Abdi recently signaled that the SDF would integrate into a future Syrian national army. [Getty]
Mazlum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is set to meet Masoud Barzani, the former president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and leader of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), in a significant move to strengthen Kurdish unity.
The meeting, confirmed to The New Arab by Kurdish officials and first reported by Al-Monitor, is the first such engagement in years and comes amid shifts in Syria’s political landscape following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on 8 December.
“This month, General Mazlum Abdi and Mr Masoud Barzani will meet to discuss reorganising the Kurdish political framework and addressing recent developments in Syria,” Fethullah Husseini, a representative of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) told TNA.
He described the meeting as an “opportunity to form a unified Kurdish stance” ahead of possible negotiations in Damascus.
Divided Kurdish front
The Kurdish National Council in Syria (ENKS), closely aligned with Barzani’s KDP, is at odds with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which leads the AANES, over how Kurds should be represented in negotiations with other Syrian factions.
Both sides have been under pressure to reconcile their differences to present a cohesive position, particularly as Syria’s post-Assad political future remains uncertain.
While Husseini did not disclose where the meeting will take place, reports suggest it may occur at Barzani’s mountain headquarters near Erbil.
Security concerns loom large, especially for Abdi, who narrowly survived a Turkish drone strike near Sulaymaniyah International Airport in April 2023. Turkey views the SDF and its YPG militia component as extensions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group it deems a “terrorist organisation”.
Ankara has threatened further military action against Kurdish forces in Syria, recently targeting infrastructure like the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River.
Barzani’s role
Barzani has been actively mediating between Kurdish factions. His envoy, Hamid Darbandi, recently visited northeast Syria to defuse tensions, but Barzani himself faced criticism last month after praising comments by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa had assured Kurds they would have a role in Syria’s future, but some Kurdish observers interpreted Barzani’s remarks as undermining Kurdish autonomy efforts.
The SDF, which played a critical role in defeating the Islamic State (IS), has struggled to maintain its position as Turkey intensifies its attacks on Kurdish-held areas.
Abdi recently signalled that the SDF would integrate into a future Syrian national army, a move seen as pragmatic amid ongoing US efforts to mediate between the AANES and the HTS-backed transitional government.
“There are two de facto authorities in Syria now—the AANES and HTS,” Husseini said. “The US is working to ensure cooperation between the two sides ahead of formal negotiations in March to establish a unified Syrian government.”
The meeting between Abdi and Barzani represents a rare opportunity to address internal Kurdish divisions and coordinate a strategy for the future.
As Syria moves toward a transitional government, Kurdish leaders face the challenge of balancing regional alliances, managing internal conflicts, and countering external threats. Whether the meeting will result in tangible progress remains to be seen, but it could mark a pivotal moment for Kurdish politics in a rapidly changing region.
