Türkiye determined to eradicate terror groups in Syria: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to root out the terrorist organisations in Syria that threaten Türkiye's security, saying the PKK terrorist organisation targets the territorial integrity of the war-torn country.

"Terrorism of PKK, PYD, and YPG is a common issue for all of us. We should not forget that the terrorist organisation targets the territorial integrity of Syria," Erdogan said on Tuesday after the trilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Iran's capital Tehran.

The leaders gathered for the 7th summit in the Astana format to discuss the recent developments in Syria, the fight against the terrorist groups, particularly YPG/PKK and Daesh, which pose a threat to the regional security, the humanitarian situation, and the voluntarily return of the Syrians to their homes.

"As Türkiye, we do not see any difference between terrorist organisations. Our fight against terrorist organisations will always continue regardless of where and by whom they are supported," Erdogan vowed.

The president said Türkiye, Russia, and Iran discussed joint steps to end the conflict in Syria, adding that there is only a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

Erdogan also said: "We should not forget that people in Syria are in tents in an inhumane environment. Our goal is to ensure our Syrian brothers and sisters return their home voluntarily, safely and with dignity."

'A hotbed of terror'

Erdogan said Syria's Tel Rifaat and Manbij have become "a hotbed of terror," adding that "the time has come to clear these lands from the terrorist organisations seeking a safe harbor."

Describing the Astana talks on Syria as a "struggle that can take effective and concrete steps," Erdogan said Türkiye expects support of Russia and Iran to fight terrorism in Syria.

In his opening remarks, Russia's Putin underlined the importance of wiping out all terrorist groups, especially Deash, across the Syrian territory.

He stressed that the efforts of Russia, Türkiye and Iran to resolve the crisis in Syria are "generally effective."

Putin said the adoption of "concrete measures" to promote an intra-Syrian inclusive dialogue is the task of the three countries in the near future.

"Russia is firmly committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria," he added.

Putin also proposed convening the next Astana summit on Syria in Russia, and invited Iranian and Turkish leaders to attend the meeting.

The Astana process was launched in 2017 to restore peace in Syria, which has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters with unexpected ferocity.


Fight against terrorism

Earlier on Tuesday, Ankara and Tehran said said in a joint statement that they agreed to fight against terrorism in all forms after the meeting of Turkish and Iranian leaders.

Türkiye and Iran also signed eight agreements in various areas, including trade, social security and sports.

According to the joint statement, the leaders emphasised their determination to take full advantage of existing and further bilateral mechanisms to prevent the existence and activities of terrorist organisations and organised crime networks across their common borders.

The leaders also affirmed their condemnation of terrorism and the need to fight all terrorist groups without discrimination.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU - has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. 

The YPG and the PYD are the PKK terror group's Syrian offshoots.