Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi will hold a press briefing on Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington DC, via video link, to address key security concerns, including Turkish airstrikes, the fight against ISIS and diplomatic negotiations shaping Syria’s future.
The event is hosted by the US mission of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), which serves as the diplomatic representation of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Sinam Muhammed, the SDC’s representative in Washington, will also be present.
Abdi is expected to discuss Syria’s shifting security landscape, ongoing diplomatic efforts and negotiations with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Damascus under its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as al-Julani). He will also address violations of the 2019 US-brokered ceasefire, including Turkish attacks on civilians, journalists and infrastructure.
Analysts anticipate that Abdi will highlight the US government’s stance on Turkish military actions in Syria and reiterate the call of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for greater political, military and diplomatic support from the international community to counter threats and maintain regional stability.
The press event comes amid heightened tensions, with frequent Turkish drone and artillery strikes targeting Kurdish-led security forces and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s recent directive to the Department of Defence to draft plans for a full withdrawal of US forces from Syria has raised concerns over the potential impact on Kurdish-led counterterrorism efforts.
Additionally, Kurdish representatives were excluded from the recent ‘non-exclusionary’ Syrian National Conference, while Turkey’s continued influence over the interim Syrian government remains a major obstacle to peace efforts.
Following his remarks, Abdi will take part in a Q&A session. The event will be streamed online for registered participants, starting at 11 am (Eastern Time, US), with a recording to be released shortly afterwards.
Registration for the press conference is available here:
