Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened military action against militant groups in Syria, particularly Kurds, unless they lay down their arms and disband, Turkish media reported on January 15.

The Turkish leader's fiery language is not new and is part of a push by authorities in Ankara and Idlib, which Turkey supports, to remove the groups from the border region.

Ankara has repeatedly hit Kurdish groups, both before and after the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, and backs, and is backed by, the interim administration in Damascus. Several Kurdish groups said they would integrate with the new administration following Assad’s departure, but many have yet to do so.

"If the SDF does not lay down their arms, they will not escape their impending fate," Erdogan told his ruling AK Party's parliamentary group, referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara considers an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"We have the strength and capability to resolve this issue. All external forces must remove their hands from the region, or we will, together with our Syrian brothers, cut off the heads of ISIS and PKK-SDF," he said in remarks broadcast on TRT Haber.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has previously warned of possible military operations against Kurdish armed groups in Syria if they fail to meet Ankara's demands.

The threats come amid significant changes in Syria's political landscape following opposition forces' capture of major cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Daraa and Homs, in late November.

Mohammed al-Bashir, who led the opposition in Idlib province from January 2024, has declared himself head of Syria's transitional government until March 1, 2025.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has emerged as Syria's de facto leader, meeting with foreign officials, including European leaders and UN officials.