Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan assessed Israel’s military operations in Syria at a joint news conference held after his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus on Sunday.
Fidan said the operations were weakening Syria’s capabilities and indirectly benefiting ISIS. He said Israeli attacks were undermining policies aimed at establishing stability in Syria and strengthening its institutions.
“Israel is constantly targeting Syria’s capabilities and thereby indirectly supporting ISIS. Israeli attacks are undermining policies aimed at stability and positive developments in Syria,” Fidan said.
Fidan also criticized Israel’s regional policies, saying it was seeking to expand its territory at the expense of neighboring countries, and called for increased international pressure on the Israeli government.
Fidan said Turkish and Syrian officials had also discussed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s planned visit to Damascus. No date was given for the visit.
Addressing the issue of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Fidan said dissolving the group and fully integrating it into Syria’s state institutions would be an important step. He said all armed forces operating in Syria must ultimately come under state authority.
Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s support for the Syrian government and said cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism had advanced over the past two years.
Fidan also announced that Türkiye and Syria had agreed to establish a joint ministerial committee to accelerate cooperation across different sectors.
