Turkey closely monitors Syrian government-Kurdish forces agreement

Turkey is actively observing a recently signed deal between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led military alliance. This agreement follows escalated clashes involving government security forces and loyalists to ousted leader Bashar Assad that erupted last week. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made a surprising visit to Syria to express Turkey's concerns, indicating that potential provocations could arise that threaten Turkish security. He emphasized that the integration of the SDF into the Syrian government should not grant the group autonomy and reiterated Turkey's stance against its connections to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which they classify as a terrorist organization. He asserted that life in Syria should normalize for all communities, including Kurds, Arabs, and other ethnic groups, amid the ongoing tensions. As negotiations with the new Syrian administration continue, Fidan revealed that Turkey's intelligence officials were involved in discussions about the deal, which aims to fully incorporate the SDF into the Syrian army. The underlying objective for Turkey is to ensure regional stability and address their security concerns regarding the presence of the SDF in northeastern Syria.