Turkey is celebrating new changes in Syria, where the new Syrian government has made strong progress against a Kurdish-led force called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). People in Turkey see this as a positive step toward peace and security.
In the last few weeks, the Syrian government leader, President Ahmad al-Sharaa launched a strong military operation against the SDF in northern Syria. The SDF controlled a large part of the area for many years and was a key partner of the United States in fighting the Islamic State group.
During the operation, the SDF lost most of its territory in northern Syria. After a quick operation by Syrian government forces, the SDF had to accept a deal. Under this agreement, the SDF will give up most of its land and its fighters will join the Syrian army as regular soldiers.
The SDF losing control of the area is seen as a big win for Turkey. Turkey has always thought Kurdish groups as a threat to its safety because it believes they are linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey considers a terrorist group.
Since the end of the Assad government in 2024, the Syrian political and military situation changed a lot. President al-Sharaa’s military made a fast operation, and the SDF lost a large part of its area in just two weeks. After that SDF had to accept a new deal by Syria’s government.
Turkey also helped President al-Sharaa’s military during this operation. Turkish security officials say they kept in contact with the Syrian government to help protect civilians and ensure that SDF members and their families could leave safely from areas that were taken by government forces. Turkey also stayed in communication with the United States and other countries while this event.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the Syrian government for its success. He said Turkey always supports one united Syria and will not allow any group to make a separate region inside the country.
The SDF was supported by U.S. to fight the Islamic State group, which controlled large area of Syria and Iraq. But when the Syrian government attacked, the U.S. support also failed to stop it. Now the U.S. is focused on making a ceasefire deal.
The SDF losing control is a big change in Syria’s long and complicated conflict. The Kurdish-led group had controlled large areas of the northeast for years, and Its loss shows how fast politics and security can change in the area.
While Turkey celebrates these wins, there are still concerns about the future. Some experts say the Syrian government’s wins might not last if it cannot make the northeast of the country stable. It is also not clear how Kurdish communities will feel about this, especially as discussions continue about their rights and role in Syria’s future.
Overall, the recent offensive and the deal with the SDF represent a big changes in the peace and stability of northern Syria. Turkey’s role, the Syrian government’s success, and the reduced influence of the SDF all point shows a new chapter in the region’s ongoing conflict.