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US and Turkish officials tell Syrian Democratic Forces to stop dragging their feet and join Damascus government within weeks
The United States and Turkey have given the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) a 30-day deadline to finish integrating with the Syrian government, sources familiar with the matter have told Middle East Eye.
SDF leader Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement in March with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, outlining the full merger of the SDF and its agencies into the Damascus government.
However, progress has stalled as the SDF and other Kurdish groups have demanded autonomy and resisted merging under the Syrian defence ministry, insisting on retaining a separate military command and organisational structure within the Syrian army.
American and Turkish patience is wearing thin, sources told MEE. During a meeting in Syria last week, US and Turkish officials gave the SDF a 30-day ultimatum to join the Damascus government.
“The SDF was told that not all of its armed units would be integrated into the Syrian army. Units excluded from integration would be disarmed, and overall control would remain with the Syrian government,” one source said.
The Damascus government reportedly shows little interest in incorporating the SDF’s all-women units, known as the YPJ – an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – into its ranks.
Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, has made it clear in several interviews and statements this month that Washington opposes such demands and favours a unified Syria with one nation, one military, and one state.
Earlier this month, the SDF delegation held talks with Syrian government officials, as well as American and French representatives. The discussions, however, yielded no breakthrough.
After the meeting, Barrack told journalists in New York: “We’ll bring you together, we’ll arbitrate, we’ll mediate, we’ll help, but we’re not going to stick around.
« If you guys don’t agree, then don’t agree, but we’re not going to be here forever as the babysitter and the mediator, » he said.
Barrack also warned the SDF that failure to reach an agreement with Damascus could result in « other alternatives ».
Turkish officials at the meeting held in Syria last week emphasised that the SDF should not exploit the goodwill of Damascus, Ankara and Washington by prolonging negotiations and stalling for time.
Sweida raises stakes
Recent Israeli air strikes in Damascus, prompted by clashes in Sweida between Bedouins and Druze, have heightened tensions in Ankara.
Turkish government sources worry that Israeli intervention could embolden the SDF to persist in its demands for autonomy, particularly as Damascus appears ineffective in resolving the conflict and faces accusations of crimes against the Druze minority.
Nevertheless, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that his government fully supports al-Sharaa’s administration and would not allow Syria to be partitioned.
Over the weekend, Erdogan told journalists during a visit to Northern Cyprus that al-Sharaa’s firm stance on Sweida should serve as a clear message to the SDF that there will be no compromise on disarmament talks.
In last week’s meeting, Turkish officials requested that the YPG provide information on tunnel networks along the Turkish border and weapons depots established in civilian areas, according to the same sources speaking to MEE.
Middle East Eye has asked the Turkish government for comment.
Barrack, who spoke to SDF leader Mazloum Abdi over the weekend, said this week that he does not believe the violence in Sweida will derail talks and that there could be a breakthrough « in the coming weeks ».
A US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with government protocol, said that while they could not discuss specifics of private diplomatic conversations, the integration talks between the SDF and the Syrian government remain ongoing and active.
“We support the continuation of these discussions as the best way to resolve any outstanding issues,” the official said.