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The deadline for the SDF, which is dominated by the terrorist group YPG, the Syrian branch of the terrorist organization PKK, to integrate into the Syrian army under the March 10 agreement expires at the end of this year. However, the group is attempting to extend the process until March 2026, Turkish media outlet Türkiye daily reported Monday.
According to the report, the SDF—which Türkiye designates as a terrorist organization due to its ties to the PKK—is seeking to delay the integration process "with Israel's support" despite the agreement clearly stating that integration must be completed by year-end.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler recently warned that Ankara has "all options on the table," including joint operations with Syria if the SDF fails to comply.
The report said that despite the March 10 agreement explicitly requiring integration to be completed by the end of 2025, the SDF is hiding behind the argument that "such agreements have a one-year duration" to extend the deadline to March 10, 2026.
No progress has been made in negotiations since the agreement was signed, with the SDF reportedly "not taking the Damascus administration seriously" and frequently clashing with Syrian army forces in northern Syria over the past nine months.
The SDF is not expected to achieve full integration into the army and other state institutions by year-end as envisioned in the agreement. However, Türkiye is emphasizing that concrete steps must be taken before Dec. 31.
Sources indicated that after Ankara's warnings to "hurry up," the SDF may take a few small steps toward integration by Dec. 31 in an attempt to extend the process.
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Defense Minister Guler recently addressed the integration issue at an annual evaluation meeting with media representatives in Ankara on Dec. 19.
"We see and understand the Syrian leadership's attitude toward SDF integration in our discussions with them. We have plans ready for all developments. We know very well what we will do," Guler stated.
"Whatever we have done until today, we have the power and capability to do the same again. However, the new Syrian government will first develop the necessary initiatives to ensure unity and integrity. We will support this," he added.
The Turkish defense minister emphasized that the SDF must integrate individually, not as a cohesive unit.
"The SDF also talks about integration, but what they're talking about is integration as a unit. They need to integrate individually, not as a unit. Otherwise, it's not called integration," he noted.
When asked what Türkiye would do if the SDF fails to integrate, Guler referenced past Turkish military operations in Syria by saying: "When we conducted our operations in Syria starting from 2016, the U.S. was there, and Russia was there."
"We did what needed to be done without asking anyone and finished it. In the coming period, if there is a need, we will do what is necessary without asking anyone."
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