Syria's Al-Sharaa blasts SDF, warns of Turkish military action

Shafaq News – Damascus

Syrian transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday accused factions within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of obstructing a political settlement.

Al-Sharaa argued that the SDF continues to stand outside the peace process despite appeals from imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to engage. He described the deadlock as “a direct threat to the national security of Turkiye and Iraq.”

Reiterating that Syria will not accept partition or independence, al-Sharaa cautioned that any move toward division would reverberate across the region. He noted that he had persuaded Ankara to postpone a military operation against the SDF after the fall of al-Assad regime, but warned that Turkiye “may act militarily if full integration is not achieved by December.”

Addressing the SDF’s demand for self-rule, al-Sharaa underlined that Syria already functions under a largely decentralized framework established by Law No. 107. He insisted that society is “not prepared to embrace federal systems,” characterizing such proposals as “disguised separatism.”

Turning to regional diplomacy, al-Sharaa confirmed that US-mediated negotiations with Israel are in their final phase, with a possible agreement expected within days. He emphasized that the deal would mirror the 1974 disengagement accord and would not amount to normalization or Syria joining the Abraham Accords.

“Syria knows how to fight but no longer seeks war,” he declared, stressing that Damascus has no alternative but to pursue a security arrangement with Israel, though he questioned whether Tel Aviv would uphold its commitments.

Al-Sharaa further alleged that recent unrest in Suwayda was “a deliberate attempt to sabotage an earlier security mechanism with Israel.”