Plans by US-backed Syrian Kurdish groups to hold local elections in Northern Syria are “unacceptable” and pose a threat to Turkey's national security, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler said, quoted by the Associated Press, BTA reported.
Turkey sees this step as creating a separate Kurdish entity along its borders. Ankara believes the Syrian Kurdish groups are linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), AP notes. In written answers to AP questions, Turkey's defense minister emphasized Ankara's commitment to creating a security corridor along its borders with Syria and Iraq to neutralize the threat posed by Kurdish rebels.
The Kurdish Autonomous Administration, which controls northern and eastern parts of Syria, has announced plans to hold local elections on June 11. Mayoral elections are planned in the provinces of Hasakah, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and in the eastern part of the province of Aleppo.
"It is impossible to accept such a situation," Güler said. "The so-called electoral efforts, which threaten the territorial integrity of Syria, will negatively affect the peace and tranquility of the region." "We will not allow a single fait accompli to the detriment of our national security and the territorial integrity of our neighbors," he added. Guler did not specify what action Turkey might take if Kurdish groups go ahead with election plans.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched several large-scale cross-border operations in Syria to drive from its border the Kurdish group known as the People's Protection Forces (YPG), which now controls parts of northern Syria. Turkish aircraft, drones and artillery regularly attack suspected militants in northern Syria and in northern Iraq, where the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has bases.
The PKK, which has waged an armed struggle against Turkey for decades, is considered a terrorist organization by Ankara and its Western allies. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict since the 1980s. Guler told AP that 63 percent of Turkey's border with Syria is currently "under control." "We are fully determined to create a 30-40 km deep security corridor along our borders with Iraq and Syria," the minister said. "Our goal is to eliminate attacks and threats by members of the terrorist organization across the border against our citizens and troops," he said.
Turkey is now conducting "continuous and comprehensive" operations against the PKK, rather than launching offensives as in the past, which he said were limited in terms of "targets and timing". Guler also welcomed increased security cooperation from Baghdad, which banned the PKK earlier this year, although it did not designate it a terrorist organization. "For the first time, Iraq sees the PKK not only as Turkey's problem, but as its own problem," Guler said. "We expect it to be declared a terrorist organization as soon as possible.
Regarding Turkey's efforts to modernize its air force, Guler said that Turkey and the US are closer to finalizing procedures to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after the Turkish government ratified Sweden's NATO membership. Turkey has asked to buy the F-16 fighter jets in 2020 after being excluded from the US-led F-35 stealth fighter program over the purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system.
Güler said talks with the United States about Turkey's potential return to the F-35 project were continuing, but ruled out any possibility of Turkey abandoning the S-400. "It is excluded that the S-400s, which we purchased within the framework of our country's needs for a long-range regional air and missile defense system, will be provided to another country," Güler said.
Turkey is also in talks with the UK and Spain to buy Eurofighter fighter jets, although Germany has opposed the sale. "It is unacceptable to be subjected to export restrictions by our allies," Guler said. "These restrictions affect not only us, but also the defense capability and investment goals that NATO has set for the Allies," he added. Güler also announced that the first batch of 20 Turkish TF-X Kaan fighters, which completed its second test flight last month, will be integrated into the Turkish Air Force between 2027 and 2029.