Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has offered Syrian interim President Abu Muhammad al-Jolani cooperation in the fight against “terrorism” in Syria. “We are ready to provide Syria with the necessary support in the fight against all forms of terrorism,” Erdoğan said after meeting with al-Sharaa in Ankara on Tuesday.

Erdoğan's comments are an indication of Ankara's intended military cooperation with the jihadist alliance “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS), which is now in power in Damascus, in the fight against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Erdoğan explicitly mentioned the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey believes has links to the SDF, which is defending the autonomous region of North-East Syria. Erdoğan said he had discussed with al-Sharaa “measures against the separatist terrorist organization and its supporters who are occupying northeastern Syria.

The fact that Turkey is an occupying power in Syria and, after several wars of aggression and invasions, is occupying large areas near the Syrian-Turkish border together with jihadist militias was not mentioned by Erdoğan. He urged his counterpart to take control of the prisons and camps with ISIS members previously guarded by the SDF. Ankara wants to provide support in this regard, said Erdoğan, according to whom, it is important that Arab and Muslim countries support the new Syrian government financially and otherwise during the transition phase.

Al-Sharaa, who traveled on an official Turkish plane, said that Syria and Turkey are working on a joint strategy “to counter security threats in the region”. He said they had also discussed “threats that prevent territorial integrity in northeastern Syria”. The HTS leader, who is now making his second official trip abroad as interim president after a visit to Saudi Arabia in Turkey, also invited Erdoğan to visit Syria.

The overthrow of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad by a jihadist alliance led by HTS has significantly increased Turkey's influence in Syria. Ankara is one of the main supporters of the country's new rulers and is directing the occupation offensive of its proxy force “Syrian National Army” (SNA) against the Democratic Autonomous Administration in the northeast. The major attack began in parallel with the offensive against the Assad regime and cost the autonomous administration the cities of Manbij and Tel Rifat. Since December, the Turkish army and SNA have been trying to take the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates in order to be able to attack Kobanê more easily.