In 2025, Turkey launched an initiative aimed at establishing a "terror-free Turkey," designed to resolve its longstanding conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and promote broader regional stability. The move prompted positive reactions from member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, all of which welcomed the PKK’s announcement to disband and disarm as a meaningful step toward peace and security in the Middle East.

Alongside the dissolution of the PKK, GCC countries also supported the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s official state and military institutions. The GCC views this development as vital for restoring centralized governance in Syria, eliminating border security vacuums, and preserving the country’s territorial integrity. Officials from Saudi Arabia notably praised the role of the United States in facilitating this agreement, underscoring the diplomatic interplay involved.

Turkey’s "terror-free" initiative and the SDF integration in Syria are interrelated processes, with the success of one seen as influential on the other. The PKK and its affiliates have long posed significant security challenges for Ankara, which extended beyond Turkey’s borders into neighboring Syria and Iraq. This broader threat perception led Turkey to conduct multiple cross-border military operations targeting PKK-linked groups, actions that strained diplomatic ties with Syria, Iraq, and the wider Arab world. These incursions were criticized by the Arab League, and Gulf states—with the exception of Qatar—warned that Turkey’s military activities could destabilize regional security.

The conflict in Syria complicated Turkey’s counterterrorism efforts, especially given the SDF’s substantial support from the United States and a lack of regional acknowledgment of Ankara’s security concerns. GCC states have historically approached the SDF issue through a U.S.-centered lens, limiting their responsiveness to Turkey’s position.

Conversations with Gulf scholars and officials reveal three prevailing views on these developments. First, GCC states are closely monitoring both Turkey’s campaign to eliminate terrorism and efforts to incorporate the SDF within Syria’s state structures, recognizing the potential for these initiatives to influence the broader regional handling of nonstate armed groups. Second, Turkey’s peace process is seen as a valuable case study that may offer lessons for other countries confronting similar challenges with armed nonstate actors operating across borders, even as circumstances differ. Third, GCC states consider these processes not only from a security standpoint but also from an economic perspective, emphasizing that stability is essential for regional infrastructure and connectivity projects that underpin their long-term development plans.

For GCC countries, the outcomes of Turkey’s initiative and the SDF’s integration have significance that extends well beyond Turkish or Syrian domestic affairs. These developments arrive amid a regional shift toward reinforcing states as the primary guarantors of security and political order, replacing the influence of nonstate armed factions. As this transition unfolds, the Gulf states remain invested in the success of efforts that promise to enhance peace and stability across the Middle East.