Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has held his first discussions with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since his Islamist faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overthrew Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad earlier in December. The meeting, which took place on Monday, was described as “positive” and marks a significant step amid ongoing tensions in northern Syria.
The talks, which were confirmed by an anonymous official to AFP, occurred between senior SDF members and Sharaa, whose nom de guerre is Jolani. The discussions are seen as a preliminary move toward future dialogue, with both sides agreeing to continue meetings to work toward potential agreements. The official stated that the dialogue would intensify in the future.
The SDF, backed by the United States, was instrumental in defeating the Islamic State group in Syria by 2019. However, the SDF’s primary component, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), has faced opposition from Turkey, which accuses them of ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a terror group that has fought against Turkey for decades.
Recent months have seen escalating clashes between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces in northern Syria, with fatal exchanges reported. On Tuesday, Turkish-backed factions killed three pro-Kurdish security personnel in Aleppo.
In an interview with Al Arabiya TV on Sunday, Sharaa emphasized that the Kurdish forces should be incorporated into Syria’s new national army. “Weapons must be in the hands of the state alone,” he asserted. He added that he would be open to negotiations with the SDF under the condition that they would integrate into the national defense framework, providing a potential pathway for future dialogue.
