The shift in Turkish rhetoric towards Syria’s Bashar al-Assad comes as a result of the shift in focus of Ankara’s long-term goals in Syria and Iraq.
During Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Ukraine on 18 August, the president once again opened up about his intentions of improving Turkey’s relations with Syria.
Erdogan informed the press that Ankara has no ill intentions toward Syria, stressing Turkey’s commitment to preserving the country’s territorial integrity.
Additionally, Erdogan expressed that Turkey has no desire to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as head of state, but instead aims to focus on fighting terrorism.
“We do not have the dilemma of overthrowing or not overthrowing Assad. We hope for the adoption of a new constitution in Syria, which will stabilize the situation,” Erdogan was quoted by CNN Turk as saying.
Moreover, he accused the US of fostering terrorism in Syria and allowing Turkish-designated terrorist groups to operate freely on its borders.
“It is the US and coalition forces that primarily feed terrorism in Syria. They did it brutally and they still do it. If there is unrest in Iraq today, unfortunately, America lies behind it,”, Turkish state media TRT quoted Erdogan as saying.
The US-led coalition in West Asia is partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish majority armed force with ties to the terror-designated Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Earlier on 9 August, President Vladimir Putin and President Erdogan reportedly discussed the current situation in Syria.
According to Turkish media reports, President Erdogan and President Bashar al-Assad are expected to have a phone conversation, though Ankara clarified that it is “too early” to hold bilateral talks.
However, despite the recent trend of de-escalatory rhetoric by Erdogan towards Damascus, the Turkish occupation forces in Syria continue to ramp up their military provocations.
On the afternoon of 16 August, the Turkish army attacked several Syrian Arab Army (SAA) positions in Tal Jarqali village, west of the town of Ayn al-Arab in Aleppo governorate.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced the death of three soldiers, and the injury of at least six others.
“With the intensification of the provocations practiced by the Turkish regime, and the repeated attacks, we affirm our right to direct an immediate response on all fronts,” reads a statement by the Syrian MoD.
The SAA have been stationed in Tel Jarqali since 2019 after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Russia and Turkey.
Source: https://thecradle.co/Article/News/14534