A significant geopolitical realignment is unfolding in Syria following a pivotal understanding reached between Turkish and American officials, culminating in a ceasefire accord that substantially addresses Ankara’s longstanding security concerns. The shift began in November when Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan engaged in comprehensive discussions with senior US officials including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, establishing what Fidan described as being “fully on the same page” regarding Syria policy.
This diplomatic breakthrough has manifested dramatically on the ground. Earlier this month, the Syrian military launched operations in Aleppo’s al-Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods—territories long held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Despite the SDF’s role as a key American partner in combating the Islamic State, US officials quietly endorsed Damascus’s advance, signaling growing frustration with the Kurdish-led group’s resistance to compromise.
The subsequent ceasefire agreement, negotiated through US envoy Tom Barrack’s mediation with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, represents a strategic victory for Turkey. Under its terms, the SDF will be effectively dissolved as an autonomous armed entity, with fighters integrated individually into Syria’s state security apparatus after vetting procedures. The accord transfers control of critical oil and gas fields in eastern Syria to Damascus, eliminating the SDF’s primary revenue source while promising local infrastructure investment.
Crucially, the agreement places Deir Ezzor and Raqqa under direct government control and returns all state institutions in Hasakah to central authority. The SDF will retain only limited internal security functions within Hasakah while handing border crossings to Syria’s military, positioning government troops along the Turkish border to address Ankara’s smuggling and infiltration concerns. The deal further requires the expulsion of all non-Syrian PKK members from SDF ranks.
The development has notably weakened Israeli influence over the SDF while creating potential momentum for restarting Turkey’s stalled peace process with the PKK. Turkish officials have already distinguished between SDF pragmatism and what they characterize as “maximalist” positions from PKK leadership in Iraq’s Qandil mountains. With the Syrian file largely resolved, sources indicate renewed negotiations over disarmament and reintegration may follow, potentially strengthening the hand of conciliatory voices within the Kurdish movement.