Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hosted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi and US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack to discuss the reintegration of Kurdish-held areas into the Syrian state, Syrian and Kurdish sources said.
The talks could lead to the reshaping of the political landscape in post-war Syria.
Sources close to the Kurdish-led SDF told dpa the delegation went to Damascus to discuss implementing the March 10 agreement signed with the Syrian government.
The deal outlines terms for restoring state authority in north-eastern Syria, which is mainly controlled by the Kurds.
The delegation also included Ilham Ahmed and Fawza Youssef, representing the Kurdish Autonomous Administration.
In an interview with the Kurdish Rudaw Media Network, US envoy Barrack described the Syrian government as showing “incredible enthusiasm” for unifying institutions under the banner of “one state, one nation, one army, one government.”
He criticized the SDF for its pace of engagement, stating: “I think SDF has been slow in accepting and negotiating and moving towards that, and my advice to them is to speed that.”
“There is only one road and that road is to Damascus,” Barrack said, adding: “We are running out of time.”
Syrian government sources told dpa that Barrack informed Damascus that all SDF forces will withdraw from east of the Euphrates River by August 17.
The talks focused on dismantling parallel institutions and integrating local governance into national structures, the sources said.
Accord to reunite Syria
In March, the US-backed SDF reached a landmark agreement with Syria’s new leadership.
It deal calls for the integration of all civil and military institutions in north-east Syria under central government authority. This includes border crossings, airports, and key oil and gas fields.
The SDF had led the ground campaign to drive out Islamic State from its last footholds in Syria in 2019.
The agreement follows years of tension over Kurdish autonomy and is seen as a significant step toward national reconciliation after more than a decade of civil war.
Turkey considers the SDF a terrorist group due to its ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), complicating regional dynamics.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack at the People’s Palace in Damascus. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
