Syrian official says SDF must integrate individually

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – An official from Syria’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that the interim government insists the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) must join the Syrian army on an individual basis rather than as organized brigades.

Mohammed Taha al-Ahmed, who is responsible for Arab affairs at the Syrian foreign ministry, told Rudaw's Sima Abxizir that authorities had previously offered to form three brigades composed of SDF fighters, but said that offer has now expired.

“We previously agreed to this and sent [the proposal]—I don't mean the last proposal, but the one sent before and even earlier to the SDF. It was to form three brigades with joint leadership: a brigade in Hasaka, a brigade in Deir ez-Zor, and a brigade in Raqqa. However, the SDF, as is their habit, stalled, created obstacles, and made excuses to avoid adhering to the offers presented by the Syrian state,” he said.

Asked whether the offer was still valid, he added: “We accepted it previously, but now we do not accept it. We accepted it before, but changes have occurred on the ground, and based on that, the offer has changed.”

Al-Ahmed also claimed that no violations were committed by the Syrian Arab Army during its recent attacks on SDF-held areas. However, the army has acknowledged violations and pledged to hold those responsible accountable.

The senior official further claimed that last year’s pan-Kurdish conference in Qamishli was held under “pressure” from the SDF, which he alleged is under the influence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, the conference was jointly organized by ruling and opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region, and many political parties from other parts of Greater Kurdistan also took part.

The interim government had earlier given looters a three-day deadline to return property allegedly stolen during clashes between the SDF and the army, but al-Ahmed denied that any looting had taken place.

The following is the full translation of the interview with Mohammed Taha al-Ahmed:

 

Is extending the ceasefire for 15 days solely to allow the United States to transfer ISIS prisoners from Syria to Iraq?

Mohammed Ahmed: Damascus's consent to extend the ceasefire for 15 days was due to several reasons. Above all is the reality that is a source of concern for many countries regarding the transfer of ISIS prisoners from prisons run by the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) to Iraq. Furthermore, the Syrian state is working to open safe corridors for our people to leave Hasaka and Qamishli toward safer areas, away from the pressure exerted by the organization [SDF] on our Syrian people in those regions.

Will you use these 15 days for further negotiations with the Syrian Democratic Forces?

Mohammed Ahmed: Definitely. We will continue negotiations with the SDF regarding the implementation of the January 18 agreement concerning the integration of SDF forces on an individual basis into military and security institutions. Additionally, [we will discuss] understandings regarding the position of the Governor of Hasaka, the parliamentary seats included within the one-third appointed by president [Ahmed al-Sharaa], and the figures to be nominated for sovereign or leadership positions in the Syrian state. This period must be utilized in the best possible way to resolve the issue between the Syrian state and this organization, to implement Syrian law in these areas, and to unify Syrian territory under the umbrella of the Syrian state.

Why were a number of prisoners released immediately from the ISIS prisons that fell into the hands of the Syrian Arab government?

Those released from the prisons that the Syrian state liberated, such as the Aqtana prison, were juveniles under the age of 18; we did not release ISIS [fighters]. The Syrian state is perhaps the most effective party in combating this organization and, in fact, has suffered at its hands more than anyone else. The Syrian state is determined to end this organization in Syria and is allied with a group of friends to fight this organization outside Syria’s borders as well.

The Syrian government announced that it released 120 detainees under the age of 18 from Aqtana, but aren't some armed members of ISIS under the age of 18?

The Ministry of Justice published the list of names of those released, and media cameras documented that those released were children under 18 with no connection to the ISIS organization. Conversely, the party that opened the prison doors for the organization's gunmen to escape and create chaos in Syria and neighboring countries was the SDF guards at al-Shaddadi prison before the state took control of it. Thank God, the Syrian state, through the efforts of both the ministries of defense and interior, was able to recapture those wanted individuals and return them to prison. Today, the United States' decision to transfer prisoners from Syria to Iraq is a preparation to prevent any similar step by the SDF regarding the prisons still under its control, which unfortunately contain the largest number of prisons and prisoners.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated on the 22nd of this month that a number of violations were committed by its forces. After seeing videos of killings, dumping of bodies, and other violations recorded by soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army during the attack on the SDF and the governorates of Aleppo, Hasaka, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor, many in the world are now writing and saying that this army cannot be a partner to the world's democratic nations in the coalition against ISIS. What is your opinion?

