KDP's Barzani and SDF's Abdi talks: key to Syria’s Kurdish future?

Shafaq News/ A "historic” meeting between Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), marked a pivotal moment in Kurdish politics. Held at a critical juncture following the fall of the Al-Assad regime, their discussions carry the potential to redefine Kurdish unity and play a key role in shaping Syria's future.
As the region undergoes profound changes, this meeting offers a glimpse into the evolving dynamics that could impact not only Syria but the broader Middle East.
SDF is a military coalition established in northeastern Syria in October 2015, primarily consisting of Kurdish units, including the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), alongside smaller Arab, Syriac, and other ethnic factions. It has been a key partner of the United States in the fight against ISIS, playing a crucial role in liberating territories from ISIS control.
The coalition, which has governed northeast Syria for the past decade, faces military pressure from the Turkiye-backed Syrian National Army. Turkiye views the SDF as an offshoot of the PKK, a Kurdish militant group designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara. Meanwhile, the KDP in Iraq has maintained strong ties with Turkiye, positioning itself in opposition to the SDF and other PKK-linked factions.
Inside the Meeting
In October 2014, leader Barzani spearheaded an initiative to unify Kurdish forces in Syria, hosting a series of meetings in Duhok, Kurdistan Region (KRI), that brought together two Syrian Kurdish parties: the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (KNC). The culmination of these discussions was the Duhok Agreement, though it ultimately failed to materialize. Following the fall of the Al-Assad regime in December 2024, the call for Kurdish unity in Syria regained urgency, as Kurdish leaders aimed to negotiate with Syria's new administration and secure their rights.
Amid these renewed efforts, Abdi visited Erbil on January 16 for talks with leader Barzani. He also held a phone conversation with KRI President Nechirvan Barzani.
The discussions between Abdi and leader Barzani focused on Syria’s changing political and security landscape, along with the framework for Kurdish parties to navigate the country’s new realities and to establish a unified Syrian Kurdish approach, according to a statement.
During the meeting, both leaders stressed that "Kurdish parties in Syria must determine their future independently and without external interference, relying on peaceful means to safeguard their rights,” highlighting “the importance of unity and solidarity with Syria’s new rulers to achieve mutual understanding and agreement to foster peace and stability and prevent a recurrence of the suffering endured by the Kurdish people and other communities in Syria.”
A day after the visit, Abdi took to X, sharing insights from his talks with Barzani. "Meeting Leader Masoud Barzani was a source of joy," he wrote. "We discussed the ongoing changes in Syria." He went on to affirm, "We jointly agreed that the Kurdish position in Syria must be unified, and that dialogue with Damascus must protect the Kurdish people's rights peacefully.”
Abdi's brief visit, which lasted only a few hours, followed a trip by Hamid Darbandi, KRI's Special Representative for Syrian Kurdish Affairs and Leader Barzani's Envoy, to northeastern Syria just three days earlier.
Although no official statements have been issued by either the KDP or the SDF regarding this meeting's outcomes, a senior KDP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed to the Associated Press that the talks focused on unifying the Kurdish stance in Syria and exploring steps to distance the SDF from the PKK.
A Reassuring Message
The talks between the two leaders have sparked optimism among the Kurdish population, seen as “a significant step towards Kurdish unity in Syria, a crucial element for securing their rights in a future Syrian state,” Lazgin Ibrahim, a researcher at the Al-Furat Center for Studies, told Shafaq News agency. He described the gathering as a "momentous opportunity" for Kurdish leaders to strengthen their position both domestically and internationally, especially as regional and global challenges intensify.
Barzani, “a nationalist leader with a historical vision for the Kurdish movement,” and Abdi, “a key figure in managing Kurdish forces in Syria,” represent the aspirations of the Kurdish people, Ibrahim said, emphasizing that the meeting’s value lies in its potential to overcome internal divides and foster dialogue among Kurds from different parts of Kurdistan. "The message it sends is particularly reassuring for the Kurdish public in Rojava," he added, referring to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). For years, Kurds in the region have longed for a cohesive, strong leadership to champion their rights and cause on the global stage.
The talks, Ibrahim noted, reflected both "serious intent and a shared vision for a better tomorrow" for Kurds in Syria. "By unifying efforts, Kurdish leaders will bolster their influence in shaping Syria's destiny, keeping hope alive despite the challenges. This moment could mark the beginning of a new era of cooperation and integration, essential for realizing the Kurdish people's aspirations for freedom, justice, and recognition of their rights,” he concluded.
Unifying Kurdish Forces
Kurdish politician Abdul Salam Barwari described Abdi’s visit to Erbil as the realization of Masoud Barzani's long-standing objective: unifying Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria under a single, cohesive vision. “This vision,” Barwari explained, “must be both practical and widely acceptable.”
