Shafaq News – Damascus

On Tuesday, the United States envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, welcomed recent remarks by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi expressing alignment with the Syrian government on national unity, including the integration of the SDF into the state military structure.

Posting on X, Barrack described Abdi’s leadership and the ongoing efforts of the SDF as crucial to Syria’s stability, citing shared goals with the Syrian government under transitional president Ahmad Shar’a for “a unified army, government, and state.” He also emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue to promote national integration.

.@MazloumAbdi - Your leadership & the SDF’s perseverant efforts, alongside the Syrian government’s resolute commitment to inclusion under President al-Sharaa, are pivotal to a stable Syria of “one army, one government, one state.“ We so appreciate the constructive dialogue to… pic.twitter.com/6sHBk6z657

— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) July 29, 2025

Abdi, speaking earlier to Al Arabiya TV, confirmed that the SDF agrees with Damascus on the principles of one army and one flag, and that “the force will be incorporated into the Syrian Ministry of Defense.” He noted that the process for integration will be a central topic in an upcoming meeting in Paris, which will include Syrian government officials, French representatives, and the US envoy.

While affirming Syria’s territorial integrity, Abdi clarified that “decentralization does not imply partition,” but acknowledged ongoing Kurdish concerns about integration without constitutional guarantees.

On March 10, Syria’s transitional president Ahmad Al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement to “merge” civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the Syrian state’s administration. The agreement includes border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields.