ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fully integrate into the Syrian state apparatus, following a ceasefire after recent clashes with Damascus-affiliated forces in northern Syria’s Aleppo.

“Syrian Democratic Forces must keep their promise, complete their integration with Syria,” Erdogan said, as reported by the state-owned Anadolu Agency, adding, “those who turn toward Ankara and Damascus will prevail.” 

SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed an agreement on March 10 to integrate the Kurdish-led force into state structures.

Recently, the two sides have clashed, with both trading blame for the escalations. On Tuesday, they reached a ceasefire following clashes in the Kurdish majority neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

“Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance is key to lasting peace and tranquility in the region,” Erdogan emphasized.

The US-backed SDF is the global coalition against the Islamic State’s (ISIS) main partner on the ground and the de facto army in Rojava.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), on Tuesday also called on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to instruct the People’s Protection Units (YPG) - the backbone of the SDF - and its affiliates to comply with the March 10 agreement signed with the Damascus administration.

Bahceli initiated the renewed peace process between the PKK and the Turkish state in October. Ankara routinely accuses the YPG of being the Syrian front of the PKK, a charge vehemently denied by the Kurdish group. 

Syria’s new authorities have come under repeated criticism for failing to protect minorities in the country. Recently, Sharaa decided to exclude the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, from the list of official holidays, sparking demonstrations in Qamishli.

Kurds and other minorities in Syria have called for decentralized governance, a request Damascus has firmly rejected.