Türkiye has redrawn its red lines in Syria, firmly rejecting any move to legitimize organizations it labels as terrorist, while pledging support for efforts that could secure a stable and prosperous future for Syria, including Washington’s proposal for Damascus to join the Abraham Accords with Israel.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Türkiye would not tolerate plans to grant legitimacy to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) or their affiliates. Speaking to Turkish journalists on his return flight from Azerbaijan, where he attended the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization Summit, Erdogan stressed that Syria’s territorial integrity remains a critical priority for Ankara.
Responding to questions about the proposed integration of SDF fighters into the Syrian Army, he said: “The unity of Syrian territory is of utmost importance to us. We have taken active measures on the ground, through the Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, and Peace Spring operations, to secure our borders and end instability.”
He added that Ankara supports eliminating all armed groups in Syria so that the Syrian Army alone controls the country.
“Lasting peace and stability in Syria are in our interest too. Anyone who seeks to obstruct this will find Türkiye standing against them,” he said.
Erdogan has repeatedly accused the SDF of stalling implementation of the integration deal signed in March between Syria’s interim President Ahmad Al-Shara and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.
While the US endorses the agreement between Damascus and the SDF, it continues to back the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF. Türkiye considers the YPG an extension of the PKK, which it designates as a terrorist group, while Washington views it as a crucial partner against ISIS.
To persuade the US to end its support, Ankara has proposed aiding Damascus in combating ISIS and transferring control over prisons and camps holding ISIS fighters and families to the Syrian government. Türkiye also floated a regional cooperation plan, including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, to coordinate counterterrorism operations from a center in Damascus. However, progress has been slow.
Erdogan also welcomed US and European decisions to lift sanctions on Syria and to initiate preliminary security talks between Syria and Israel. He noted that normalization between Ankara and Damascus is advancing rapidly, with plans for joint economic initiatives such as free trade zones and cross-border markets.
Finally, he revealed that Azerbaijan has agreed to supply natural gas to Syria, viewing it as an important step for regional stability.
