Erdoğan welcomes agreement between Syrian government, Kurdish forces

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has welcomed a newly signed agreement between Syria’s interim government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), calling it a positive step toward stabilizing the country.

“We consider all efforts to rid Syria of terrorism as steps in the right direction," Erdoğan wrote on social media. "The full implementation of yesterday’s agreement will contribute to Syria’s security and stability. The true beneficiaries of this will be all our Syrian brothers and sisters.

"As I have always emphasized: The stronger our unity as Arabs, Turks, and Kurds, the more we can dismantle plots against us and secure our future. We must never forget that our only path to salvation is through holding each other’s hands, standing firmly together, and respecting each other’s sensitivities.”

The Sharaa-Abdi deal

On Mar 10, SDF Commander Mazlum Abdi and Syria’s Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed an agreement outlining the gradual integration of the Kurdish-led forces into the Syrian government’s military and administrative structures.

The deal ensures that all Syrians, regardless of ethnic or religious background, will have political representation and participation in state institutions. It also formally recognizes the Kurdish community as an integral part of Syria, guaranteeing their citizenship and constitutional rights.  

As part of the agreement, the SDF has committed to incorporating its civil and military institutions into the Syrian state, including the administration of border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria. A nationwide ceasefire will be upheld, and the Syrian government will oversee the safe return of displaced persons to their homes.

The deal also reaffirms support for Syria’s territorial integrity and rejects any calls for division or separatism.  

To ensure its implementation, committees will be established to oversee the transition, with the goal of completing the process by the end of the year. (VK)