Erdogan calls on Damascus to focus on SDF deal
3 Min Read
Erdoğan presses Syria to implement its SDF deal and announces a regional-US committee on ISIS detainees held in Western Kurdistan camps.
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Turkey's President Recep Erdogan arrives at the beginning of a summit where the leaders of 47 European countries and organizations will discuss security, defense, and democratic standards, in Tirana, Albania, Friday, May 16, 2025 (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged Syria's government on Thursday to prioritize fulfilling its agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), emphasizing the need to integrate the US-supported Kurdish-led group into the reformed Syrian military as outlined in their landmark deal.
Speaking to reporters during his flight back from Budapest, Erdoğan said, "We are closely following the progress of the Damascus-SDF agreement," while stressing, "The Syrian government should maintain its focus on this issue," according to Reuters.
The March 10, 2025, agreement between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, reached after the Assad regime's collapse, stipulates integrating SDF military and civilian structures in northeast Syria into the state system, transferring control of border crossings, oil and gas fields, and Qamishlo airport to Damascus.
Erdogan announced joint committee on ISIS camps
During the discussion, Erdoğan disclosed the formation of a four-party committee involving Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and the United States to determine the future of ISIS detainees held in SDF-run camps across Eastern Syria, where thousands of former ISIS fighters and their family members have been confined for years.
“Turkiye, Syria, Iraq, and the U.S. have established a committee to discuss the future of ISIS fighters in the detention camps,” Erdogan stated, emphasizing the importance of repatriation efforts, especially for Iraqi nationals.
“Iraq must focus on the issue of these detention camps because most of the women and children in al-Hol camp are Syrian and Iraqi. They must be returned to their countries,” the Turkish President asserted.
The ongoing detention of over 12,000 ISIS fighters, including numerous foreign nationals from 50+ countries, across 26 Eastern Syria facilities keeps the camps' future a critical regional and international concern.
Syria Army, SDF, clash in Aleppo
Syrian new administration army troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces clashed near Aleppo's Tishreen Dam overnight, as reported by state television, citing military sources.
A military source told state television that the SDF launched an attack toward the Tishreen Dam, characterizing it as a direct assault on government-controlled territory.
After the confrontation, reports indicate the Syrian new administration army recaptured two former SDF strongholds, though the exact reason for the sudden clashes remains uncertain.
Following the clashes near Tishreen Dam, military sources stated that significant reinforcements were deployed to the area after heavy fighting, suggesting a possible breakdown in trust between Damascus and the US-backed SDF forces.
