Security sources said on Monday that an integration deal between Damascus and the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG was a “historic turning” point and Turkish intelligence played an intensive role to ensure restraint by parties involved.
Türkiye, a strong supporter of post-Assad Syria, sees the deal as critical to restoring state authority across Syria and to its own goal of eliminating terrorism at home, including advancing its long-running efforts toward a terror-free Türkiye, which involves disarmament of the PKK, with whom YPG is affiliated, sources said.
Ankara is the strongest foreign backer of the administration in neighboring Damascus and implied that it may resort to a military offensive against the YPG if it does not honor a March 2025 deal with Damascus for their integration into the Syrian army.
On Sunday, Syria and YPG struck a wide-ranging deal for integration, ending days of fighting in which Syrian troops recaptured territory, including key oil fields, from YPG.
The Turkish security sources said the fight against Daesh in Syria would continue uninterrupted. YPG has been a partner of the U.S., which threw comprehensive military support behind them for what it called a joint fight against Daesh.
Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) had been in dialogue with the U.S., which mediated the Sunday agreement and the Syrian government ahead of the deal, the sources said. MIT also maintained intensive contacts to ensure restraint among parties, including protecting civilians and critical infrastructure, in Syria in the run-up to the deal, they added.
