Türkiye closely monitors Syria clashes as part of its national security priorities
Turkish security sources tell TRT World that Türkiye is monitoring the ongoing Syria conflict to protect civilians and prevent a migration crisis from happening due to the Aleppo clashes between the Syrian army and YPG terror group.
Türkiye says it is closely monitoring the situation in Syria, with priority given to the country’s political unity, territorial integrity and centralised state structure, according to information provided to TRT World by Turkish security sources.
The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) is focused on limiting the impact of border-area conflicts on Türkiye, closely tracking potential migration movements from within Syria, and helping ensure the safety of civilians in the region, according to the sources.
“Recent clashes in Aleppo, particularly in the neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh and Beni Zaid, where the Kurdish population is concentrated, between the Syrian army and YPG elements are being assessed within this context,” the sources said.
The YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist organisation.
Security sources reported that violence broke out after the YPG failed to honour a March 10 agreement with the Syrian government. The group’s actions, seen as undermining reconciliation efforts, raised fears of escalating regional instability.
YPG terrorists have killed at least eight civilians and displaced tens of thousands of people amid the latest violence in Aleppo.
The Syrian government had for an extended period pursued a non-violent solution, security sources stressed, making multiple proposals to the YPG and keeping dialogue channels open.
“However, the YPG rejected these proposals and adopted a maximalist stance, seeking to gain time,” sources said.
Establishing control in fighting areas
The Syrian army has seized control of the Ashrafiyeh and Beni Zaid neighbourhoods after fighting, sources added, while military operations continue in Sheikh Maqsoud.
The Syrian army has declared a unilateral ceasefire in Aleppo’s conflict zones, offering the YPG a path to withdraw east of the Euphrates River, preventing further clashes.
Damascus’ ceasefire announcement was praised by the United States and Türkiye as a means to prevent further bloodshed and a migration influx.
Ankara rejected any attempts by the YPG terror group to use the civilian population as human shields in its fight against the Syrian army.
Türkiye continues to advocate for the peaceful resolution of tensions in Syria, in line with the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the sources.
All institutions on alert
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been closely following developments as MIT is in contact with the US and Syrian authorities and conveying messages, according to sources.
Developments are also being monitored in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defence, with MIT personnel on the ground operating on a 24/7 basis, the sources said.
Türkiye has consistently underlined that Syria’s stability and security are inseparable from its own, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and return to dialogue.
The security sources emphasised that Kurds in Syria are citizens of the country and that the protection of their rights remains among Türkiye’s priorities.
According to the sources, Ankara’s overarching goal is lasting peace and stability in Syria, alongside the preservation of its territorial integrity, and it expects the YPG to adopt an approach that contributes to Syria’s political unity, social harmony, and integration.