Turkey is increasing its pressure on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and is once again acting as a key player in Syrian internal affairs during talks in Damascus. At a meeting with Syria’s self-proclaimed transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan once again called for the accelerated integration of the SDF into the Syrian army and accused the alliance of cooperating with Israel.
Fidan traveled to the Syrian capital together with Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın. Officially, the delegation emphasized that it wanted to contribute to the stabilization of Syria. In terms of content, however, the demand that Kurdish forces be placed under the complete structural and military control of the government in Damascus dominated the agenda. In March, an agreement was signed with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria that provides for the gradual integration of the SDF into Syrian state structures.
Fidan: Integration of the SDF “in the interest of all”
In a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Fidan stated that the SDF was deliberately delaying the integration process. “We see no serious willingness to integrate into state structures,” he said. He emphasized that the integration of the SDF must be carried out “in the interest of all.” In the same breath, Fidan claimed that the SDF was cooperating with Israel in certain areas, which was complicating talks with Damascus. The statement is in line with Ankara’s repeated attempts to isolate the SDF internationally and delegitimize it in terms of security policy, despite its central role in the fight against ISIS.
Syrian government confirms channel of communication
Meanwhile, Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani confirmed that there was a proposal from the Ministry of Defense regarding the military integration of the SDF, to which a response had now been received. He said that the dialogue with the SDF was currently being conducted from the perspective of Syria’s “national unity and territorial integrity.” He did not provide any specific details about the content or progress of the talks. However, a public statement is expected to follow shortly.
Fidan thanks Donald Trump
In a further comment, Fidan expressed his “sincere gratitude” to US President Donald Trump for lifting the Caesar sanctions, which, he said, had largely blocked international investment in Syria since 2020. “With the lifting of sanctions, the way is paved for investment and economic recovery. This will contribute to stabilization, from which “our Syrian brothers will benefit,” Fidan said.
Ankara as a player in Syrian domestic politics
With its trip to Damascus and its public stance on the SDF, Turkey is once again underscoring its claim to actively shape Syria’s post-war order. Critics see this not only as a deliberate marginalization of the autonomous administration of North and East Syria, but also as an attempt to shift the balance of power within Syria in favor of Turkish interests.