Turkey’s far-right ruling partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli issued a stark warning to the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party during a parliamentary group meeting in Ankara on Tuesday, asserting it must become a “Turkey party” or face elimination. His remarks coincided with his support for Turkey-backed military operations in Syria, including the recent capture of Tel Rifaat, while urging the Syrian government to engage with Turkey without preconditions.
Speaking on Tuesday, Bahçeli declared, “Tel Rifaat (Til Rifat) has been cleared. I hope Manbij (Minbic) will be next,” framing Turkish military activities as a defensive necessity. He claimed abandoning border areas to hostile forces would jeopardise Turkey’s security, adding, “Leaving these areas is tantamount to setting Anatolia aflame.”
Bahçeli intensified his rhetoric against the DEM Party, accusing it of failing to distance itself from terrorist organisations. “DEM will either align with Turkey’s interests or find itself extinguished and detained,” he stated. Emphasising that the conflict has no bearing on Kurdish citizens, he said, “The displaced from Tel Rifaat are mercenaries, not representatives of our Kurdish brothers and sisters.”
This statement follows heightened tensions in Syria’s north, with Turkey-backed forces advancing and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) capturing key territories. Bahçeli criticised foreign involvement, stating, “The unfulfilled promises of the US and Russia are evident. Those bombing near our borders and coddling separatist terrorists in Syria’s northeast have no justification.”
Turning his focus to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Bahçeli urged direct engagement with Turkey. “Assad must recognise that unconditional dialogue with Turkey is in his and his nation’s best interest,” he said. He called for the restoration of internal authority in Syria, stressing, “Syria’s territorial integrity and peace are essential. It is our genuine desire to see stability return swiftly.”
Bahçeli’s remarks come amid broader domestic political debates, with his party temporarily halting group meetings due to parliamentary budget discussions. He framed Turkey’s military operations in Syria as a means to protect national sovereignty while dismissing allegations of expansionist ambitions.
In an evocative reference to Turkish history, Bahçeli linked Aleppo’s significance to national identity. “Aleppo is etched into the soul of every Turk and Muslim,” he said. “Abandoning it to foreign hands is unthinkable. Should such a moment arrive, history will rewrite itself, and the region will revert to its true essence.”