Who recorded the violations and evidence?

Your soldiers published them themselves.

The entity that recorded the violations and evidence is the Syrian Human Rights Organization, by filming SDF gunmen massacring 21 civilians. The videos you are referring to are from the battles in Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood against SDF gunmen, not against civilians as this organization does. On the contrary, the Syrian Arab Army manages the battle very professionally, designating sectors to be targeted in advance—whether by bombardment or raids by Syrian Arab Army soldiers—and warning civilians to distance themselves from those areas so they face no danger. The Syrian state has indeed managed military operations in Syria very well, leading to the liberation of a very large part [of territory] from this organization. This gained the admiration of allies and led to alliances with this army to continue the process of combating this organization. On this basis, the US administration decided to withdraw its forces from Syria, following the continuous and successive victories of the Syrian Arab Army in liberating a large and complex part of the Syrian Arab Jazeera.

The Economist wrote, quoting soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army, that they want to attack Qamishli because there are high-end model cars in that Kurdish city. Also, yesterday, Syrian Internal Security issued a call asking people to return looted weapons and cars. How can you stop this looting?

There is no looting process. Furthermore, after areas are liberated from the SDF, security forces and military police deploy to control the situation, and the military police pursue anyone who violates instructions. The Minister of Defense has issued strict instructions in this regard to protect the property and lives of Syrians in areas undergoing military operations.

Why hasn't the government yet issued any public call to Arab tribes to stop encouraging their gunmen to attack Kurdish areas? How can a civil government allow tribal attacks?

Certainly, the Syrian state monitors the movements of the tribes and has kept their movements within the framework of their own areas and paused their military operations. Today, the gunmen of the Deir ez-Zor tribes are not in Raqqa, and the gunmen of the Raqqa tribes are not in Hasaka. Rather, what happened was that an Arab tribal group affiliated with the SDF defected from that organization, liberated the area they were in, and is coordinating with the Syrian state. However, the call that should be directed to the SDF forces is to expel PKK fighters from Syrian soil and remove those leaders running the Autonomous Administration who are from outside Syria—mostly from Iran and Turkey and affiliated with the terrorist PKK organization. These calls must be made, and Kurdish patriots should step forward to lead public opinion within the Kurdish component, contrary to what this organization has done by pressuring those national Kurdish figures. What unites Arabs and Kurds is a long history, a shared land, a shared culture, a shared religion, and a shared economy, in addition to the shared suffering that both Arabs and Kurds endured at the hands of the previous regime—which, unfortunately, the SDF and PKK allied with during the long years of the revolution, exerting immense pressure on both the Arab and Kurdish components.

In a conference in Qamishli in April 2025, Kurdish parties demanded autonomy for Syrian Kurdistan and to negotiate on that basis. Are you ready to negotiate on federalism, autonomy, or decentralization?

Certainly, today Syrian law must be applied to all Syrian territory. When we hold dialogues, we do so with the people of the regions; we do not reduce the opinion of a region, a component, or a broad segment into the opinion of a group of organizations or parties. In reality, I told you that the only guarantee for the rights of Arabs, Kurds, and all Syrian components is the Syrian state. If we talk about decentralization, the Local Administration Law provides for that, so these demands are actually baseless. Decree No. 13 may have given Kurds their rights in education, protection of their cultural identity, and citizenship rights. This will become a basis for this to be a clear and explicit part of the constitution that will be written and approved after the first session of the People's Council. Unfortunately, this was delayed due to current events and the SDF preventing the Higher Commission for Elections from going to areas under the Autonomous Administration to conduct elections in a democratic and safe environment. Although this organization sadly boasts about this slogan, it is very far from implementing that principle, which is the principle of democracy.

