Turkish FM: SDF Must 'Do its Part' for National Unity in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that the time has come for national unity in Syria, urging the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fulfill their responsibilities.

“In Syria, it is time for national unity. The SDF needs to do its part,” Fidan told a joint press conference with his Omani counterpart Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in Ankara, The Caspian Post reports, citing Anadolu.

“Instead, its transformation into an actor that serves Israel’s ‘divide and rule’ policy in our region, in coordination with Israel, is unfortunately not a coincidence,” he added.

Fidan said recent developments in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo reflect warnings Ankara has repeatedly raised over the past year.

He said that if the PKK/YPG group, which operates under the name SDF, had moved forward with integration into Syria instead of attempting to buy time, the latest violence could have been avoided.

His remarks came as Syrian state media reported renewed clashes in Aleppo, where the Syrian army responded to SDF fire that killed at least five civilians and injured 33 others and one Syrian soldier.

Fidan stressed that the PKK/YPG’s approach of refusing to compromise wherever it operates and prioritizing its own interests has brought no benefit to anyone.

He said the Syrian government has begun recovering from years of conflict, strengthening its counterterrorism capacity and restoring its ability to deliver basic services to its population.

The Turkish foreign minister added that Ankara now views developments in Yemen, Somaliland, Sudan, and Syria through the same strategic lens, describing this approach as part of Türkiye’s broader regional assessment.