ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday received Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Erbil, where discussions centered on Syria’s political and security developments, as well as the conditions facing the Kurdish community in the country.
The meeting coincided with a separate gathering hosted by President Barzani that brought together Abdi and US Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack, who in January played a key role on behalf of Washington in facilitating a landmark integration agreement between the SDF and Damascus.
The talks between President Barzani and Commander Abdi “focused on the current political and security landscape in Syria and the wider region,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
The two sides also “reviewed the conditions facing Kurds and other communities in Syria, as well as ongoing efforts to resolve outstanding issues, promote understanding among Kurdish parties, and strengthen cooperation with Damascus.”
Moreover, the Kurdish President and the SDF Chief stressed “the importance of continued dialogue, preserving stability, and advancing peace in the region,” while also underscoring “the need to combat terrorism and enhance coordination to uphold peace.”
Earlier this year, Syrian government forces and allied armed groups launched a large-scale offensive into areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Aleppo, as well as parts of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and the predominantly Kurdish province of Hasaka in northeast Syria, commonly known as Rojava.
The SDF serves as the de facto military force of the autonomous region. Until Damascus joined the US-led Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) in November, the SDF was the coalition’s sole local partner in Syria and played a pivotal role in the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2019.
The Kurdish-led forces and Damascus on January 29 reached a landmark agreement, brokered with significant mediation from then-US envoy for Syria, Barrack, and senior Kurdistan Region leaders, including President Barzani.
The deal established a nationwide ceasefire, facilitated the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and outlined the integration of civil and military institutions in Rojava into the Syrian state framework.
Importantly, President Barzani on Tuesday hosted a second meeting with the senior American diplomat and a third with both the US envoy and SDF chief.
In a separate statement, the Kurdistan Region Presidency said the latter meeting focused on developments in Syria and “cooperation between the Kurds and the [interim] government in Damascus,” and saw Barrack reaffirm Washington’s “commitment to supporting peace and stability and to helping address the challenges facing Syria.”
For his part, President Barzani “stressed the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding among all parties” as the path toward a lasting resolution, while emphasizing the need to “safeguard the rights of Kurds and other communities in Syria.”
He also “reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region’s support for efforts to resolve conflicts and promote security and stability,” the Presidency statement concluded.
Notably, the meetings come as Rudaw learned on Tuesday that around 5,000 fighters from the Kurdish-led SDF have so far been integrated into Syrian state structures through three brigades affiliated with the defense ministry, while discussions are ongoing over the integration of an additional 8,000 fighters.
