Erdoğan: Aleppo events 'historic opportunity' for SDF integration deal

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the environment following deadly clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has created a "historic opportunity" to finalize an agreement integrating the latter into the country's national army.

"We cannot allow the brotherhood between Turks, Arabs and Kurds to be broken. We must manage the process with sensitivity and be wary of provocations," Erdoğan reportedly told a top council meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP).

His comments follow days of intense fighting in Aleppo between government troops and the YPG-led SDF forces. The violence, which erupted Jan. 6 in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Achrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud and Bani Zeid, resulted in at least 23 deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands.

Fighting broke out after the government and SDF failed to advance a deal to merge the organization into the army. Government security forces eventually captured the three neighborhoods, allowing hundreds of residents to begin returning on Jan. 12.

The "clearing of YPG elements from Aleppo was an important achievement in terms of establishing lasting peace, tranquility and security in Syria," local media quoted Erdoğan as saying. He expressed support for the Syrian government's "inclusive approach" despite what he described as the "maximalist and irrational demands" of SDF.

The president reportedly said the developments presented a "historic opportunity" for the implementation of a March 10 agreement, stating that Türkiye is determined to pursue the integration process while taking all necessary measures to protect its own borders.

Ankara views YPG as the Syrian offshoot of PKK, a designated terrorist organization. The current friction in Syria coincides with a domestic anti-terrorism initiative in Türkiye, which recently saw PKK announce a decision to disband and disarm.

The "terror-free Türkiye" process began in late 2024, signaled by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli's call for jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to address parliament. Since then, the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has maintained communication channels with Öcalan as part of the initiative.

In the Turkish parliament, the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission is overseeing the transition. The panel, granted a two-month extension to its original 2025 mandate, is expected to release its final report this month.

Members of the commission have held 20 meetings, hearing from cabinet ministers, legal experts and families of fallen soldiers. The İYİ (Good) Party remains the sole major faction to boycott the initiative entirely.