Erdogan: Syrian Kurds Must Disarm or Be Buried With Their Weapons

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a stern warning to Kurdish militants in Syria on Wednesday, demanding they surrender their weapons or face dire consequences.

Addressing members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in parliament, Erdogan stated, “Either the separatist murderers lay down their weapons, or they will be buried in Syrian soil with their arms.”

Erdogan also announced plans to open a Turkish consulate in Aleppo soon, signaling Turkey’s intentions to deepen its influence in northern Syria. He added that Turkey anticipates increased border activity next summer as the country begins facilitating the return of some of the millions of Syrian refugees currently hosted on Turkish soil.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed Erdogan’s message during an official visit to Damascus. He emphasized that groups like the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) have no role in Syria’s future.

At a joint press conference with Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of the newly established Syrian administration, Fidan stated, “I discussed with al-Julani the issue of the YPG and the PKK militants and their presence in Syria.”