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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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 8th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed agreements worth about $5.3bn aimed at boosting cooperation across aviation, telecommunications and water infrastructure, marking one of the largest economic initiatives since Syria’s leadership change.
France’s “absolute priority” remains the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Thursday (5 February) during talks with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus, as Paris reassesses its counter-terrorism strategy.
Syrian government security forces entered the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Qamishli on Tuesday (3 February), security sources and witnesses said.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
J.D. Vance met Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev in Baku on a rare visit by a sitting U.S. vice president, signalling a renewed push to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan on energy, security and regional stability.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Iran’s atomic energy chief says Tehran could dilute uranium enriched to 60 per cent if all international sanctions are lifted, stressing that technical nuclear issues are being discussed alongside political matters in ongoing negotiations.
J.D. Vance met Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev in Baku on a rare visit by a sitting U.S. vice president, signalling a renewed push to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan on energy, security and regional stability.
A scheduled visit to Ankara this week by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will seek to “resolve all our problems at the table,” Ömer Çelik, a spokesman for Türkiye’s ruling AK Party, has said.
The European Union is preparing a further expansion of its sanctions against Russia, with Central Asia emerging for the first time as a distinct point of focus.
Azerbaijan and the United States signalled closer economic ties on Monday (9 February) as President Ilham Aliyev hosted a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the country’s investment appeal and growing interest from American companies.
“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
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