PYD: International oversight needed for Syria’s democratic transition

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) urged international oversight to ensure a democratic and inclusive transition in Syria, warning against any return to centralized rule after the fall of al-Assad regime.

“All Syrian communities are concerned about the conduct of the interim authorities in Damascus,” PYD spokesperson Sama Bekdash told our Agency, calling for global involvement to prevent power monopolization and ensure a fair political process.

Bekdash held centralized governance responsible for Syria’s long-standing instability, stressing the PYD’s rejection of any attempt to reinstate such a system.

PYD spokesperson also reaffirmed the party’s support for Kurdish unity, while acknowledging the diverse identities within Kurdistan. She described relations with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as “improved,” noting “ongoing coordination through SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi.”

The remarks come amid renewed Kurdish political momentum following a landmark agreement on March 13 between transitional President Ahmed Al‑Sharaa and Abdi, an accord that, for the first time, formally acknowledged the Kurdish identity within the Syrian state framework.

Since the al-Assad regime’s collapse in late 2024, the United States, France, and other coalition partners have supported direct talks among Kurdish factions, including initiatives led by Abdi and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani.