Overlooking Syria’s Turkmen community would undermine efforts to ensure stability in the war-torn country, according to the new chief of the Syrian Turkmen Assembly.
“Syrian Turkmen support the country’s territorial integrity and national unity but if we are ignored in case of an agreement or constitutional amendment, stability wouldn’t be assured in Syria,” Muhammed Türkhan, the head of the bloc, told a news conference in the capital Ankara Monday.
“Turkmen exist in Syria both militarily and politically,” he said as he expanded on the bloc’s mission since its foundation, the latest situation in Syria, and the new role and future of the Turkmen community.
Pointing to the “millions of Turkmens” living in Syria, mostly in Aleppo, Latakia, Homs, Hama, Ar Raqqah and Damascus provinces, as well as in Tartus, Idlib and Dera, Türkhan argued, “Turkmen have always been ignored in Syria. Starting in 2021, we too, like all oppressed people, stood up against the Assad regime.”
“The Assembly was found to reconcile Syrian Turkmen under one roof,” Türkhan maintained, recounting the process that began after the Syrian Turkmen platform meeting in Istanbul in 2012 when the two major Turkmen parties Syria Turkmen bloc and the Syrian Democratic Turkmen Movement were united.
The assembly also operates a military wing, called the Syrian Turkmen Brigades, which stands against the partition of Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime and protects Turkmen settlements from Assad, Daesh and the PKK's Syrian wing, the U.S.-backed YPG, while participating in various operations for Turkmen and Türkiye.
“Protecting the rights of Syrian Turkmen in international platforms and the Syrian Constitution is one of our fundamental purposes. We are advocating for preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and national unity,” Türkhan stressed.
“Turkmens are being represented in the Syrian opposition, as well. The assembly is a vital part of it and plays an active role,” Türkhan added, arguing that therefore the negation of the community would disrupt stability efforts.
Syrian Turkmen believe the country’s integrity could be protected via political solutions and a constitutional amendment, according to Türkhan.
“Right now, everyone believes a military solution is not possible in Syria. There is no other way but a political solution,” he underscored.
Türkhan further condemned terrorist organizations PKK and the YPG, saying neither represented the Kurdish population in Syria.
“PKK/YPG is a terrorist organization that constantly changes its name. It is a danger to the region and the Kurds here. They are America’s pawn,” Türkhan said, adding, “Everyone is suffering because of them.”
Remarking on the recent rapprochement between Türkiye and Syria, Türkhan said: “The Republic of Türkiye is an independent country and has the right to dialogue with anyone it needs to in line with its interests. They’re not dependent on Syria in their talks.”
“We believe Türkiye would not sign anything that would bring harm to the rights of Syrian Turkmen,” he added.
Stressing that the Turkmen community had “no connection” with the Assad regime, Türkhan concluded: “We have no problem with the Syrian people either. Our problem is with the regime that has always overlooked us. It’s the regime that is cruel.”
Syria has been mired in a civil war since early 2011 when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.
Over the past decade, around half a million people have been killed and over 12 million had to flee their homes.
With fighting recently mellowing and about 40% of the country now controlled by opposition forces, the Assad regime continues ignoring the needs and safety of the Syrian people, only eyeing further territorial gains and crushing the opposition.
After a decade of strained ties over Turkish support of the opposition and cross-border counterterrorism operations in Syria’s north, Ankara and Damascus have taken steps to push their ties in a more positive direction, most notably with a trilateral summit in Moscow last December.
Moscow, a vocal supporter of reconciliation in Damascus and Ankara ties, is aiming to facilitate meetings between the foreign ministers and eventually presidents.
Any normalization between Ankara and Damascus would reshape the decadelong Syrian war.
