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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Plans Dialogue with New Syrian Government, Citing 10 Years of HTS Cooperation and No Terrorism

Dec 21, 2024, 12:19 PM

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has announced plans to engage with the new Syrian government, emphasizing the need for dialogue. He stated that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has not been involved in any terrorist activities over the past decade, a point corroborated by Western intelligence agencies. Fidan highlighted that HTS has cooperated with Turkey in intelligence gathering regarding ISIS and Al-Qaeda. He also mentioned that the YPG/PKK, which he described as an artificially created terrorist organization, is well aware of Turkey's objectives. Fidan's comments reflect a shift in Turkey's approach towards the Syrian conflict and its actors, as he prepares for discussions with officials from the new Syrian administration in Damascus.