'Our priority is Syria’s stability and security,' Türkiye’s envoy to Damascus says

Türkiye's ambassador said Syria's stability and security are Ankara's priority and pledged continued support to Damascus, after operations carried out by Syrian forces led to the withdrawal of YPG/SDF terrorists from parts of Aleppo.

Speaking to Anadolu during a visit to Aleppo on Wednesday, Turkish Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yılmaz commented on recent developments in northern Syria and relations between Türkiye and Syria.

Yılmaz said a new political order has emerged in Syria after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government in December 2024, adding that Türkiye supports a new system that is inclusive and pluralistic and encompasses all segments of Syrian society.

He said a major obstacle to that goal had been the control by the YPG/SDF terrorist organization of roughly one-third of Syrian territory, including fertile land, oil resources and some border crossings, which he said imposed a high cost on the country's recovery.

'YPG/SDF HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH MARCH 10 AGREEMENT'

Referring to an agreement reached on March 10, 2025, between the Syrian government and the YPG/SDF, Yılmaz said the deal was meant to be implemented by the end of 2025, but that the group had not taken the necessary steps. He said Türkiye believes the organization used negotiations to gain time and strengthen its position rather than to resolve the issue.

Yılmaz said the Syrian army launched operations in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo after attacks by the group, adding that Damascus realized that the problem could no longer be resolved through talks alone. He said Türkiye closely monitored the operation and supported efforts to restore stability.

According to Yılmaz, the operation ended after YPG/SDF elements agreed to withdraw from the neighborhoods. He said civilian casualties were limited and praised measures taken by the Syrian authorities to protect civilians and allow those who laid down arms to leave safely.

'OUR PRIORITY IS SYRIA'S STABILITY AND SECURITY'

"We celebrate Aleppo's victory against terrorism. Our priority is Syria's stability and security, and we will continue to support our Syrian brothers in every way," Yılmaz said.

He said Turkish institutions, including the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent, provided humanitarian assistance during the operation, including shelter and food aid.

Yılmaz said that following the operation, terrorist activity in Aleppo's city center ended and displaced civilians began returning to their homes, calling this a positive sign of growing trust between the population and the Syrian government.

He also said that YPG/SDF terrorists, who left Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah, moved to Deir Hafir and Maskanah and carried out suicide drone attacks from those areas on civilian neighborhoods in Aleppo, posing ongoing security threats.

Yılmaz said former elements of the Assad regime joined YPG/SDF ranks, reflecting what he described as an undeclared understanding between the former regime and the terrorist group during the 15-year civil war, but added he did not expect them to change the course of the conflict.

'WASHINGTON PLAYED A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN MARCH 10 AGREEMENT'

On relations with the US, Yılmaz said Washington played a constructive role in the March 10 agreement and did not allow weapons it provided to be used in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah. He said this showed US support for Syria's transition toward stability and reconstruction.

He also welcomed the lifting of several US sanctions on Damascus, including those under the Caesar Act, saying it was an encouraging sign for future investment.

Yılmaz said Türkiye hopes the YPG/SDF will comply with the March 10 agreement, adding that the group's actions have harmed Syrian Kurds, who are one of the essential elements of the country with the right to participate in politics centered in Damascus.

He also pointed to significant potential in Turkish-Syrian trade, noting growing interest from Turkish businesses, easing regulatory obstacles and recent agreements on transit of trucks that he said would help boost trade between the two countries.