Turkey issues recommendation for SDF to disarm and align with the Syrian military

In a recent development, Turkey's Defense Ministry has issued a warning to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) over their failure to disarm and integrate into the Syrian army. This warning comes as Turkey continues to provide support to Syria for both its own security and Syria's stability.

The SDF's actions or statements that harm Syria's political unity and territorial integrity are particularly concerning for Turkey, which has clear sensitivities on this issue. The SDF's failure to fulfill its disarmament and integration commitments is also seen as a threat to Turkey's national security.

Turkey conducts regular naval patrol flights in the international airspace of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean for combating irregular migration and maintaining maritime situational awareness. On a recent day, a Turkish P-72 maritime patrol aircraft was operating under NATO associated support during one of these missions.

However, despite the peaceful nature of the mission, Greece scrambled two armed F-16s to intercept the unarmed Turkish plane, endangering its flight safety and harassing it. In response, Turkish Air Force quick-reaction jets ensured separation between the aircraft while maintaining restraint to avoid escalation.

The Turkish F-16 jets flown in the Athens flight region were ordered by the Turkish military. The F-16s are operated by the Turkish Armed Forces and were originally produced by the U.S. company Lockheed Martin.

Despite the tense incident, Turkey reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with Syria's new administration to combat terrorism decisively. Turkey also made it clear that it will not tolerate attempts to sabotage the integration process.

In light of these developments, it is evident that Turkey is seeking a peaceful resolution to the ongoing issues in Syria while maintaining its national security interests. The international community will be watching closely to see how the situation unfolds.