Erdoğan: Assad regime must engage in genuine political process to prevent situation from getting worse

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Tuesday that Ankara's priority was keeping calm borders and that Syria's Assad regime needs to engage in a real political process to de-escalate events in its north.
"Erdoğan stated that Türkiye, in accordance with its national security and interests, is taking steps to prevent the PKK terrorist organisation and its extensions from taking advantage of the developments and would take (further) steps," the Turkish presidency said in a readout of a phone call.
In a phone call with Premier Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said "the Syrian regime should engage in a genuine political process to prevent the circumstances from further deteriorating," according to a statement by Türkiye's Communications Directorate.
He said Ankara, "in line with its national security and interests, has taken and will take steps to avert the terrorist organization PKK and its extensions, which are seeking to benefit from developments," added the statement.
Erdoğan also said Ankara's priority lies in "preserving peace beyond its borders as well as the protection of civilians from harm."
He highlighted the importance of Syria's "unity, stability, and territorial integrity," adding that Türkiye is "on the same page with Iraq on this issue."
Clashes broke out on Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups in the western countryside of Aleppo in northern Syria, marking a re-escalation of the fighting after a period of relative calm in the civil war that has gripped Syria since it erupted in 2011.