SDF’s Abdi, Leader Barzani discuss Kurdish unity

Shafaq News/ Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi met with Masoud Barzani, Leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, to discuss the evolving situation in Syria and the need for Kurdish unity.

On X, Abdi described the meeting on Friday as a “source of happiness” and highlighted the topics discussed. “We talked about the process of change Syria is undergoing and stressed the importance of a unified Kurdish stance,” Abdi wrote.

He added that dialogue with Damascus must proceed peacefully to safeguard Kurdish rights.

Yesterday, a senior KDP official, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the talks focused on unifying the Kurdish stance in Syria and exploring steps to distance the SDF from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye.

The official said Barzani suggested that severing ties with the PKK could pave the way for broader international backing, leveraging KDP’s connections with both the United States and Turkiye.

Barzani also emphasized the need for a unified Kurdish front in Syria to strengthen their negotiating position with Syria's new de facto government.

According to the official, Barzani highlighted Iraq’s Kurdish political achievements, including constitutional recognition, as a potential model for Kurds in Syria.

The SDF, which has governed northeast Syria for the past decade, faces military pressure from the Turkiye-backed Syrian National Army. Turkiye views the SDF as a PKK offshoot.

Meanwhile, the KDP in Iraq, which maintains friendly ties with Turkiye, has had strained relations with the SDF and other PKK-aligned groups.