“The SDF is strongly shaped by the principle of self-administration,” Barwari remarked, adding that the international community's focus on stability and Syria’s need for reconstruction mirrors the path Iraq took in 2003. He warned, however, that the SDF, military units, and the Autonomous Administration remaining outside the central government clashes with nationalism and foreign policy trends.
The politician further pointed out that Barzani’s efforts are aimed at fostering cooperation between the SDF and other Kurdish groups. "The goal is to forge a rational strategy for engaging with Damascus through a joint delegation," he concluded, underscoring the importance of presenting a united Kurdish front.
A New Era of Reconciliation
"This visit marks the end of a prolonged period of disputes and signals the start of a new phase in Kurdish reconciliation," Syrian Kurdish academic Dr. Farid Saadoun told Shafaq News. He believed this shift could pave the way for a sustainable Kurdish solution, with broad implications for stability across Syria, Iraq, Turkiye, and Iran.
The longstanding tensions between the PKK and the KDP have long exacerbated Kurdish divisions and hindered regional harmony. Saadoun, meanwhile, regarded Abdi’s visit as a turning point, explaining, "We expect the chapter of discord to close, ushering in a new dawn of solidarity, and reconciliation."
An essential element driving this change, according to Saadoun, is the shifting international landscape, pointing to the influence regional powers like Iran and Turkiye have had on Kurdish decisions and affairs. "A new international phase has begun in the region, led by the US and the Global Coalition, aiming to establish stability in the Middle East due to their economic and political interests, especially in the unstable areas of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel,” he noted.
In Saadoun’s view, the Kurdish issue has been one of the main challenges in this region. "A lasting Kurdish agreement and the creation of a peaceful Kurdish region would not only support stability in the Middle East but also align with international interests by creating secure zones for economic investment," he clarified.
The ripple effect of this fresh beginning is reportedly expected to be felt in Syria, especially after the regime's fall, with the emergence of a new authority and a transitional period that requires calm. "For Syrian parties to unite, they must come together in dialogue, agree on the constitution, define the structure of the state, form the next government, and determine the system of governance," the academic said, emphasizing that the Kurds must play a central role in this transition. "The SDF, under Abdi's leadership, has self-administration over large parts of northeastern Syria. It controls vital national resources such as oil, gas, dams, electricity, and agriculture," he added.
In his closing remarks, he called for closer cooperation between the KNC and PYD, stating, "A collective Kurdish delegation to Damascus with a common project and stance will be instrumental for Syrian reconciliation and will help ease the political and factional divisions that have long plagued the country.”
KRI: A Mediation Role with Turkiye
Abdi's visit aims to position the Kurdistan Region as a “mediator” with Turkiye, given its “strong” relationship with the country, Syrian political activist Mohammad Rassem Kuntar pointed out to Shafaq News. This move comes amid shifting international dynamics, as Kuntar noted, "Abdi might have realized that the Global Coalition and the Trump administration are no longer as committed to the SDF, as they cannot jeopardize relations with Turkiye in favor of the group."
Reports suggested that leader Barzani is backing the KNC, signaling a potential consensus. This alignment, Kuntar revealed, points to a shared view on the necessity of participating in the Syrian National Conference, with broad national agreement. “Abdi sought Barzani’s help to unify Kurdish political decisions by aligning the efforts and orientations of political blocs,” he affirmed.
A Call for Federalism
The recent meeting in Erbil has reignited discussions on federalism in Syria, with a sharp focus on issues of unity and weapon control. Kuntar highlighted that the gathering underscored the importance of “retaining and safeguarding weapons," while also highlighting the "unity of Syrian territory."
"This raises questions," the political activist noted, "about how the state can remain unified while arms are concentrated in the hands of a specific component based on ethnicity and within defined geographic boundaries."
“Such dynamics might signal a confirmation of the federalism demand.”
However, he asserted that federalism remains broadly rejected. "Syrians, including the Kurds, do not accept any separatist projects or even federalism itself," he said. Nonetheless, he acknowledged a growing openness to explore "administrative decentralization and finding formulas that preserve the unity of the state on both political and military levels."
International Guarantees
“Sudden” changes in Syria have a direct impact on the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, as confirmed by Safeen Dizayee, the Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations, who underscored to our agency the necessity of adapting to the evolving dynamics of the region.
Dizayee highlighted the KRG’s efforts to foster understanding and rapprochement among Kurdish factions. "Leader Masoud Barzani sent a special envoy to Syria to engage with local authorities… We remain hopeful for further cooperation among the involved parties," he said.
Amid these developments, Kurdish affairs expert Brewer Midi described the visit as "a historic step" and "a crucial meeting" that seeks to unite efforts in resolving long-standing Kurdish disputes, pointing to the backdrop of past divisions, particularly after the fall of Al-Assad regime, and the subsequent challenges of establishing a new governing structure in Syria.
“We value efforts to strengthen Kurdish unity, achieve legitimate demands in the new Syria, secure Kurdish rights, and work with the new Syrian administration under international guarantees to enshrine these rights in the constitution,” he expressed.