In the April 2025 congress, a joint delegation was formed from Kurdish parties to negotiate with Damascus. Why do you still refuse to receive this delegation to negotiate regarding Kurdish political rights?

In reality, we sit with patriotic Syrian Kurds; they truly represent the Kurdish component. The Kurdish component cannot be reduced to a few parties or organizations that receive their orders from across the border and are far from the national interest of Kurds within Syria. Let the Kurds decide their own fate away from the pressures exerted by the PKK.

The Kurds of Rojava say that…

[Interrupting] If you truly want to speak about this topic, we must see who manages these areas in Qamishli and Hasaka. What are their nationalities? Are they truly Syrian? Or did those you call cadres and leaders come from Turkey and Iran? Most of them are from outside Syria's borders; by what right do they manage the Kurdish and Arab components in this region?

More than 50 Kurdish parties participated in that conference, and a delegation was formed from Kurdish National Council (ENKS), Democratic Union Party (PYD), and other parties, but you are not ready to receive them yet.

No, on the contrary. In the coming days in Syria, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS) will be welcomed as one of the components or one of the national Kurdish parties. Any party or trend carrying Syrian national thought is welcome for dialogue. However, any party or organization receiving orders from across the border—whether from Iran, Iraq, or Turkey—will not be welcomed in the Syrian state, not even for dialogue. From this platform and this channel, I call on Mazloum Abdi to assume his national responsibility as a Syrian Kurd and make a brave decision to adhere to the agreement signed on January 18.

Kurds in Rojava say that after giving 12,000 martyrs, the right of citizenship is not enough for them; they demand political and administrative rights. Are you ready to grant decentralization and the right to teach educational curriculums from primary school to university to the Kurds?

Certainly, it is the Kurds' right to protect their cultural and educational identity, and this decree announced that. However, I view the demands made in the name of Kurdish components, presented by the SDF, as attempts to prevent the implementation and execution of the agreement that was made. Meaning, unfortunately, we see the same actions of stalling, wasting time, and placing obstacles without reaching a conclusion to implement the agreement.

The Syrian Arab Army consists of a number of divisions formed from Syrian opposition groups, some of which are on international terror lists. For example, Mohammed Jassim (Abu Amsha) was put on the terror list by the UK a month ago and previously by the US; he is now the commander of the 25th Division of the Syrian Army. Why do you refuse SDF becoming a division of the Syrian Army and say they must become soldiers of the Syrian Army individually?

We previously agreed to this and sent [the proposal]—I don't mean the last proposal, but the one sent before and even earlier to the SDF. It was to form three brigades with joint leadership: a brigade in Hasaka, a brigade in Deir ez-Zor, and a brigade in Raqqa. However, the SDF, as is their habit, stalled, created obstacles, and made excuses to avoid adhering to the offers presented by the Syrian state. In the latest offer to Mazloum Abdi, the Syrian state proposed that he nominate several figures for the People's Council, nominate figures for leadership positions in the Syrian state, nominate figures so that one of them could take the post of Governor of Hasaka, and also that we work to integrate the institutions managed by this organization into the structure of the Syrian government. But unfortunately, until now, there is no answer to this offer, for which they requested a five-day grace period, which was implicitly granted to Mazloum Abdi, but sadly there is still no response.

Are you still ready to accept the SDF as a division?

But this does not mean we accept terrorists within the Syrian Arab Army. This offer was presented previously; if we hadn't agreed, we wouldn't have presented it. But now the condition is that SDF forces be integrated into the Syrian Arab Army on an individual basis, according to the latest agreement signed between His Excellency President Ahmed al-Sharaa, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, and Mazloum Abdi.

So you do not agree to the SDF becoming part of the Syrian Army as three brigades with their commander being Kurdish?

We accepted it previously, but now we do not accept it. We accepted it before, but changes have occurred on the ground, and based on that, the offer has changed.

