Over 400 delegates from Kurdish regions in Syria, Iraq and Turkey gathered in North and East Syria (Rojava) on Saturday for a major political conference.
The Kurdish Unity and Common Stance Conference seeks to strengthen cooperation among Kurdish political groups and outline a shared vision for a decentralised, democratic Syria, according to its organisers. The event marks a significant step in coordinating Kurdish political efforts within Syria and across borders.
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), opened the conference, stating that Kurdish unity would enhance Syria’s stability. “Strengthening the Kurds strengthens Syria,” he said. Abdi thanked contributors, including the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) and Masoud Barzani and Nechirvan Barzani, leaders of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), for their support.
The conference follows months of planning involving Kurdish political actors from Syria, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), and Turkey. Representatives from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) attended, alongside delegates from Syrian cities such as Aleppo (Heleb), Hama, Bab and Azaz. Messages from Kurdistan, Europe and the International Coalition’s Scott Bowles were shared, with speeches from groups like the PUK and Kurdistan National Congress (KNK).
Kurdish organisations in North and East Syria presented a draft agreement to consolidate political cooperation. Discussions covered regional developments and strategies for dialogue with the Syrian government to secure Kurdish rights within a decentralised framework, building on 15 years of multi-ethnic governance alongside Arabs, Assyrians and others in the Kurdish-majority northeast.
Abdi noted that over 13,000 fighters from the region had died in the Syrian conflict, dedicating the conference to their memory. He also referenced a statement from Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), issued from İmralı Island, Turkey, on 15 April 2025, calling for peace and democratic solutions. Abdi said the conference’s goals aligned with this vision.
On the sidelines, a delegation from the DEM Party and DBP met Abdi to discuss Kurdish unity and peace processes in Syria and Turkey. The group entered North and East Syria via the Semalka border crossing from the KRI.
Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), recently stated that Syria’s pre-2011 centralised governance model was no longer viable, reinforcing the conference’s focus on decentralisation.
Organisers hope the conference will pave the way for formal talks with the Syrian government to recognise Kurdish rights in a democratic Syria. The event continues with speeches from Kurdish and international representatives, with further discussions on political strategy planned.
