ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday warned of "grave repercussions," including ethnic cleansing, amid the escalating conflict in Syria during a phone call with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who highlighted Ankara's commitment to preventing threats from “terrorist” organizations. The two stressed the need to safeguard the stability and territorial integrity of Syria. According to a statement from Sudani’s office, the prime minister “informed President Erdogan that Iraq will not just stand by in the face of the grave repercussions unfolding in Syria, particularly acts of ethnic cleansing targeting various components and sects.” The statement comes as northern Syria witnesses renewed violence, with Syrian rebel groups spearheaded by the jihadist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launching a major offensive against government-held territories. The offensive, which began last week, has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands and raised concerns about potential ethnic cleansing. Sudani “reaffirmed the importance of respecting Syria’s unity and sovereignty and stressed Iraq’s commitment to exerting all efforts to maintain its own security and that of Syria,” the statement added. Baghdad views instability in Syria as a direct threat to its own security, especially given concerns over terrorist activities on its 600-kilometer border with Syria. Sudani added that “Islamic nations do not need further internal divisions” and emphasized the need for “joint coordination between Iraq and Turkey, and the necessity of supporting security and stability in Syria, as it directly impacts the security and stability of Iraq and the entire region.” Erdogan’s office said they also discussed Kurdish forces in Syria. “Turkey, in line with its national security and interests, has taken and will take steps to avert the terrorist organization [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] PKK and its extensions, which are seeking to benefit from developments,” the Turkish presidency announced in a post on X. Turkey views the PKK and the People’s Protection Units (YPG) - the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which is the military wing of the autonomous Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) - as existential threats to its national security, accusing them of using Syria as a base for cross-border attacks. Ankara has launched multiple military operations in northern Syria to Push Kurdish forces away from its border. The statement added that “the Syrian regime should engage in a genuine political process to prevent the circumstances from further deteriorating.”
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