ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will kick off a two-day visit to the United States on Tuesday to discuss Kurdish armed groups in Syria, counterterrorism cooperation, and broader regional issues, Turkish state media said on Monday.
The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted “diplomatic sources” as stating that Fidan is set to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to explore strengthening Ankara-Washington cooperation in combating terrorist organizations. The talks will focus on “the liquidation of [the Kurdistan Workers’ Party] PKK and [the People's Protection Units] YPG elements operating under the umbrella of the [Syrian Democratic Forces] SDF.”
The SDF is the de facto army of northeast Syria (Rojava), while the YPG represents its backbone.
Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the PKK which it has been in conflict with for four decades and designates as a terrorist organization. The SDF has consistently denied Ankara’s allegations.
Turkey is also concerned that an increase in the influence of Kurdish groups in northern Syria could inspire similar movements within its own borders.
For its part, the US is the primary backer of the SDF, supporting them due to their leading role in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria in 2019.
However, in recent months, there have been reports that Washington may be considering a full military withdrawal from Syria.
Of note, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday stated that “it is quite possible that Turkish-American ties will gain a different momentum during President Trump's second term.”
In late February, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker told Rudaw that President Donald Trump views the troops as part of “forever wars,” which he vowed to end.
Schenker noted that Erdogan had tried to persuade Trump that “Turkey can play the US’s role in Syria” and encouraged the withdrawal of American troops from the country. The former US official elaborated that Turkey sees Syria as a “sphere of influence” and seeks to take over the US’s role in it.
Earlier in February, US Senator Chris Van Hollen told Rudaw that such a withdrawal would be a "mistake," stressing that "our Syrian Kurdish friends are important to stopping ISIS from coming back."
Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in December toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In late January, HTS’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was appointed as Syria’s interim president.
Anadolu reported on Monday that Fidan’s visit will also focus on lifting sanctions imposed on Syria, improving cooperation on humanitarian aid and reconstruction, and enhancing coordination in counter-ISIS operations.
While US diplomats have continued to engage with Syria’s new leadership, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told Rudaw on Saturday that Washington is noting concerns about the “consolidation of power” in Damascus by Syria’s interim president, Sharaa. She called for the formation of an “inclusive, civilian-led” government.
Last week, Sharaa signed a 53-article constitutional declaration granting him sweeping executive powers, including the authority to appoint one-third of the legislature and select judges for the constitutional court - the body responsible for holding the president accountable.
The interim constitution, based on Islamic jurisprudence, mandates that the president must be Muslim and sets a five-year transitional period for the country, while retaining the country’s name as the Syrian Arab Republic.
The move has drawn wide criticism from Syria’s Kurdish, Christian, Druze, and Yazidi communities.