Turkey Sets Conditions for Syrian Border Openings, Demands Integration of Syrian Democratic Forces

Turkey has reiterated its demand for the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the official Syrian military, viewing this as a crucial condition for reopening all border crossings with Syria.

During a parliamentary session on Wednesday to present the Foreign Ministry's budget for the upcoming year, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Turkey aims to open all border crossings with Syria, but only after the implementation of the March 10 agreement is completed. This statement was reported by the state television channel TRT.

The aforementioned agreement, signed by SDF commander Mazlum Abdi and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara on March 10, outlines the "integration of all civil and military institutions of the SDF in northeastern Syria into the official state institutions."

Fidan clarified that "the Kurdish forces controlling most of northeastern Syria must submit to the leadership of the central government" before any progress can be made on reopening the border crossings. He also accused the Syrian Democratic Forces of "showing no willingness to implement this understanding with Damascus."

It is important to note that the official Turkish stance views the Syrian Democratic Forces and the People's Protection Units as "a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is classified as a terrorist organization." The SDF, however, consistently denies any affiliation with this party.

Politically, since the signing of the March agreement, both the Syrian and Kurdish parties have exchanged accusations of obstructing its implementation, despite ongoing assurances that follow-up dialogues are still taking place.