You do not accept having an SDF brigade in Kobani affiliated with the Syrian Arab Army?

We as Syrians—Arabs, Kurds, Circassians, and all components of the Syrian people—will not agree to anything other than weapons being solely in the hands of the Syrian state, embodied by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. Any Syrian who holds a Syrian national identity and places the public interest above private interest is welcomed to become an employee of the Syrian state, whether in the ministries of defense, foreign affairs, interior, or other government institutions. This is the principle that all Syrians agree upon, and it is what has united Syrians from ancient history until today.

Briefly, you do not accept having an SDF brigade in Kobani affiliated with the Syrian Arab Army?

I answered this question a moment ago; this offer was presented previously: a brigade in Hasaka, a brigade in Raqqa, and a brigade in Deir ez-Zor. Now the situation on the ground has changed. Those Syrian gunmen under the SDF umbrella whose hands are not stained with the blood and money of Syrians can become soldiers/employees individually within the military and security establishment. I answered you very briefly.

Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan and the world are expressing protest against violating the freedom of the land and people of Kurdish areas in Syria. Do you ignore this general Kurdish discontent?

Kurdish discontent is the result of the agitation of sectarian and ethnic sentiments carried out by the PKK, and it does not express the true stance of our Kurdish people because they have been kept largely unaware of the reality of what is happening on the ground. Today, more than a million Syrian Kurds live in areas managed by the Syrian state, possessing all their rights and adhering to all their duties toward the Syrian state. They exist in Damascus, Homs, Hama, Latakia, and in high density in Aleppo. These Syrian Kurds possess every right and are committed to every duty toward their Syrian state. According to their history, they do not want a special ruling region for themselves; rather, they want to see Syria united. They want to be partners in building the Syrian state just as we have known them in the past. They are the descendants of Saladin Ayyubi, whom we Arabs take pride in before being Syrians or Kurds.

These demonstrations existing in the Kurdistan Region and across the world are against your attacks on Kurdish areas. Do you ignore this?

We have not closed our eyes to those demonstrations nor ignored them. Nor have we closed our eyes to the aggressions they committed as a result of the misleading image created by the PKK in the minds of this segment of diaspora Kurds outside the homeland's borders. What displaced the Kurds in Syria was the Ba'ath regime—the regime of Bashar al-Assad and Hafez al-Assad—which the PKK allied with against the children of the Syrian revolution, those who toppled the tyrant of the age, Bashar al-Assad, and his Ba'athist regime.

Contrary to your view, Kurds are demanding an autonomous region, as requested in the Qamishli conference in April 2025 in the presence of Mazloum Abdi and President Masoud Barzani's representative.

My dear lady, this congress was under the supervision of the SDF, which is managed and ruled by PKK leaders. They were the ones who managed the congress, sent the invitations, drafted the final statement, hosted it, and provided cars to transport and deliver the guests. Therefore, if we look somewhat outside this congress... [it should be] in the interest of Syrians: Arabs, Kurds, and other nationalities.

For your information, congress was prepared by ENKS and TEV-DEM.

Not under SDF supervision, but under its pressure... Not under SDF supervision but under SDF pressure—true, you corrected me on this word. By the pressure and direction of the SDF.

ENKS and its parties with the PYD, meaning TEV-DEM.

The SDF, which was managed by leaders of the PKK organization... The biggest proof of that was the great joy Syrians expressed after this organization left. The letters reaching us from prominent social figures in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh when the oppression was lifted from them, when this black cloud departed—we received letters from those social leaders.

ENKS and President Masoud Barzani's representative do not operate under SDF instructions, and this congress was held in 2025 in Qamishli.

The organization that... the organization that supervises it... If you allow me... Masoud Barzani is the President of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq; how can they allow him to run a Syrian congress in Syria? Masoud Barzani has an organization that, until a few days ago, was banned from entering areas under PKK rule in the Syrian Jazeera, until this organization was allowed to work within Syrian territory and manage the state organization [referring to the Autonomous Administration].

