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.
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.”
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Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are aiming to establish a railway connection linking the two countries through Syria and Jordan within the next three to four years, according to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as they seek to deepen economic ties and support Syria's recovery.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
A second group of Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State group has departed a refugee camp in north-east Syria and may return to Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported on Friday.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
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Britain has announced an additional £8 million ($11 million) to help Pakistan combat illegal migration, human trafficking and organised crime, while praising Islamabad's role in diplomacy that helped secure the recent U.S.-Iran agreement.
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Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 win for Ghana over Panama as World Cup action delivered a mix of late drama and key results. Colombia and England also began their campaigns with victories, while DR Congo held Portugal in a historic 1-1 draw and Austria beat Jordan 3-1.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has remotely signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.S., brokered by Pakistan, under which Tehran and Washington agreed to extend their ceasefire and begin negotiations towards a peace agreement.
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