EXCLUSIVE: Erbil hosts decisive US–SDF talks on Syria peace accord
Shafaq News– Erbil
Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, on Thursday will host “decisive” discussions between US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi, to finalize a proposed peace agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish group.
A well-informed source explained to Shafaq News that the meeting seeks to seal a comprehensive 14-point framework regulating relations between both sides.
Meanwhile, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, during a joint press conference with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto in Italy, expressed readiness to take “any step necessary” to safeguard Kurdish dignity “wherever Kurds are,” describing the protection of Kurdish existence as a sacred principle.
Crosetto, in turn, said his country seeks first and foremost to promote stability in the region, describing actions targeting Kurds in Syria as “unacceptable.” He stressed that any effort by Damascus to normalize conditions must begin by halting current practices, adding that Italy would work with the United States, Europe, Syria, Turkiye, and Iran to advance peace.
On January 17, leader Barzani convened a meeting in Pirman that brought together Barrack and Abdi, alongside senior US officials and Kurdish political figures, where Barzani recognized the United States’ efforts to support Syria, underlining the need to safeguard the Kurdish people’s rights in shaping the country’s future.
Thursday’s discussions come amid heightened tensions in northeastern Syria, where renewed clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF, widely regarded as a close ally of Washington, have persisted despite the announcement of a four-day ceasefire starting Tuesday. The fighting has expanded to detention facilities holding ISIS members, with Barzani warning during his current visit to the Vatican that fears of an ISIS resurgence “are growing” and require collective action.
