General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi has voiced optimism that a landmark political agreement with the Transitional Syrian Government could be finalised before the end of 2025, while insisting that Syria’s return to a highly centralised state is no longer possible after fifteen years of conflict.
Speaking at the Middle East Peace and Security Forum (MEPS), hosted by the American University in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Abdi said the March 10 agreement marked “a significant turning point” and had averted a potentially devastating intra-Syrian conflict. He stressed that the accord, which he hopes will be fully implemented by year’s end, constitutes the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights in Syria and commits to enshrining the rights of all communities in a future constitution. “After fifteen years of conflict, Syria cannot revert to the model of a centralised state,” Abdi reaffirmed, describing this as an irreversible position for the peoples of North and East Syria. (Source: “Mazloum Abdi: We Hope to Complete the March Agreement by Year’s End; Syria Shall Not Revert to Centralism.”)
Abdi said security and military arrangements under the March deal are largely agreed, with only “final details” outstanding, while negotiations over governance and political structures continue. He underlined that a solution in Syria “can only be achieved through dialogue” and argued that the SDF poses no threat to Turkey, calling his forces a “pillar of regional stability.”
The SDF commander thanked the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for sustained political and logistical support, highlighting joint efforts with Peshmerga forces and international allies in defeating ISIS. Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and KDP leader Masoud Barzani both told the forum that rigid centralism no longer suits Syria’s diverse society and described the current moment as a “golden opportunity” to resolve the Kurdish question and broader governance disputes through peaceful and democratic means.