
Erdogan Affirms Turkey’s Ongoing Contacts with Damascus, Reuters Reports
ISTANBUL – Turkey has kept low-level communication with the Syrian government, President Tayyip Erdogan stated on Sunday, despite Ankara’s support for rebels aiming to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
Erdogan has previously labeled Assad a terrorist and has consistently called for his removal throughout Syria’s nearly eight-year conflict. However, with backing from Russia and Iran, Assad has regained significant territory from rebel forces, pushing them out of their strongholds.
In December, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu indicated that Turkey and other nations might consider collaborating with Assad if he were to win a democratic election. He also mentioned last month that Ankara has maintained indirect contact with Damascus through Russia and Iran.
On Sunday, Erdogan hinted at the possibility of direct communications between Turkey and the Syrian government. “Foreign policy with Syria continues at a lower level,” he told TRT in an interview, explaining that intelligence services can operate independently from political leadership.
“Leaders may be cut out. But intelligence units can communicate for their interests,” Erdogan remarked. “Even if you have an enemy, you should not sever ties. You may need that later.”
The Turkish president also commented on a proposed safe zone in northeastern Syria, which U.S. President Donald Trump has said should be established as American forces withdraw from the area. Erdogan emphasized that Western coalition forces could not implement this plan without Turkey’s involvement.
“We can provide security in the area. We can manage the region together with you,” he stated. “No problem there. But we can’t leave the region to coalition forces.”
The U.S. has asserted that the proposed safe zone should address Turkey’s concerns about potential threats from the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria, while also preventing military actions by Turkey against the YPG.
Trump’s sudden announcement in December regarding the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria — that would affect a contingent of around 2,000 troops — was met with opposition from senior advisors, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in protest. A major concern among critics of this decision centers on the fate of the YPG should U.S. forces exit. The YPG has been a key ally of American forces in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. However, Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization closely linked to the PKK, which has waged an insurgency in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s.
Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for discussions on Syria in Sochi on February 14.