Turkey Says Syria’s New Rulers Agree to Abolish Kurdish Forces
Syrian Kurdish forces during a raid against suspected Islamic State group fighters in Raqa, last year.
Photographer: Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Turkey said Syria’s new rebel government agrees with Ankara on the need to dismantle Kurdish military forces — a critical US ally in the northern region of Syria — as countries rush to shape the future of the region after the downfall of the Assad regime.
Turkey and the US have long been at loggerheads over Washington’s military and logistical support to Kurdish forces in Syria. The issue remains a priority for Ankara amid talks on what Syria’s future will look like under Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which now controls Syria, with Turkish officials saying Kurdish presence at the border is a major security concern.