Turkey says it will directly intervene to stop “any attempts to dismember” Syria

Turkey will directly intervene to stop any attempts to dismember Syria and prevent any attempt by militants to gain autonomy following clashes in southern Syria, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

His warning about dismemberment while speaking to reporters in Ankara appeared to be directed at Israel, as Turkey considers it Israel's ultimate goal in Syria.

Apparently referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces (YPG),the Kurdish movement in Syria, he said that groups in Syria should not see such chaos as a tactical opportunity to achieve autonomy or independence within Syria and that they faced a “big strategic disaster”.

“This will lead nowhere,” he said.

Fidan said Israel wants Syria to be divided to make the country unstable, weak and burdensome for the region, and added that Kurdish YPG fighters want to take advantage of the chaos. “We will prevent the realization of this policy,” he said.

“We warn you: no group should take actions aimed at division,” Fidan said.He said many issues could be discussed diplomatically, “but if you go beyond that and seek fragmentation and destabilization, we will consider it a direct threat to our security and will intervene.”

Fidan said Turkey would support efforts for peace and stability in Syria and negotiations on the issue, but would not allow itself to be threatened.

Earlier, Israel launched strikes on Syrian territory, arguing its move was necessary to protect the country's Druze minority.