Turkish Foreign Minister reveals the reason behind its officials’ visit to Damascus after the agreement with SDF

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that a Turkish delegation discussed an agreement between the Syrian government and the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) during a visit to Damascus.

The Turkish delegation, which included the foreign and defense ministers, as well as the head of the intelligence agency, held meetings as part of a working visit to Syria on Thursday.

In an interview with TV100, Fidan explained that the Turkish delegation expressed Ankara’s concerns regarding the fight against terrorism, noting that Türkiye would closely monitor the implementation of the agreement.

This meeting comes after an agreement between the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government aimed at integrating Kurdish forces into Syrian state institutions.

The agreement includes the integration of SDF civilian and military institutions, while handing over border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields to Syrian government control.

Türkiye considers the SDF a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for more than four decades.

For years, Ankara has demanded the disarmament and disbandment of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the main force within the SDF, and the removal of its foreign fighters.

While Ankara welcomed the agreement between Damascus and the SDF, it stressed that it will monitor its implementation to ensure that the YPG doesn’t fully integrate into Syrian state institutions or security forces, while continuing to demand the group’s removal from the region.