Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands during a press conference after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 4, 2025.
VOA NEWS | Published February 6, 2025
Syria’s new interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Tuesday met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where they discussed improved security ties and how to respond to Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria.
Sharra flew into Turkey from Saudi Arabia where he sought Riyadh’s funding to rebuild Syria after a devastating 13-year civil war.
After meeting with Sharaa, Erdogan said, “I would like to express our satisfaction for the strong commitment my brother Ahmed al-Sharaa has shown in the fight against terrorism.”
As leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — long considered a terrorist group by U.S. officials — Sharaa led a campaign in December to wrest control of Damascus from ex-President Bashar al-Assad, whose flight to Russia ended more than a half-century of oppressive rule by Bashar and his late father, Hafez.
Turkey was a solid ally to the forces seeking to oust Assad, including Sharaa and HTS.
Among the topics discussed in Tuesday’s meeting were the Syrian Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria, where U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been fighting Turkish-backed forces.
Turkey shares a 910-kilometer border with Syria and wants the SDF, which Turkey views as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers, disbanded and removed from border regions.
Syria’s new rulers are reported to have called on SDF to relinquish their weapons.
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SOURCE: www.voanews.com
RELATED: Erdogan hails Syrian leader’s ‘commitment’ to fighting terror during his visit to Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meeting with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on Febuary 4, 2025. © Turkish presidential press service, AFP
FRANCE 24 | Published February 6, 2025
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Turkey’s offer to help with Syria’s recovery after its devastating 13-year civil war. Erdogan hailed Sharaa for his “strong commitment” to fighting terror and said that Turkey was ready to provide the support needed.
Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday hailed Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa for his “strong commitment” to fighting terror as the newly installed interim president made his first visit to Turkey.
Sharaa flew to Ankara from Saudi Arabia where he had sought Riyadh’s support to fund Syria’s reconstruction and revive its economy after 13 years of civil war.
“I would like to express our satisfaction for the strong commitment my brother Ahmed al-Sharaa has shown in the fight against terrorism,” Erdogan said after the pair held talks.
Ankara has had a years-long connection with Sharaa and was a key backer of the push by his Islamist-led rebels that ended up toppling Bashar al-Assad on December 8.
Since then, Turkey has extended its full support for his new administration, offering operational and military help in fighting “terror groups” still active in Syria.
It has repeatedly called for action to root out both Islamic State (IS) group militants as well as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SDF is seen by many in the West as crucial to keeping jihadists at bay, but Turkey views it as a terrorist outfit and has threatened military action against it if it does not disband.
“I told (Sharaa) we are ready to provide the necessary support to Syria in the fight against all kinds of terrorism, whether it be Daesh or the PKK,” Erdogan said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
He also reiterated Turkey’s offer to help run prisons holding IS group fighters in northeastern Syria, which are currently run by the SDF.
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SOURCE: www.france24.com
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