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Türkiye has prepared plans for all possible scenarios regarding the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces into Syria’s state institutions and can act if necessary, Defense Minister Yasar Guler said Friday.
Speaking at the Annual Evaluation Meeting on Dec. 19 while answering questions from Ankara-based media representatives, Guler said Türkiye has observed and understood the stance of Syria’s new administration on the issue during recent meetings.
“We have plans ready for every possible development. We know very well what to do, and we have the power and capability to do exactly what we have done so far,” Guler said.
"However, to ensure unity and territorial integrity, the new Syrian government will first develop the necessary initiatives. We will support this."
The SDF is dominated by the terrorist group YPG, the Syrian branch of the terrorist PKK. On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement on integrating the SDF into state institutions, reaffirming Syria’s territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.
Guler said Ankara has closely monitored developments in Syria from the outset.
“We determined our stance from the very beginning, and there is no question of taking any step back from it,” he said.
He added that Türkiye believes Syria’s new leadership should be given time to establish order following major political changes.
“A new government has been established in Syria, there is a new head of state, and we believe it is necessary to give them some time to establish order in the country,” Guler said.
Asked what steps Türkiye would take if the SDF fails to integrate into the Syrian army, Guler said Ankara would act if needed, regardless of external actors.
“Since 2016, when we conducted our operations in Syria, the United States was there, and Russia was there as well, and we did what needed to be done without asking anyone, and we completed it,” he said. “In the coming period, if there is a need, we will do what is necessary without asking anyone.”
Between 2016 and 2019, Türkiye launched three offensives in northern Syria against terror groups, including the SDF.
Guler also addressed Türkiye’s counterterrorism operations against SDF tunnel networks in northern Syria.
He said Turkish forces have destroyed 302 kilometers (187.6 miles) of tunnels in the Tel Rifaat area and 430 kilometers in Manbij, with operations continuing there.
“The total length of tunnels destroyed has reached 732 kilometers,” Guler said, adding that Türkiye has enabled civilians to return to these areas to resettle and resume agricultural activities.
He said Turkish forces are also closely monitoring ongoing tunnel-digging activities by the terrorist organization in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.
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Ousted Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party’s rule that began in 1963. A transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.
Although the March 10 agreement set out a framework for integrating the SDF into state institutions, Syrian authorities have said the group has not taken steps to implement the deal in the months since. The deadline for the implementation is Dec. 31.
The SDF has continued to launch attacks on Syrian army positions in Aleppo and Raqqa, Syrian officials said, as the government intensifies security efforts following the ouster of Assad.
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