Turkiye's Erdogan says Damascus must keep focused on Kurdish SDF deal
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Syria's government must keep focused on its deal with the Kurdish, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under which it is to integrate into the Syrian armed forces, pressing Damascus for its implementation.
Speaking to reporters on a flight from Budapest, he said Turkiye, Syria, Iraq and the United States had a committee to discuss the fate of Daesh militants in prison camps in northeast Syria, which have been run by the SDF for years.
Ankara views the SDF and its factions as a terrorist group.
'We are especially following the YPG issue very, very closely. It is important for the Damascus administration not to take its attention away from this issue,' his office on Thursday cited him as saying. The YPG militia spearheads the SDF.
He added that Iraq should focus on the issue of the camps, as most women and children at the Al-Hol camp there were from Iraq and Syria, and that Iraq should repatriate its nationals.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
21 minutes ago
- Arab News
South Korea coach says Son won't be pushed too hard in 2026 qualifiers
South Korea captain Son Heung-min will be used sparingly in their World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Kuwait as he builds up his match fitness following his return from a foot injury, coach Hong Myung-bo said on Korea, who lead Group B by three points, face Iraq in Basra on June 5 before returning home for their final qualifier of the third round against Kuwait five days Koreans will qualify for their 11th successive World Cup if they avoid defeat by Iraq, who last month appointed former Australia boss Graham Arnold as their head has been dealing with the injury for the past two months and was restricted to a substitute's appearance in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final.'He and I have not yet discussed exactly how much he will play. But my staff and I already know all about his drive and his desire to play,' Hong told reporters.'Since we have two matches coming up (to try to qualify for the World Cup), I will not push him too hard. Once we get to Iraq, we will decide which of the two matches we will focus on.'The 56-year-old said Son's experience would be invaluable in Iraq even if he does not play.'We will probably play in a hostile environment in front of partisan fans,' he added.'We have some players who have had experience playing in these situations. It's something we should keep in mind going into the stadium for this match.'
Arab News
37 minutes ago
- Arab News
Ukraine and Russia meet in Turkiye for peace talks with few hopes for a breakthrough
ISTANBUL: Delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Turkiye on Monday for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks, although expectations were low for any significant progress on ending the three-year war. The Ukrainian delegation led Defense Minister Rustem Umerov was in Istanbul for the meeting, according to Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said in a message posted on the Ukrainian Embassy Whatsapp group. The Russian delegation headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, arrived Sunday evening, Russian state media reported. Turkish officials said the meeting would start at 1 p.m. local time, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presiding over the talks and officials from the Turkish intelligence agency also present. However, Ukrainian spokesperson Tykhyi said the start would be at midday local time. It was not immediately possible to clarify the discrepancy. Recent comments by senior officials in both countries indicate they remain far apart on the key conditions for stopping the war. Fierce fighting has in the meantime continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, and both sides have hit each other's territory with deep strikes. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep inside Russia, Ukraine's Security Service said, while Moscow pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones. Russian air defenses downed 162 Ukrainian drones over eight Russian regions overnight, as well as over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday. Ukrainian air defenses damaged 52 out of 80 drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian air force said. Two ballistic missiles struck a residential neighborhood in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Monday morning, including one that hit near a school, the city's mayor said. One missile landed near an apartment building, while the second struck a road near the school, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement and published a photo of a wide crater. 'Standing next to the crater, you realize how different it all could have been,' Terekhov wrote. 'A few more meters — and it would have hit the building. A few more minutes — and cars, buses would have been on the road.' No casualties were reported.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Lavrov, Rubio discuss settlement of war in Ukraine, forthcoming talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed on Sunday prospects for settling the conflict in Ukraine and Russia-Ukraine talks set for Monday in Turkey, Lavrov's ministry said. 'The situation linked to the Ukraine crisis was discussed,' the ministry said in a statement on its website. 'S.V. Lavrov and M. Rubio also exchanged views on various initiatives concerning a settlement of the Ukraine crisis, including plans to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on June 2.' The US State Department, which noted the call was at Russia's request, said Rubio reiterated US President Donald Trump's call for continued direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve 'a lasting peace.' The ministry also said that during the conversation Rubio expressed condolences over deaths that occurred when two bridges were blown up in separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine. 'It was stressed on the Russian side that competent bodies will proceed with a thorough investigation and the results will be published. The guilty parties will be identified and will without doubt be subject to a worthy punishment.' Russian officials said at least seven people were killed and 69 injured when the two bridges were blown up on Saturday.
