Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has issued a stark warning to Kurdish forces in northern Syria, saying they must “integrate” into the Syrian state or risk military action. His remarks came during talks in Ankara with Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Saibani, Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Kasra, and intelligence chief Hussein Salameh.

Fidan claimed that negotiations between Kurdish representatives and the government in Damascus have stalled, leading to developments that Ankara “can no longer tolerate.” He accused the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) of refusing to withdraw from Syria and continuing to pose a threat to Turkey and the region.

“My message to the YPG is to stop being a threat by removing the terrorists they have gathered from around the world,” he said, warning that Turkey would not remain inactive if its security demands were not met.

Turkish media reported that Damascus is preparing a military operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with Turkish backing. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi had reached a preliminary deal with Damascus in March to integrate his forces into Syria’s future army. However, disputes over Kurdish autonomy, the political system, and the terms of integration have blocked progress. US mediation failed to bridge the gap, and Damascus recently pulled out of a planned Paris conference on the issue.

Fidan also targeted Israel in his statements, accusing it of playing a “dark role” in southern Syria, particularly in the province of Sweida, and seeking to expand its influence.

Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Saibani echoed these concerns, saying Israeli threats endangered Syria’s sovereignty and citizen safety. He also dismissed claims that Damascus intended to marginalize the Druze community in the south, calling them an integral part of Syrian society