkey.

Erdogan's comments came during a meeting in Ankara with Masrour Barzani, prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdish region, according to a statement from the president’s office.

Turkey has voiced concerns over instability following the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month. Erdogan emphasized Ankara’s efforts to ensure that Assad’s ousting does not lead to further unrest in the region.

“There is no place for terrorist organizations or affiliated elements in the future of the new Syria,” Erdogan said.

Ankara accuses the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) of being linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for decades.

Both the PKK and YPG are deemed terrorist groups by Turkey, with the PKK also classified as such by the United States and the European Union.

Turkey has regularly launched strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq, intensifying efforts to curb their influence. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated this stance on Monday, calling the elimination of the PKK and YPG “only a matter of time.”

Fidan also referred to Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and his call to integrate Kurdish-led forces into the Syrian national army, a move Turkey views with skepticism.

The YPG has been a key U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State (IS), but Ankara warns that Western support for the group strengthens the PKK under the guise of countering jihadist threats.

"The threat of IS should not be used as a pretext to strengthen the PKK," Fidan said.

Turkey’s position underscores its longstanding opposition to Kurdish autonomy and reflects broader concerns over regional stability in the wake of Assad’s downfall.