In a significant de-escalation move, the Syrian government and US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have mutually agreed to halt hostilities after deadly clashes in Aleppo resulted in multiple casualties on Monday. The confrontation occurred during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s diplomatic visit to the region.
Syria’s official news agency SANA announced that the nation’s military command issued formal orders to cease targeting SDF positions. In reciprocal action, the Kurdish-led forces confirmed they have instructed their fighters to stop responding to Syrian government attacks. Both parties had initially exchanged accusations regarding responsibility for the violence.
This temporary truce follows a landmark March agreement between SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa to integrate the Kurdish forces with Damascus’ military structure. However, implementation has stalled due to resistance from the SDF and associated Kurdish factions.
The geopolitical landscape is further complicated by Turkey’s designation of the SDF as a terrorist organization due to its affiliations with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which both the United States and European Union recognize as a terrorist group. Ankara has issued ultimatums demanding Kurdish forces abandon cooperation with Israel and honor their integration commitments.
Analysts warn that failure to successfully incorporate the SDF into Syrian state forces could reignite military conflict, potentially derailing the nation’s recovery from fourteen years of devastating civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The recent diplomatic engagement between Turkey and Syria signals warming relations since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government over a year ago. Fidan emphasized the interconnected stability of both nations, stating that ‘Syria’s stability means Turkey’s stability.’