US EditionSyria-SDF Talks on Military Integration End Inconclusively
Talks to integrate tens of thousands of SDF fighters into Syria's army stalled over disputes on unit cohesion and regional opposition, delaying the March agreement implementation.
- On Sunday, Syrian government officials met in Damascus with Mazloum Abdi, Syrian Democratic Forces commander, but state media said the meeting yielded no tangible results and they agreed to hold further talks.
- A central aim of the agreement is returning control of northeast infrastructure to the government, transferring border crossings, airports, oil fields, and prisons holding about 9,000 suspected IS members.
- Key disputes center on whether the Syrian Democratic Forces stay intact or are dissolved, while Turkey opposes the SDF joining as a single unit and three rockets damaged a western Damascus neighborhood.
- The SDF said the talks ended and that it would release details later, while Syria's foreign minister said the Damascus government is studying the Kurdish response and has yet to issue a statement.
- Given the Syrian Democratic Forces' control of oil-rich territory and role in defeating IS, integration carries broad security stakes amid rejected decentralisation calls and occasional clashes with Syria's new authorities.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Deadlock in Damascus: The Fate of the Kurdish Force
Deadlock in Damascus: The Fate of the Kurdish Force In a crucial yet inconclusive meeting in Damascus, Syrian officials convened with the leadership of the Kurdish-led forces to deliberate the merger of these groups into the national army. The talks, however, were labeled as producing no 'tangible results,' highlighting ongoing friction over the merger's structure.The discussions stem from a March agreement between Damascus and the US-backed Syr…
Associated Press News
Syrian media say government and Kurdish-led SDF meet on military merger without progress
Syrian government officials have held talks with the commander of the main Kurdish-led force over plans to merge it with the national army.
Kurdish leader in Damascus for talks on military integration
Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi was in Damascus on Sunday for fresh talks with officials on integrating his forces into those of the central military, the Kurds' armed forces said. Abdi signed a deal in March with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to merge the Kurds' semi-autonomous administration into the government by the end of 2025, but differences between the two sides have held up its implementation. "A delegation from the leadership of …
SDF to sign another landmark integration deal with Damascus: Commander
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is set to sign another integration agreement with the Syrian transitional government on Sunday, which includes the establishment of brigades for women fighters, borders and the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), a senior...
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