France, SDF discuss Rojava-Damascus ceasefire, integration plan

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), met on Thursday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Erbil, where the two sides discussed ways to implement the January 29 ceasefire and integration agreement between the Kurdish-led forces and Damascus, while reaffirming their commitment to the joint fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).

In a statement on X, the SDF commander said that the meeting with the French foreign minister discussed “the details of implementing the January 29 agreement,” including “the integration of [Rojava’s] military and security forces in all its aspects, including the Women’s Protection Units [YPJ].”

Abdi quoted Barrot as emphasizing “the importance of full implementation of the agreement” and expressing France’s support for this phase.

A separate SDF statement on X added that Barrot “stressed the importance of this phase in strengthening stability and continuing the fight against terrorism.”

The SDF also noted that the Abdi-Barrot meeting - attended by YPJ Commander Rohilat Afrin and Elham Ahmad, a senior figure from the Kurdish-led Rojava administration - discussed “ways and mechanisms to implement the January 29 agreement,” emphasizing “the necessity of its full implementation.”

In mid-January, the Syrian Arab Army and allied armed groups launched a large-scale offensive aimed at pushing back the SDF, which serves as Rojava’s de facto military force, from areas in northern and northeast Syria (Rojava), including parts of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Hasaka provinces.

These territories had initially been liberated from ISIS by the Kurdish-led forces, who also act as a key on-the-ground ally of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, of which France is a key member. The SDF then maintained control to prevent the group’s resurgence.

The Kurdish-led forces and Damascus last week announced the internationally brokered January 29 agreement, facilitated primarily by France and the United States, to end hostilities and integrate Rojava’s civil and military institutions under state control.

The SDF statement quoted Abdi as affirming the Kurdish-led forces commitment to the agreement and praising Paris for its “positive role during this phase, noting its impact in supporting efforts toward peace and stability.”

Amid the mid-January Syrian offensive, the SDF reported that they were forced to withdraw from facilities and camps holding ISIS detainees and their affiliates, including women and children. These included al-Hol Camp in eastern Hasaka province in Rojava, al-Shaddadi prison in southern Hasaka, and al-Aqtan prison in northern Raqqa.

The SDF continues to control several prisons in Rojava, including the high-security Ghuwayran facility in southern Hasaka, which drew international attention in January 2022 when ISIS launched a massive operation to free thousands of fighters. After a brutal 10-day battle, the US-backed SDF regained control, though the facility is often described as a ticking time bomb.

The SDF statement quoted Abdi and Barrot as emphasizing the need to “continue efforts to combat ISIS, and ensure the security of detention facilities holding ISIS fighters and their families.”

The meeting also addressed “the protection of the particular character” of Rojava and “the safeguarding of the rights of the Kurdish people in Syria,” highlighting the importance of the Kurdish community’s “active participation at the national level in order to reach a comprehensive political solution that guarantees the rights of all components of the Syrian people.”

The SDF further stressed the necessity of the return of displaced persons - particularly from Kurdish-majority areas affected by the latest Syrian offensive, as well as those displaced in previous years - to their homes.

The key meeting between Abdi and Barrot took place during a regional tour by the French foreign minister, who met with the Kurdistan Region's top leadership on Thursday and previously held meetings with Iraqi officials in Baghdad and Syrian officials in Damascus.

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