Syria's foreign affairs chief urges Kurdish forces to implement March agreement "without delay"

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Trkiye, Oct. 8, 2025. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

ANKARA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani on Wednesday urged the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to implement the March 10 agreement "without delay," one day after the group's leader and Syrian authorities announced a ceasefire.

Al-Shibani made the remarks during his visit to Trkiye. During a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, al-Shibani called on the SDF to "commit to the March 10 agreement and make every effort to implement it."

He added that the March 10 agreement "remains only ink on paper" due to the SDF's reluctance to take necessary steps.

For his part, Fidan said the SDF must abandon separatist agendas, reiterating Trkiye's position regarding the matter.

On Tuesday, Syria's chief of defense authorities Marhaf Abu Qasra met with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi in Damascus and agreed to an immediate ceasefire across all fronts in northern and northeastern Syria, following a day of fierce clashes between the two sides.

Tensions between the SDF and Syria's authorities have been simmering for months, threatening the fragile stability that followed the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

On March 10, the Syrian interim government and the SDF reached an agreement on merging all civil and military institutions in the Kurdish-controlled region under state institutions.

According to Syria's state news agency SANA, the integration involves institutions on border crossings, airports, as well as oil and gas fields.

The agreement also includes provisions to guarantee the rights of all Syrians, the official recognition of the Kurdish community as an integral part of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the protection for returning displaced Syrians, SANA reported.

The SDF is made up predominantly of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces. Trkiye views the YPG as the Syrian arm of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it designates as a terrorist group.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Trkiye, Oct. 8, 2025. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)