ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey is witnessing a significant geopolitical shift in neighboring Syria following the swift collapse of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under a new offensive by Damascus. The development marks a strategic triumph for Ankara, which has long considered Kurdish militias as direct threats to national security.
The SDF, once the primary U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State, lost substantial territory in northern Syria within just two weeks. Facing military pressure from interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government, the group agreed to dissolve and integrate its fighters individually into the Syrian national military—a move that effectively ends its autonomous presence.
Turkey’s support for al-Sharaa’s administration has been instrumental. Turkish intelligence provided operational guidance during the offensive, facilitating SDF withdrawals from key areas like Aleppo while coordinating with the U.S.-led international coalition to minimize civilian casualties. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan publicly praised the Syrian government, emphasizing Turkey’s commitment to a unified Syria free of separatist entities along its border.
Washington’s decision not to intervene on behalf of the SDF signalled a major policy shift, aligning U.S. interests with the consolidation of Syria’s central government. Analysts attribute this change partly to Erdoğan’s diplomatic rapport with U.S. leadership and a strategic pivot toward engaging state actors rather than non-state armed groups.
The dissolution of the SDF also strengthens Turkey’s domestic peace process with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which began disarming earlier this year. With the SDF neutralized, a major obstacle to reconciliation is removed—though concerns remain regarding potential backlash among Turkey’s Kurdish population.
Despite calls from some SDF representatives for Israeli intervention, regional dynamics remained stable following behind-the-scenes agreements between Syria and Israel, further isolating the Kurdish force and enabling its rapid integration into state structures.