President Masoud Barzani, SDF chief Abdi discuss Syria developments

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi discussed recent developments in Syria and the implementation of the latest agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government, Barzani’s office said on Sunday.

According to the statement, the talks focused on “the latest developments in Syria and the steps for implementing the agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces.”

The SDF announced on Friday that it had reached an agreement with Syria’s interim government in Damascus on the future of northeast Syria (Rojava), including the integration of its civilian and military institutions into the Syrian state.

Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and former president of the Kurdistan Region, and Abdi also stressed the need to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue and to work toward peace and stability in Syria, the statement said.

President Barzani and other leaders in the Kurdistan Region played a key role in talks which led to the latest agreement.

The discussions come after the Syrian Arab Army and Damascus-affiliated forces launched a major offensive against SDF positions in early January, prompting the group’s gradual withdrawal from several areas, including parts of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and areas near the predominantly Kurdish province of Hasaka in eastern Rojava.

Many of the territories seized by Damascus and its allied forces had previously been liberated by Kurdish-led fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) following the group’s declaration of a so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2014.

Barzani also held talks with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday, during which similar issues were discussed.