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According to Turkish media outlet Türkiye daily's Yucel Kayaoglu, Türkiye will closely monitor the expulsion of approximately 8,000 non-Syrian terrorist organization PKK members from the SDF as part of a 14-point integration agreement between the SDF and Syrian government.
"Within SDF, there are 8,000 PKK members, mostly Turkish, Iranian and Iraqi. Foreigners will be deported. This step is viewed as critical for 'terror-free Türkiye.' Ankara will also assist Damascus with security investigation for SDF joining Syrian army," Kayaoglu reported.
The expulsion of non-Syrian PKK members represents one of the most important articles of the 14-point agreement signed regarding SDF's integration into the Syrian government.
"Implementations under expulsion of all non-Syrian PKK members from Syria's borders will be closely followed by Türkiye," the report stated.
The expulsion of foreign elements from within SDF has been among the most important demands Türkiye has raised from the beginning. In discussions with the Syrian government and in public statements, this issue was counted among Türkiye's "must-haves."
"The day before, one of the articles of the agreement reached between SDF and Syria—expulsion of all non-Syrian PKK members from Syria's borders—will begin implementation under Ankara and Damascus coordination," the report noted.
"Organization members in this situation will absolutely not be permitted to join Damascus army and their expulsion from Syria will be closely followed by Türkiye," the report added.
Security sources state that there are approximately 8,000 organization members who are not Syrian within SDF, with 2,000 of them recently passing from northern Iraq into Syria.
A large portion of this group consists of Turkish-origin members and organization members who came from both northern Iraq and Türkiye. Among non-Syrians, there are also members of Iraqi and Iranian origins.
The integration agreement specifically requires the removal of foreign PKK members from Syrian territory. Türkiye has secured the right to monitor the implementation of this provision directly.
"Organization members of foreign origin will absolutely not be permitted to join the Damascus army, and their expulsion from Syrian territory will be closely tracked by Türkiye," the report noted.
This monitoring arrangement represents a diplomatic victory for Ankara, which had identified foreign PKK member expulsion as essential to its national security objectives throughout the integration negotiations.
The foreign element expulsion requirement had been a consistent Turkish priority throughout the SDF integration process.
"Expulsion of foreign elements from within the SDF was one of the most important demands Türkiye raised from the beginning," the report stated, adding, "The issue was repeatedly characterized as one of Türkiye's 'must-haves' in discussions with the Syrian government and in public statements."
The principle was incorporated as a binding obligation within the formal 14-point agreement governing SDF integration into Syrian government forces.
After the removal of foreign elements that Türkiye views as "red lines", Turkish-origin organization members can come to Türkiye if they wish, like other organization members who laid down weapons, the report noted.
Additionally, organization members in this situation can also benefit from legal arrangements to be introduced in the "terror-free Türkiye" process.
The report states that "security sources point out that individual integration of SDF members, consisting of 50,000-60,000 people, into the Damascus army may take time due to technical details."
"Türkiye will provide intelligence support, including security investigations in the integration process of these people," according to the report.
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