Turkish FM claims Israel wants a divided Syria, says Ankara will ‘prevent this policy’

Turkey will directly intervene to stop any attempt to fragment Syria and will prevent any attempts by militants to obtain autonomy after clashes in southern Syria, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says.

His warning against fragmentation, in comments to reporters in Ankara, appears aimed at Israel as Turkey considers this to be Israel’s ultimate aim in Syria.

Fidan claims Israel wants a divided Syria to make the country unstable, weaker, and a liability to the region, and adds that Kurdish YPG militants are looking to take advantage of the chaos.

“God willing, we will prevent this policy from being realized,” he says.

In an apparent reference to the YPG, he says groups in Syria should not see such chaos as a tactical opportunity to achieve autonomy or independence within Syria and that they face “a big strategic catastrophe.”

“This leads nowhere,” he says.