Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for the disbandment of the Kurdish YPG, asserting that the group has no place in Syria's future. His remarks came during a historic visit to Damascus on Sunday, marking the first visit by a Turkish foreign minister since the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago.

Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, amid ongoing clashes between Turkish-backed forces and the YPG, which leads the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria. The discussions revolved around Syria’s territorial integrity and the future of the Kurdish militias, which Turkey views as a national security threat.

“In the coming period, the YPG must come to a point where it is no longer a threat to Syria’s national unity,” Fidan said during a joint press conference with Sharaa. He urged the disbandment of the militia, which Turkey considers an extension of the PKK, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

The Turkish foreign minister also criticized the international community for what he described as its failure to address the “illegality” of the YPG and SDF’s activities in Syria. However, he expressed optimism for a potential policy shift under US President-elect Donald Trump.

Fidan emphasized Turkey’s expectations for the new Syrian administration to take decisive measures to uphold the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also noted Syria’s readiness to assume control of Islamic State prison camps if required.

In a separate development, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi acknowledged the presence of PKK fighters in Syria for the first time. Speaking to Reuters, Abdi stated that these fighters had played a key role in combating Islamic State forces and would return home if a ceasefire with Turkey was reached. However, he denied any direct organizational ties between the SDF and the PKK.

Turkey’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler reiterated Ankara's position, expressing confidence that the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) would ultimately expel YPG forces from northeast Syria.