Turkey may provide military support to the Syrian interim government if requested, as clashes continue between Syrian regime forces and Kurdish-led groups in northern Aleppo, a Natonal Defense Ministry spokesperson has said.
"Syria’s security is our security. Turkey is closely following the developments in Syria," Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said during a weekly briefing today. "Our country supports the fight against terrorist organizations on the basis of Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, in line with the 'one state, one army' principle. In this context, Turkey will provide the necessary support if Syria requests assistance."
Aktürk referred to Kurdish forces as “terrorist organizations” and claimed the recent fighting began after what he described as attacks on Syrian security forces by these groups.
The current fighting broke out on Jan 6 as integration talks between the Damascus administration and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls the east of the country, reached a deadlock. The neighborhoods, which continued to remain under Kurdish control following the fall of the Baath regime last year, have been under siege by Syrian interim government forces since Dec 27.
Civilian displacement
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 10 civilians have been killed and dozens have been wounded since the violence escalated on Jan 6. The government forces targeted Sheikh Maqsoud with heavy artillery following a skirmish that killed a soldier. The observatory noted that an Osman Hospital in Ashrafieh was also targeted by a kamikaze drone, causing widespread panic.
The Aleppo Social Affairs Directorate reported that more than 45,000 people have been displaced, with many fleeing toward the Afrin region in further north. The Aleppo Governor's Office announced the reopening of humanitarian corridors for civilians wishing to leave the affected neighborhoods. Local authorities also declared a curfew starting at 1.30 pm local time (GMT+3) ahead of "intensive operations" against the SDF.
However, the SDF denied its presence in Aleppo in a statement yesterday. "We clearly emphasize that the SDF has no military presence in Aleppo. We withdrew from the region under a clear agreement, and security responsibilities were transferred to the Internal Security Forces (Asayish)," the statement read.
The SDF warned that continued aggression against civilians would lead to "serious consequences" and could pull the entire country back into open war.
The Damascus administration responded by stating that the SDF’s admission of having no military presence confirms that the responsibility for city security lies solely with the Syrian state. The government maintained that its actions aim to ensure "sovereignty and territorial integrity" and prevent armed activities in residential areas. (VK)
