A senior delegation from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has travelled to Damascus for the first time to hold official talks with the Syrian government, in a significant step towards implementing a March agreement aimed at security coordination and political dialogue.
The meetings, held on Saturday, were part of efforts to apply the terms of a memorandum signed on 10 March between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian officials, including the interim president, Ahmed el-Sharaa. The agreement outlines commitments to stabilise the country and deepen cooperation in the fight against ISIS.
The delegation includes leading members of a committee formed on 12 April, such as Foza Yûsif, Abdulhamid al-Mihbash and Senharib Barsoum, and is jointly represented by Mariam Ibrahim and Yaser Suleiman. It follows three rounds of preliminary meetings held in North and East Syria in March, April and late May.
Alongside the delegation’s visit, a tripartite meeting was held involving the SDF, the AANES and the Syrian Democratic Council. SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi and a representative of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), Rohilat Efrîn, also attended.
The participants discussed joint mechanisms for implementation of the March deal, including military coordination with Syria’s defence ministry against ISIS, whose members are still held in large numbers across detention centres and camps in the northeast.
Sanctions relief by the United States and the European Union was welcomed during the meeting. The decision to ease economic restrictions was described as “important for Syria’s reconstruction and development”, and seen as a potential boost for regional security and the return of displaced people to their homes.
The parties also agreed to begin preparations for a national conference that would bring together the various political and social components of North and East Syria to further the terms of the March agreement.
