YPG 'will be buried' in Syria if it doesn't surrender weapons, says Turkish President Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified warnings against the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, urging them to surrender their weapons or face elimination. Following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, Ankara has reiterated its demand for the disbandment of the YPG, emphasizing that the group has no role in Syria’s future. Erdogan, addressing lawmakers from his AK Party, stated that Kurdish fighters must abandon their arms or be buried alongside them in Syrian soil. He further pledged to dismantle the group, accusing them of creating division between Turks and Kurds. The recent shift in Syria’s leadership has weakened Kurdish factions, while clashes continue between Turkiye-backed Syrian rebels and other groups in the region. Ankara has also urged the U.S. to halt its support for the YPG.