Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate into Syria’s central army as a March 10 deal’s year-end deadline nears. Damascus has reportedly proposed dividing Kurdish units into three divisions and multiple brigades, including a women’s brigade, to serve under Kurdish commanders in the northeast. Talks in Damascus touched on regional security, Israel-Syria negotiations and efforts to prevent an Islamic State resurgence after recent US strikes.
Turkey Urges Kurdish-Led SDF To Join Syrian Army As Year-End Integration Deadline Nears
This handout photograph provided by the Turkish Foreign Ministry press service shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meeting with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus (Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service)(Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service/AFP/AFP)
Visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday urged Kurdish-led forces to integrate into Syria’s armed forces and not impede the country’s stability as the year-end deadline for implementing a March 10 agreement approaches. Fidan travelled with Defence Minister Yasar Guler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Syrian presidency said.
The visit focused on advancing the pact signed in March between Damascus and the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which calls for Kurdish civil and military institutions to be absorbed into Syria’s central government by the end of the year. International pressure — especially from Washington — and outstanding disagreements have delayed implementation.
Integration Proposal Under Review
Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus had received a response from the SDF to a defence ministry draft outlining how Kurdish-led units could be merged into the national army. Damascus’ draft reportedly envisions dividing the Kurdish-led forces into three divisions and several brigades, including a brigade for women, to be deployed under Kurdish commanders in parts of northeast Syria still under SDF control.
“It is important that the SDF be integrated into the Syrian administration through dialogue and reconciliation, in a transparent manner, and that it no longer acts as an obstacle to Syria's territorial integrity and long-term stability,” Fidan said at a joint press conference with Shaibani.
Fidan warned last week that patience among key regional and international actors was "running out" and urged the SDF not to delay integration. Turkey — which shares a roughly 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Syria — considers Kurdish forces on its frontier a security threat and has launched operations in recent years to push them back from its border areas.
Regional Security, Israel Talks and IS Threat
Officials said talks also covered wider regional security, including ongoing discussions between Syria and neighbouring Israel. Fidan told reporters he hoped those talks would "reach a conclusion" and urged an approach rooted in "mutual consent and understanding" rather than expansionist policies. Shaibani added that officials discussed counterterrorism efforts and measures to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group.
US forces recently said they struck dozens of IS targets in Syria in response to a December 13 attack on American personnel near Palmyra. With coalition backing, the SDF led the campaign that removed IS territorial control in Syria in 2019, though jihadists retain a presence in remote areas of the country. Syria has reportedly rejoined the international coalition against IS.
Outlook
Diplomats and regional actors continue to press for a negotiated integration that preserves local command where feasible while restoring central government authority. With the year-end deadline looming, both sides face pressure to resolve outstanding political and security details to avoid renewed instability in northeast Syria.
