Erdogan and Putin Discuss Syria: Israeli Strikes Threaten Regional Stability
Reporter
July 19, 2025 | 08:35 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, as reported by Xinhua and TRT. They discussed concerns that clashes in Syria and Israel's attack on Suwayda in Syria could threaten the stability of the entire region.
The Turkish Presidency stated that during the call, the two leaders discussed the escalating tensions in Syria's Suwayda Province.
Erdogan emphasized the importance of Israel not violating Syria's sovereignty and reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to promoting stability and security in Syria, as well as supporting the country's rapid recovery.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders exchanged detailed views on events in the Middle East, including the escalation in Syria.
"They expressed deep concern over the recent surge of violence in that country, stressing that it was crucial to stabilize the situation as soon as possible through dialogue and by strengthening the national accord while respecting the legitimate rights of all members of Syria's multi-confessional society," the Kremlin statement said.
"Both sides emphasized the need to respect Syria's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity," the statement added.
Escalating Crisis in Suwayda
The sudden escalation of violence in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda has sparked a complex and worsening crisis.
This incident has demonstrated how fragile Syria's stability is, just six months after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government, sending shockwaves throughout the region.
Over the past week, Suwayda has become the site of clashes between different ethnic groups in Syria. The initially localized conflict between the Druze community and Sunni Arab Bedouins quickly escalated into an urban conflict involving Syrian interim government forces and Israeli airstrikes.
As of Thursday, nearly 600 people, including dozens of civilians and hundreds of fighters from all sides, were reported dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Amid the increasing tension, Israel, under the pretext of protecting the Druze community in Syria, has launched a series of airstrikes targeting Syrian military locations in Sweida and Damascus, the Syrian capital.
Israel claimed that the attacks were launched to protect the Syrian Druze minority in Suwayda, where ethnic clashes between Druze armed groups, Bedouins, and government forces have reportedly killed hundreds.
Netanyahu described the Druze, numbering around one million in Syria, largely concentrated in Suwayda, and 150,000 in Israel, as "brothers." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President-elect Ahmed al-Sharaa have since agreed to a ceasefire.
In a statement reported by Anadolu, the Syrian Presidency's office on Saturday, July 10, 2025, called on all parties "to fully comply with this decision, immediately halt all combat operations in all areas, ensure the protection of civilians, and guarantee the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid."
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