Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a stark ultimatum to the Kurdish YPG militia operating in Syria, stating they must either lay down their arms or face dire consequences. In a recent address, Erdoğan warned that those who refuse to disarm would "be buried" alongside their weapons, reflecting Turkey's ongoing military campaign against what it considers terrorist groups linked to the PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s. This warning comes amid heightened tensions following the recent political shifts in Syria, particularly after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, which has left Kurdish factions vulnerable and prompted Turkey to intensify its operations against them. Erdoğan emphasized that the YPG's disbandment is crucial for Syria's future and reiterated Turkey's commitment to eradicating all forms of terrorism that threaten its national security[2][3][4][8].
Citations:
[1] https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-between-turkey-and-armed-kurdish-groups
[2] https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/war-on-terror/erdogan-tells-pkk-in-syria-to-bury-weapons-or-be-buried
[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/25/erdogan-says-ypg-will-be-buried-in-syria-if-it-doesnt-lay-down-arms
[4] https://www.arabnews.com/node/2584299/middle-east
[5] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/turkey-syria-ocalan-pkk/
[6] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/lay-down-weapons-or-be-buried-in-syria-erdogans-stern-warning-to-kurdish-militia/videoshow/116676208.cms
[7] https://www.voanews.com/a/future-uncertain-for-syria-kurds-amid-potential-turkish-offensive/7906014.html
[8] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-militia-syria-will-be-buried-if-they-do-not-lay-down-arms-turkeys-2024-12-25/
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Olive_Branch
[10] https://apnews.com/article/turkey-syria-insurgents-explainer-kurds-ypg-refugees-f60dc859c7843569124282ea750f1477
[11] https://www.perplexity.ai/elections/2024-11-05/us/president