Turkey Renews Call for Integration of Syrian Democratic Forces into Syrian Army

Turkey has renewed its call for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate into the ranks of Syria’s transitional government forces, amid ongoing negotiations between Damascus and Kurdish forces on the issue.

In its weekly statement released today, Thursday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense urged the SDF to “refrain from any actions or statements that could harm Syria’s unity,” emphasizing that “the integration of the SDF into the Syrian Armed Forces is of utmost importance.” The statement added that Ankara is closely monitoring developments.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also urged the SDF to proceed with integration, warning them against “continuing down the wrong path,” as he put it.

Since the start of the Syrian conflict, Ankara has viewed the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it designates as a terrorist organization. Turkey has launched several military operations against the group in northern Syria over the past years.

On March 10, the SDF signed an agreement with Damascus outlining provisions for integrating civil and military institutions in northern and eastern Syria, guaranteeing constitutional rights for Kurds, facilitating the return of displaced persons, rejecting calls for partition, and continuing efforts to combat remnants of the former regime.

However, the implementation of the agreement faces obstacles, most notably the insistence of the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria on preserving the SDF’s distinct structure within the army — a stance rejected by Syria’s transitional government, which maintains its position on centralized state control.