Turkey warns Kurdish forces not to exploit Syria unrest

Turkey has warned Kurdish militant groups in Syria against exploiting the fragile situation in the country’s south, after days of violent clashes left dozens dead before a ceasefire took hold.

Syria’s Suweida governorate witnessed fierce fighting between Druze militias on one side and government forces and Bedouin tribes on the other, with Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday further escalating tensions.

Israeli attacks hit military and security targets in Suweida, Daraa and Damascus, including strikes near the presidential palace and the destruction of a military headquarters in the capital.

The situation calmed after the Syrian army withdrew entirely from Suweida, handing control to local Druze factions. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa later thanked US, Arab, and Turkish mediation for helping end the fighting.

A Turkish security source told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that Ankara had played a "crucial role" in securing the ceasefire following Israeli intervention. Turkish intelligence officials reportedly held direct talks with Druze leaders in Suweida to mediate the deal.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking from New York where he was attending an informal Cyprus meeting, issued a warning to the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG).

"Our message to them is not to exploit the unrest in Syria and put themselves in an undesirable situation," he said. "They must not further complicate the delicate [political] process in Syria. They must play a constructive role. Otherwise, opportunism carries great risks with it."

Fidan also confirmed Turkey had received intelligence about YPG movements in Syria. Ankara considers the YPG, a key component of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency in Turkey since 1984. The PKK recently began disarming following a call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

Turkey, which supports Syria’s new Islamist-led government, has launched multiple military operations in northern Syria to target Kurdish fighters and maintains a military presence in the region.

The SDF, which played a leading role in defeating the Islamic State group in 2019, supports federalism in a post-Assad Syria - a vision opposed by both Damascus and Ankara.

Fidan also condemned Israel’s actions in Syria, accusing it of pursuing a policy of regional destabilisation.

"In its actions, Israel prioritises its own national security, disregarding any rules, regulations, rights, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of other countries in the region," he said. "It is unacceptable for Israel to act in a manner that defies everyone."

He added that Israel had been informed through Turkish intelligence of Ankara's position on recent events in Syria, along with proposals to de-escalate.

According to Anadolu, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin also discussed Israeli airstrikes with US, Israeli, and Syrian officials, including President Sharaa.

The Israeli military stormed southwest Syria for the first time since the 1970s following the ouster of the Assad regime on 8 December. Troops reportedly crossed into the demilitarised zone along the Golan Heights armistice line and began conducting regular raids, seizing dozens of villages in Quneitra governorate and parts of Mount Hermon.

Israel claims the operations serve security purposes amid the rise of a new Islamist government in Damascus. It has reportedly established military bases in captured territory.

On Thursday, Arab media cited an unnamed Israeli official saying Tel Aviv had given Damascus "a few weeks" to withdraw from the southern Daraa governorate.

Despite ongoing violations, reports suggest Israel and Syria are engaged in direct talks aimed at reaching a security arrangement, with speculation growing that Damascus may even normalise ties with Israel and join the Abraham Accords.