Syria's 'March 10' deadlock: Ankara monitors stalled SDF-Damascus deal

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKEY — JAN. 3, 2026

The "March 10 Agreement," signed in 2025 between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government to integrate SDF structures into the state, has failed to meet its implementation deadline of December 31, 2025. The deadlock in negotiations is now casting a shadow over regional stability and influencing Turkey’s own internal and external security strategies.

The agreement, which aimed for full implementation by the end of the year, has stalled due to mutual distrust. Turkey is closely monitoring the situation, balancing diplomatic engagements with Damascus against security concerns regarding the SDF, which it views as an extension of the PKK terror group.

Ankara's security-first approach

Turkey maintains a strict security-oriented stance regarding the potential integration of the SDF into the Syrian state. This position was underscored by a high-level visit to Damascus on December 22 by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and Intelligence Chief İbrahim Kalın.

Following the meetings, Fidan highlighted the "Israel factor" as a significant hurdle. "The fact that the SDF coordinates certain activities with Israel constitutes an obstacle in the talks with Damascus," Fidan stated.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense also weighed in on December 31, criticizing the SDF for insisting on a decentralized federal model rather than integrating under the "One State, One Army" principle favored by Damascus and Ankara.

Conflicting signals from Turkey

The impasse in Syria has triggered divergent responses within Turkish domestic politics regarding the country's "resolution process."

• Öcalan's Call: In a New Year's message from Imrali Prison, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan urged the implementation of the March 10 agreement. He called on Turkey to play a "facilitating role," arguing that the deal offers a democratic model for integration acceptable to central authorities.

• MHP's Hard Line: Conversely, Feti Yıldız, Deputy Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)—a key government ally—declared that the time for the agreement had expired. Yıldız sharply criticized the SDF, accusing them of occupying Syria's resource-rich regions and warning of an Israeli-backed "David Corridor" aimed at encircling Syria.

Tensions rise on the ground

The diplomatic stalemate has already spilled over into violence. Following Turkish officials' visit to Damascus, clashes erupted between government forces and SDF units in Aleppo, leaving at least two dead.

While the Damascus government accuses the Kurdish side of lacking the "genuine will" to implement the deal, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi claims consensus has been reached on military integration but that constitutional issues require more time. A scheduled visit by Abdi to Damascus on December 29 was postponed indefinitely, leaving the future of the agreement—and regional stability—in limbo.

www.wisenewspress.com