ISTANBUL — Turkey's top diplomat on Thursday urged Syrian Kurdish forces to integrate with the new government in Damascus, warning that "patience is running out".

 

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control large swathes of Syria's oil-rich northeast, had signed an agreement with the new Syrian authorities in March to merge their civil and military institutions but the deal's terms were not implemented.

 

In an interview with TRT World, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned delays in integrating the SDF into the new Syrian security structure threatened national unity.

 

He said patience among relevant actors "is running out."

 

The SDF played a vital role in the fight against the Daesh terror group in Syria, which ultimately led to the extremist organisation's territorial defeat in the country in 2019.

 

Fidan said Daesh remained a serious threat but could be contained through regional cooperation, adding that Turkey and Syria have "healthy cooperation now".

 

Ankara has supported Syria's new rulers led by Ahmed Al Sharaa after the fall of Bashar Al Assad.

 

Between 2016 and 2019, Turkey launched three offensives in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish fighters and Daesh.