Türkiye calls for removal of non-Syrian forces from SDF
DOHA
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Dec. 6 called for the removal of non-Syrian elements from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) amid ongoing efforts to integrate the organization into the country's national army.
"We want the elements joining from Iraq, Iran and Türkiye to leave immediately," Fidan said during a session at the Doha Forum on Dec. 6.
He said that some SDF units "exist solely to wage a struggle against Türkiye."
"Therefore, we want the non-Syrian elements removed from the SDF," Fidan said, calling this a "good start that should be followed by the removal of all elements deployed against Türkiye's interests and security."
The Turkish top diplomat also criticized the SDF for “pursuing only a symbolic process and avoiding concrete steps” in integrating into the army.
Türkiye recognizes PKK and its Syrian affiliate, YPG, the backbone of SDF, as terrorist organizations. Fidan's comments come amid Ankara's latest peace initiative, which saw PKK decide to disarm and disband itself.
Asked whether jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan might play a role in the SDF’s integration, Fidan suggested it could be possible.
Meanwhile, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu visited Damascus at the invitation of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Bayraktaroğlu and his delegation also met with Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Chief of General Staff Ali Noureddine al-Naasan.
The discussions focused on regional security, military cooperation and joint operations, Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Dec. 6. Following the meetings, the Turkish delegation inspected a joint operations center.
Meeting with leaders
Fidan held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the margins of the Doha Forum on Dec. 7, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
Fidan met with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Qatar’s capital, though no further details were shared on the content of their talks.
He held talks with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Their meeting covered regional security, as well as economic and energy cooperation between the two countries, according to diplomatic sources.
Fidan also met Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during the forum, the Foreign Ministry said in a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
In another engagement, Fidan met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide as part of his Doha program.
According to the information obtained from Turkish diplomatic sources, the meeting addressed the situation in Gaza, developments regarding Ukraine, and the civil war in Sudan.
The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum opened Dec. 6 under the theme Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress.
The two-day event brought together senior officials and global figures, including Fidan, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.