US, Turkey Give SDF 30-day Ultimatum

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The US and Turkey have given the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) a 30-day ultimatum to complete their full integration with the Syrian government.

The decision comes after the suspension of the implementation of the March 2024 agreement between SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Syrian interim President Jalali. According to the agreement, the SDF and its affiliated entities were to be fully integrated into the structure of the Damascus government.

However, the SDF and other Kurdish groups have demanded autonomy and have resisted integration under the Syrian Ministry of Defense, insisting on maintaining a separate military command and organizational structure within the Syrian army.

According to Middle East Eye sources, during a meeting in Syria last week, US and Turkish officials warned the SDF of dire consequences if the integration process is not completed by the deadline.

“The SDF has been told that not all of its armed units will be integrated into the Syrian army. The excluded units will be disarmed, and overall control will remain with the Syrian government,” one of the sources added.

The Damascus government is also reportedly reluctant to accept the women’s units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (YPJ), a branch linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), into its military structure.

Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and the country’s special envoy for Syria, has stressed in recent interviews that Washington supports “a united Syria with one nation, one army and one state,” and has rejected the SDF’s demands.

“We will bring you together, mediate and assist you, but we will not remain as nanny and mediator forever,” he said at a meeting earlier this month between the SDF delegation, Syrian officials, and US and French representatives. “If there is no agreement, we cannot wait forever.”

Barak also warned the SDF that “alternative options” could be considered if they fail to reach an agreement with Damascus.

Turkish officials present at the meeting also stressed that the SDF should not take advantage of the goodwill of Damascus, Ankara, and Washington by prolonging the talks and deliberately delaying them.