U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Turkey on Thursday to discuss key issues regarding Syria’s stability, particularly the escalating clashes in northern Syria between U.S.-backed Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed rebel groups. Blinken met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Esenboga Airport in Ankara, following his visit to Jordan.
Although the Turkish presidency shared a photo of the meeting, details of the discussions remain undisclosed. Blinken is scheduled to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday to continue talks.
The U.S. and Turkey, both NATO allies, had supported Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war, but their interests diverged over the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF is the U.S.’s primary ally in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) and is led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group that has waged a long-standing insurgency against the Turkish government.
Before his arrival in Ankara, Blinken called the PKK an “enduring threat” to Turkey, but stressed the importance of avoiding further conflict in Syria during the country’s transition to an inclusive government. A Turkish official said that Syria would be a central issue in the talks, with Ankara expressing support for a peaceful and stable Syria governed by an inclusive administration.
The situation in northern Syria remains volatile. Earlier this week, Turkish-backed forces captured the strategic city of Manbij from the U.S.-supported SDF. Following the capture, SDF forces moved east of the Euphrates River. Turkish officials confirmed that the operation aimed to “clear terrorism” from the region. However, there are concerns about the potential for Islamic State militants to regain a foothold in Syria, with Blinken reaffirming the U.S.’s commitment to preventing this outcome.
Tensions also rose as Turkey targeted the YPG in northeast Syria, with its intelligence agency destroying 12 trucks carrying missiles and heavy weapons. The situation underscores the complex dynamics between U.S. and Turkish interests in Syria and the ongoing struggle to balance regional security with efforts to combat terrorist groups.
