Turkiye pleased with alignment steps by Syria and Kurdish forces, Erdogan says

Last Updated on February 18, 2026 9:40 pm

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he is pleased to see steps taken in neighboring Syria to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic ⁠Forces (SDF) into state ⁠structures, after a US-backed ceasefire deal late last month ⁠between the sides.

In a readout on Wednesday of his comments to reporters on a return flight from Ethiopia, Erdogan was cited ⁠as ⁠saying Ankara is closely monitoring the Syrian integration steps and providing guidance on implementing the agreement.