Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), met Wednesday in Damascus with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, alongside U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, in a bid to revive stalled efforts to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the Syrian state.
Commander of Syrian Kurdish-led forces Mazloum Abdi, Reuters/Orhan Qereman
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), met Wednesday in Damascus with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, alongside U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, in a bid to revive stalled efforts to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the Syrian state.
The meeting follows a U.S.-brokered agreement signed on March 10 between Abdi and al-Sharaa. However, its implementation has faced delays due to sharp disagreements.
The Kurdish administration, which governs large oil- and gas-rich areas in northern and northeastern Syria, demands a decentralized governance model—an idea firmly rejected by Syria’s new Islamist-led authorities.
The U.S.-backed SDF played a pivotal role in defeating ISIS in Syria. But the current government, which ousted Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, insists on dismantling all armed groups in the country. Kurdish leaders, however, are unwilling to disband their military forces, citing the need for regional autonomy and protection.
In May, Abdi emphasized the need for a decentralized Syria where all communities could coexist, warning that centralization would only deepen divisions. Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani had earlier cautioned that delays in implementing the agreement could fuel continued instability after 14 years of civil war.
The struggle to define Syria’s future governance remains a core challenge for the country’s fragile political transition.
Syrian authorities have officially appealed to the European Union for assistance in battling raging wildfires that have devastated parts of the coastal province of Latakia for six consecutive days.
Jordanian firefighting teams have joined Syrian crews battling intense wildfires that have scorched around 10,000 hectares of forest and farmland in Syria’s coastal Latakia province.
Britain said on Saturday it was reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria, as foreign minister David Lammy visited the Syrian capital Damascus.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
