Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that senior ministers, military, and intelligence officials from Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan will soon convene to establish an alliance aimed at combating the ISIS terrorist organization and overseeing prisons in eastern Syria.

In an extensive interview for Anadolu Agency, Fidan recalled his earlier discussions with his counterparts from Syria, Iraq, and Jordan regarding the creation of a regional mechanism to address ISIS’s presence.

“There will soon be a meeting hosted by Jordan with the participation of ministers from these countries in the format of 3+3,” Fidan stated, explaining that foreign and defense ministers, along with intelligence chiefs, will work together to build this framework.

Despite ISIS’ diminished capacity, it remains a security concern for both regional and Western nations. Currently, the US-backed YPG is allegedly tasked with fighting ISIS and managing camps and prisons that house ISIS militants and their families.

Turkiye considers the YPG a "terrorist organization" and has been engaging with Syria’s new leadership to discuss measures to dismantle the group.

Fidan emphasized the necessity for regional countries to take charge of their own security concerns and highlighted the significance of cooperation between Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan.

Potential US withdrawal

This initiative coincides with indications of a possible withdrawal of American forces from Syria. US President Donald Trump has signaled an assessment of the American presence in Syria.

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“We hope that the right decision will be made. And we’ll go on like this. Our expectation from the US is to cut its support to YPG and remove the threat against Syrian national unity,” Fidan stated.

He further noted that Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has assured Turkiye that his government is capable of maintaining control over ISIS prisons and the camps where tens of thousands of ISIS family members are detained. 

Turkiye urges lifting of US sanctions

In a separate vein, Fidan reiterated Ankara’s primary expectation: the removal of sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The US imposed these sanctions in 2019 in response to Turkiye’s procurement of Russian S-400 air defense systems.

“Our stance concerning CAATSA is well known. This does not comply with our allied partnership,” he asserted, adding that NATO members should not impose sanctions against each other.

Fidan indicated that these matters would be discussed when Ankara meets with the new US administration, likely in March. “We are making our preparations in line with the vision of our president,” he said, stressing that Turkiye was considering ways to enhance cooperation with the US in trade, defense, technology, and other strategic sectors.

Turkiye’s military presence in Syria

As part of the newly developing Syria-Turkiye ties, there are ongoing discussions to increase Turkish military presence in the country. Sources indicate that negotiations will include setting up two Turkish airbases in Syria’s vast Badiyah desert region. A Syrian presidential official confirmed that discussions would focus on Turkiye's training of Syria’s military and "new areas of deployment and cooperation" without specifying locations.

While the Turkish presidency and Syria’s Defense Ministry have not commented on the matter, Turkish presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun stated on Monday that Erdogan and al-Sharaa would discuss "the latest developments in Syria and possible joint measures to rebuild Syria's economy and achieve stability and security."