The Republic of Turkey has seized the opportunity to attack pro-U.S. Kurdish forces in Syria as the new Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS) government under Abu Mohammed al-Jolani (real name Ahmad al-Shaara) asserts its power. Representative-elect Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) commented on the attacks in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying, "Turkey must seize this opportunity to demonstrate it is committed to fighting terror, not enabling it."
While The Guardian reported that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has no interest in expanding their influence in Syria and preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS), he also stated he does not intend for Kurdish rebels such as the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) or the U.S.-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) to take advantage of Assad's downfall.
The new regime of Ahmad al-Shaara and HTS, however, despite being backed by Erdogan, have seemingly expressed willingness to cooperate with the Kurds in rebuilding Syria, saying, "The Kurds are part of the nation and have suffered great injustices, just as we have. With the regime's fall, the injustice they faced may also be lifted," according to Fox News.
Fox News further noted that the YPG played a key role in defeating ISIS, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was ready to draft sanctions against Turkey if they continued attacking Kurdish forces.
Further complications come from the Turks' increased support for the Hamas terrorist organization under Erdogan to the point that operatives have been reported as living in the country and coordinating attacks.
As a result, Rep.-elect Hamadeh told Fox News Digital, "As we evaluate Turkey's recent airstrikes on Syrian Kurds and reports of Hamas operatives in Turkey, it's clear that our alliances must be anchored in mutual respect and shared goals."
Moreover, the new Arizona Congressman added, "For decades, Turkey has been a strategic partner, but hosting groups like Hamas without clear steps toward dismantling their operations undermines that relationship. Turkey must seize this opportunity to demonstrate it is committed to fighting terror, not enabling it."
Last October, in the wake of Hamas' horrific terror attack against Israel that left 1,200 Israelis murdered, Erdogan condemned the Jewish States' efforts to destroy Hamas, calling the group "a liberation force."
The comments earned swift condemnation from several members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who said, "We call on the international community to hold Turkey accountable for these antisemitic words, as well as for its longstanding belligerence towards Armenians, Hellenes (Greeks), Kurds, and other communities in the region. As the United States' NATO ally, Turkey should be held to a higher standard, and these actions are unacceptable."
