- ‘This way, there will be no need for war, fighting or other methods, and we can all focus on a development agenda in peace,’ he adds
ANKARA / ISTANBUL
Türkiye’s ambassador to Damascus said Wednesday that Ankara is eagerly awaiting the implementation of a March 10 agreement in Syria without resorting to war, stressing that a peaceful outcome would allow the region to focus on development.
Speaking to reporters in Syria's Aleppo, Nuh Yilmaz said the Syrian administration has been exploring alternative ways since Jan. 1 to implement the agreement after what he described as a failure by the YPG/SDF terror organization to meet its obligations.
“We are eagerly awaiting the implementation of the March 10 agreement without the need for war,” said Yilmaz. “This way, there will be no need for war, fighting or other methods, and we can all focus on a development agenda in peace.”
Yilmaz underscored the importance of negotiation. “They tried negotiations but failed to resolve the issue. There were attacks targeting civilians in Sheikh Maksoud and Ashrafiyah, and the area has now been restored to calm through an anti-terror operation,” he said.
“During this period, civilians were treated very well, and there was no serious harm to civilians. As Türkiye, we also sought to assist the Syrian people and the Syrian state, particularly through humanitarian aid --whether through the AFAD (The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority), the Turkish Red Crescent or our other institutions,” he added.
While responding to questions about his visit to Aleppo, Yilmaz noted the trip was his first outside Damascus since being appointed ambassador.
“Despite the heavy workload we are facing in Damascus during this difficult period, the reason for our visit was that, particularly for Aleppo, which has endured immense suffering and severe losses -- the issue of terrorism in certain neighborhoods has finally come to an end.”
“I came to witness the restoration of peace and stability in Aleppo and to congratulate our counterparts for achieving this,” he said.
Yilmaz highlighted Aleppo’s proximity to the Turkish border and its longstanding historical, commercial and social ties with neighboring Turkish provinces, saying stability in the city is a source of “great happiness” for Türkiye.
He pointed out that the lifting of sanctions and the end of terrorism marked a turning point for Aleppo’s future.
“These were the two major problems,” said Yılmaz. “From now on, I believe Aleppo will recover very rapidly. That is why I wanted to be among the first to come here and to be among the first to offer my congratulations.”
Since last week, the terror group shelled residential neighborhoods, civilian facilities, and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo, killing 24 people, wounding nearly 130 and displacing 165,000 residents from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud districts, according to official figures.
Last March, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement for the SDF terror group’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country’s territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.
In April, authorities signed a separate agreement concerning the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, stipulating that both districts remain administrative parts of Aleppo city while respecting their local particularities.
The agreement included provisions banning armed manifestations, restricting weapons to internal security forces and requiring the withdrawal of the SDF terror group’s forces to areas east of the Euphrates in northeastern Syria.
But authorities said the SDF terror group has failed to comply with the terms of those agreements.
The Syrian government has intensified efforts to restore security nationwide since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, after 24 years in power.