Syria asks Türkiye to halt military plans against YPG; remains pessimistic about deal

In his first interview as Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa disclosed to the Economist that Damascus intervened to halt an imminent Turkish military operation against terrorist group YPG in northeastern Syria while expressing skepticism about ongoing negotiations with the YPG.

The revelation, made during an extensive interview in Damascus’s presidential palace, marks a significant shift in Syria’s role from being a source of regional instability to attempting to mediate one of the region’s most volatile conflicts.

However, Sharaa’s measured pessimism about the negotiations suggests that tensions in northeastern Syria remain far from resolved.

“Türkiye was preparing to launch a full-fledged war there, but we asked them to wait in order to give space for the negotiations,” Sharaa said, revealing previously unknown diplomatic efforts by the new Syrian leadership.

When pressed about the prospects of an agreement with the YPG, he notably tempered expectations: “Let me say, not with that much optimism. We enter the negotiation process and hope to resolve matters peacefully without any damage.”

Syria rejects Kurdish autonomy because it lacks popular acceptance

The Syrian president explicitly rejected calls for a federal system, a key demand of terror group YPG in the northeast.

“A federal system in Syria does not have popular acceptance, and I believe it is not in the best interest of Syria in the future because our communities are not used to practicing federacy,” he explained, warning that such arrangements could lead to “complete independence.”

Sharaa emphasized demographic realities in the region, stating that “the north-eastern area has a presence of some foreign factions that have a long history of conflict with Türkiye,” referring to elements of the PKK/YPG terrorist group. He noted that “the region there has an Arab majority that does not approve of SDF rule over it.”

In a diplomatic gesture, Sharaa revealed that Syria has provided regional guarantees: “We have given reassurances to all states that Syria will not be a platform for causing harm to neighboring countries. And we pledged to that.”

The interview disclosed that the YPG has shown a willingness to integrate into the Syrian state structure, though significant obstacles remain. “SDF (YPG-led military group) did not announce calling for a federal system because they know that is not possible to achieve now in Syria,” Sharaa said. “On the contrary, they announced their readiness to join that state and integrate their military forces into the state. But there is discussion over the details.”

The revelations come at a crucial moment for regional stability. The Kurdish-controlled northeast houses critical Syrian resources, including oil fields, farmland, and the dam that powers much of the country’s electricity.

The region’s strategic importance is amplified by the presence of American forces, which Sharaa described as “illegal” during the interview.

The diplomatic intervention with Türkiye marks one of the new Syrian government’s first major foreign policy initiatives since Sharaa assumed the presidency on Jan. 29. The move suggests an attempt to position Damascus as a constructive regional actor, marking a departure from the previous regime’s approach to international relations.