Türkiye's President Erdoğan calls for ‘one state, one army’ in Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his country’s support for a ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which calls for the latter’s integration into the Syrian state apparatus.

Erdoğan stressed Ankara’s commitment to the principle of “one state, one army” in Syria, saying Türkiye “fully supports any step that strengthens this principle,” he told reporters on Monday.

He added that the ceasefire deal, which was announced over the weekend, had “resolved a sensitive issue by prioritising negotiation and avoiding actions that could undermine its the Syrian government’s legitimate position.” 

Erdoğan made the remarks during reports that Syrian government forces had begun deploying in key areas of northern and northeastern Syria that were previously held by the SDF. 

On Monday, the Syrian army confirmed it had begun deploying forces in northeastern Syria’s resource-rich Jazira region in line with the terms of the ceasefire agreement. 

Located east and north of the Euphrates River, the Jazira region contains most of the country’s oil and gas reserves.

According to Syrian state media, government forces have already secured the Tishreen Dam south of Manbij and the countryside near the cities of Raqqa and Hasakah.

Syria’s interior ministry said it had also begun deploying forces in the northeastern province of Deir ez-Zor along the Euphrates River.

In a statement cited by Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, the interior ministry said its priorities included “establishing checkpoints, conducting regular patrols, and maintaining a steady security presence to safeguard residents.”

Announced by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday, the ceasefire deal calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Syrian government forces and SDF fighters after several days of fighting.

• Syria's al‑Sharaa discusses security, reconstruction with France's Macron and Türkiye's Erdoğan
• Syria tightens grip after Kurdish pullback, says IS prisoners escape
• Türkiye backs military operations against Kurdish-led SDF in Northern Syria

It also calls for the integration of armed Syrian Kurdish groups, including the SDF, into Syria’s state military apparatus.

Although the SDF is backed by the United States, Türkiye views it as a terrorist group due its close ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which for decades waged a violent insurgency against the Turkish state.

In a Sunday phone call with al-Sharaa, Erdoğan told his Syrian counterpart that Turkish support for Damascus would continue, “especially in the field of counterterrorism.”

Copied