President Masoud Barzani's representative participated in the congress, but he didn't run it. Those who ran the congress were the Kurdish National Council and TEV-DEM.

You said, you said "under supervision," replay the recording…

I say "in the presence of" President Barzani's representative.

Replay the recording... You said this congress was under the supervision of Masoud Barzani, unless your translation is incomplete.

Is it true that you agreed with Israel to hand over the Golan Heights and Jabal al-Sheikh to Israel in exchange for allowing your attack on the SDF during the Paris meeting? Is that why the Golan was not on the new map of Syria?

Your problem is the regions... We have not agreed, and will not agree, with Israel on handing over a single inch of Syrian land. However, you can review the statements of the Foreign Relations official of the Autonomous Administration who asked the Israeli enemy to intervene to solve the PKK's problem and become a savior for the PKK in Syria. We hold onto every inch of Syrian land, and we will return every inch of Syria to the control of the Syrian state.

When I ask you, I ask as a journalist, not as a Kurd.

And I answer you as an official in the Syrian state... speaking in the name of Syrians... This statement is untrue and far from the truth; no agreement has been made with the Israeli enemy to date. However, there are leaders who are supposedly democratic and patriotic, yet they ask the Israeli enemy to intervene.

After these 15 days, will you attack the Kurdish areas?

Why do you call them Kurdish areas? Why call them Kurdish areas? More than 60% of Hasaka is Arab, and Qamishli is the same. The Minister of Defense has issued instructions not to enter any administrative community where Kurdish brothers reside; this is to provide reassurance, not because we don't want to... The Syrian state, represented by the Ministry of Defense, follows military procedures with complete professionalism, designating the areas where SDF and PKK gunmen are stationed, and opening safe corridors for civilians. In reality, we are not occupying Kurdish areas; we are liberating Syrian land from the SDF and PKK.

So there are no Kurdish areas in Syria?

I didn't say Kurdish areas don't exist. You say "Kurdish areas"... Rather, Hasaka contains Kurds and Arabs. Qamishli contains Kurds and Arabs. Mount Abdulaziz contains Kurds and Arabs. Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) contains Kurds and Arabs. History, land, geography, economy, and suffering unite us—that is what unites Arabs and Kurds as Syrians. I didn't say... don't put things in my mouth that I didn't say. But there are instructions from the Minister of Defense regarding Syrian Arab Army forces not entering any administrative community where Kurds reside, to reassure Kurdish brothers and to debunk the claims of the SDF, which tries to implant in people's minds that the Syrian Arab Army has come to kill you and loot your property. Therefore, the Minister of Defense's instructions in this regard are clear.

Is there no part of Kurdistan in Syria?

We do not recognize any part of ‘Kurdistan’; we recognize Syria. We recognize Syria and do not deny the rights of any component—neither Kurds nor any other component—regarding the right to education, cultural rights, and citizenship rights. We recognize Syria just as all Kurdish patriots recognized it before Arabs did.

In Iraq, there is a Kurdistan Region recognized in the constitution. You cannot accept this in Syria?

Dear lady... Today, the Syrian state thinks first of the interest of Syrians. What development or growth has the division in Iraq brought to Iraqis? Okay? Today, the Syrian state is the guarantee for all components of Syrian society, above all the Kurdish component. We truly want unified management for all natural and human resources in Syria to build the new Syria—the Syria that must be in its natural position at the forefront of nations. This will not be achieved by separating a region here and a region there, with autonomous administration here and self-rule there, and a misunderstanding of the decentralization they demand. Today, Syria has a natural geographic extension, and all Syrians, with all their colors and voices, must benefit from the bounty of these resources and the bounty of this country.

After the Kurdish areas, will you try to bring Suwayda back under your control as well?

Certainly... Since the goal today is the implementation of the law throughout Syrian territory and the integrity of Syrian land, definitely, after restoring Syrian land, Syrian territory must be restored in all regions: north, east, south, and west.
 

 

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