The European Parliament in a plenary session has discussed a comprehensive set of recommendations to the Council focussing on the ongoing conflict in Syria and its spill-over effects on the whole region, including the involvement of Turkey.
An extensive and detailed report on the situation in the region, which was presented to the plenary session on Tuesday, touches on the political, security, humanitarian and legal aspects of the Syrian conflict and calls for a joint effort by the European Union, Member States and the international community to address these issues.
One of the key points of the document is the exploitation of Syria by foreign powers.
It deplores the presence of Iranian, Turkish and Russian military bases and militias in Syria and calls for an international effort to continue the fight against ISIS.
Specifically, the report condemns Turkey’s unilateral military actions and occupation of northern Syria, particularly targeting Kurdish-held areas. It calls these actions a violation of international law and urges Turkey to “end its illegal occupation of northern Syria and withdraw its military and paramilitary proxy forces”.
Turkey has been actively involved in large-scale military operations inside Syrian territory, targeting Kurdish-held areas both directly and through proxies. While these interventions were already raising international concerns, the Turkish parliament made a controversial decision in October 2023 to extend the mandate for military operations in Syria for another two years, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.
According to the report, Turkey’s military presence in Syria has not only increased tensions with Kurdish populations, but added complexity to an already volatile situation in the Middle East. The European Parliament’s call for withdrawal underlines the importance of diplomatic solutions over military intervention and stresses the need for a collective effort to address the root causes of the conflict and promote a sustainable peace process.
The recommendations to the Council are due to be voted on in the European Parliament on Wednesday.