Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) shakes hands with visiting Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi at a joint press conference in Ankara, Türkiye, Jan. 8, 2026. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
ANKARA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday accused the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of undermining Syria's stability and coordinating with Israel, as violence renewed in Aleppo, northern Syria.
"The SDF's insistence on maintaining the status quo stands as the most important hurdle to Syria's comfort and stability," Fidan said at a joint press conference with visiting Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi.
Fidan said recent developments in Aleppo are directly linked to Türkiye's national security. Ankara is coordinating with all relevant parties, he added. The foreign ministry also accused the SDF of serving as "a tool for Israel's 'divide and rule' policy, in coordination with Israel."
Türkiye considers the U.S.-backed SDF, which controls large parts of northeastern Syria, a terrorist organization. Ankara says the SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an armed campaign against the Turkish state since 1984.
Also on Thursday, Türkiye's Defense Ministry said it will assist the Syrian army if requested. "Syria's security is our security," Turkish Defense Ministry Spokesperson Zeki Akturk said, adding that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments on the ground.
The Omani foreign minister visited Türkiye on Thursday to discuss regional issues, including Syria, Yemen, and Gaza. The Omani foreign ministry said Al Busaidi emphasized the need to ensure an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The latest clashes in Aleppo began on Tuesday after efforts to implement a March 2025 agreement to integrate the SDF into Syrian state institutions and the national army stalled.
Over the past three days, drone strikes, shelling, sniper fire, and heavy weapons exchanges have erupted between Syrian government forces and SDF-linked units in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in northern Aleppo. At least a dozen people have been killed, dozens injured, and thousands evacuated, as both sides blamed each other for the violence and the threat to civilians. ■
