Peregraf- Turkey’s Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, said Ankara will continue its military operations until it is convinced that armed groups it designates as terrorist no longer pose a threat to Turkey and sufficient security has been ensured.
Focusing on northern Syria, Güler said the Turkish Armed Forces have carried out operations beyond Turkey’s borders under what he described as a “destruction at the source” strategy, aimed at neutralizing threats before they reach Turkish territory.
He stressed that Turkey is in close coordination with the Syrian administration over ending the presence and activities of the PKK-affiliated YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to Güler, YPG-SDF elements must comply with agreements dated January 18 and March 10, which he said are intended to safeguard Syria’s political unity and border security.
The defense minister added that Turkey has entered a new phase in what he called the “Terror-Free Turkey” process, reiterating Ankara’s determination to pursue military and political measures against the YPG-SDF until its security objectives in Syria are met.
SDF Integration with Syrian Government
In recent months, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government in Damascus reached a series of agreements aimed at de-escalating conflict and integrating military and administrative structures into state institutions. A landmark January 30, 2026 agreement established a permanent ceasefire and a framework for phased integration, including the formation of new military units combining SDF brigades under Syrian command and the entry of Interior Ministry security forces into key cities such as Al-Hasakah and Qamishli. Civil institutions of the former Autonomous Administration are to be merged into Syrian state bodies, with guarantees for civil service status for local employees and provisions addressing Kurdish civil and educational rights.
This process builds on earlier accords, including a March 10, 2025 deal that aimed to incorporate SDF units into the Syrian national army and unify governance across northeastern Syria, under U.S. and French mediation.
Support for the integration deal has also come from regional actors and political parties in Northern and Eastern Syria, who view the agreements as historic steps toward national reconciliation and stability.