A high-level Turkish delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, the Minister of Defense, and the head of Turkish intelligence, has arrived in Damascus. The visit underscores Ankara’s commitment to regional security and the implementation of existing agreements.
According to sources within the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the delegation will be focusing on the progress of the March 10, 2025 agreement, which is considered crucial to Turkey’s national security priorities. Discussions are expected to center on addressing security risks in southern Syria, particularly in light of ongoing Israeli actions in the region.
Prior to the visit, Minister Fidan cautioned the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against any further delays in integrating into the Syrian Arab Army. He emphasized that the continuation of the current situation poses a threat to the country’s national unity.
“We hope that matters proceed through dialogue, negotiations, and peacefully,” Fidan stated in a recent television interview. “We do not want to see any need to resort to military means again. However, the Syrian Democratic Forces must realize that the patience of the parties involved is beginning to run out.”
The SDF, primarily led by Kurdish forces, controls significant territories in northeastern Syria, a region rich in oil and wheat resources.
Ankara has repeatedly called for the swift implementation of the agreement, while simultaneously fostering closer ties with the Syrian leadership in Damascus. Between 2016 and 2019, Turkey conducted military operations in northern Syria against Kurdish fighters and ISIS. Turkey maintains that it does not wish to repeat military action if all parties adhere to the terms of the existing agreement.
In March, the Syrian Presidency announced the signing of an agreement stipulating the integration of all civilian and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the Syrian state administration. This includes border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields. The Presidency stated that President Ahmed al-Shara and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi signed the agreement, committing to integrate the SDF into the Syrian Republic’s institutions and support the Syrian state in combating ISIS remnants and any threats to Syria’s security and unity.
