In a chilling message, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Kurdish armed groups in Syria must either lay down their weapons or face being "buried" alongside them. Speaking to lawmakers of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on December 25, Erdogan said, “The separatist murderers will either bid farewell to their weapons, or they will be buried in Syrian lands along with their weapons.” This statement comes amid escalating tensions in Syria following the recent departure of President Bashar al-Assad. With Assad’s exit, Ankara has intensified its efforts to dismantle the Kurdish YPG militia, which is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey views the YPG as a wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group deemed a terrorist organization by Turkey that has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Erdogan's comments signal Turkey’s determination to confront what it calls "terrorist organizations" exploiting the instability in Syria. The volatile situation has led to violent clashes between the SDF Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of armed factions, many of which include extremist elements and ISIS affiliates, who receive air support from Turkey’s military. #Erdogan #Kurds #Syria #Turkey #MiddleEast #SyrianWar #KurdishFighters #Ankara