In a historic meeting on Thursday evening, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi met with Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) at the KDP headquarters in Salahaddin, Erbil (Hewler), Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This gathering signals a crucial step towards bridging long-standing tensions between northeast Syria’s Autonomous Administration and the KRI’s ruling KDP, strained since 2012.
Mazloum Abdi and Masoud Barzani meet to address Kurdish unity and Syrian future
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), including YPJ Commander Rohilat Efrin, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and SDF executive Lokman Xelil together with the KDP delegation, which included Hemid Derbendi and three other officials, focused on key issues including the latest political and security developments in Syria, efforts to unify Kurdish positions amidst changing dynamics, and the escalating Turkish military operations in the Euphrates region, which have included heavy bombardments and civilian casualties around the Tishreen Dam. The discussions also reflected the need for Kurdish unity to advocate for a democratic, pluralistic Syria in negotiations about the country’s future.
According to a statement from the KDP’s Foreign Relations Office, the discussions explored ways for Kurdish parties in Syria to establish a unified stance on their rights and future, free from external interference and through peaceful negotiations. Masoud Barzani emphasised the importance of solidarity among Kurdish factions to ensure their rights and secure lasting peace and stability in Syria.
Mazloum Abdi’s recent statement on social media further highlights the significance of this meeting:
"Our meeting with President Masoud Barzani was a source of great satisfaction. We discussed the transformative process Syria is undergoing and reaffirmed that the stance of Kurds in Syria must be unified. Dialogue with Damascus must take place in a peaceful manner to protect the rights of the Kurdish people. Additionally, we emphasised the importance of Kurdish unity and stability in the region as a collective responsibility. We pledged to support each other in this endeavour."
This meeting follows recent efforts, reportedly inspired by US and French diplomatic initiatives, to foster dialogue between pro-KDP Kurdish National Council (ENKS) representatives and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and SDF in northeast Syria. The first steps included a visit by a Barzani representative to Mazloum Abdi in early January, culminating in this significant meeting.
Reports also indicate that Mazloum Abdi spoke via phone with Nechirvan Barzani, president of the KRI, and met with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani. Talabani, known for maintaining strong ties with the AANES and the SDF, visited AANES officially last year and has consistently urged the KDP to improve relations with northeast Syria.
The meeting has been widely praised on social media and in public statements by Kurdish communities and their allies. Leyla Zana, a prominent Kurdish political figure, tweeted:
“Thank you... Congratulations and best wishes! The unity of peoples is our principle. We have magnified the hope of the peoples of the Middle East...”
Osman Baydemir, another leading figure of the Kurdish liberation movement, also expressed his support:
“Congratulations. This was the wish of millions of Kurds. May your home be established a thousand times over. Our hope is that this becomes permanent and opens the doors to good fortune…”
This meeting has sparked hope among Kurdish communities for improved relations and a collaborative approach to addressing the challenges facing Syria’s Kurdish regions, especially in the context of intensified attacks and the urgent need for a unified Kurdish response to protect their territories and people. This could potentially mark a turning point in Kurdish political unity.
