Turkey Eyes Damascus Deal to Curb Kurdish SDF Influence in Syria, Reports Say
By Kardo Roj
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) –
Turkey is reportedly pressing for the swift implementation of a deal between the Syrian government and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that would integrate the Kurdish-led administration’s civil and military structures into the framework of the Syrian state, Turkish media said on Thursday.
Citing unnamed officials within the Turkish Foreign Ministry, CNN Türk reported that Ankara sees the March 10 agreement between the Syrian presidency and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi as a strategic opportunity to neutralize what it views as “separatist elements” while reinforcing Syria’s central governance.
The deal, announced earlier by the Syrian presidency, proposes incorporating all institutions of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) into Syrian state structures—an unprecedented shift that could redefine the balance of power in northeast Syria.
According to CNN Türk, Turkish officials view the agreement as aligned with Ankara’s longstanding objective of preserving Syria’s territorial integrity under a centralized authority. A Turkish Foreign Ministry source reportedly emphasized that “Turkey and the Syrian government share the same fundamental goal: a unified Syria where all ethnic and religious groups enjoy equal citizenship rights under a single administrative structure.”
However, Turkey’s interest appears to be driven as much by opposition to the SDF’s influence as by its stated commitment to Syrian unity. Turkish officials quoted by the channel underlined that they would only support the agreement if it effectively prevents the SDF—whom Ankara continues to associate with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)—from holding meaningful sway at the political or military level.
“The goal is to prevent the formations linked to the terrorist organization from gaining institutional or military traction within the Syrian framework,” the Turkish sources reportedly said, using Ankara’s terminology for the SDF.
The report also referenced Ankara’s disapproval of the messages conveyed during a Kurdish political conference held in Qamishli last Saturday. Turkish officials said Damascus viewed the conference’s tone and proposals as inconsistent with the spirit of the agreement.
On Sunday, the Syrian presidency issued a brief statement expressing concern over the SDF’s recent activities and rhetoric, suggesting that they contradicted commitments made under the March deal. The statement was seen by some analysts as a veiled warning that any delay in full compliance could jeopardize the fragile understanding.
For Ankara, leveraging the agreement is part of a broader geopolitical strategy. With shifting regional alliances and a slow thaw in Turkish-Syrian relations, Turkey appears to be repositioning itself as a stakeholder in shaping the outcome of the transitional period in Syria—particularly in the Kurdish-majority northeast.
The reported Turkish support for the deal also reflects Ankara’s ongoing push to ensure that no autonomous Kurdish entity with political or military influence survives along its southern border. Yet the SDF, which continues to receive support from the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, remains a critical counterterrorism partner in Syria’s east.
While the deal offers the potential to reduce fragmentation in Syria’s governance, its implementation faces significant hurdles. The AANES, despite acknowledging the agreement, has not signaled a willingness to dismantle its institutions without guarantees of genuine political inclusion, decentralized governance, and protection of minority rights.
The SDF’s leadership has historically insisted that any reintegration into Syrian structures must be conditioned on a new, democratic constitution and a transition process that reflects the aspirations of all Syrian communities.