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According to Turkish news outlet T24, the SDF confirmed that a delegation headed by General Commander Mazlum Abdi traveled to Damascus on January 4, 2026, to discuss mechanisms for integrating the Kurdish-led forces into Syria's new national army. The report also indicated that Brigadier General Kevin Lambert, the newly appointed Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), will participate in the meetings between the two parties.
The SDF Press Center released a statement confirming that senior officials are currently meeting with Damascus government representatives to discuss military-level integration processes. Accompanying Abdi are General Command members Sozdar Derik and Sipan Hemo. The statement noted that further details regarding the negotiations would be shared at a later time.
Syrian TV, citing high-level sources, corroborated the reports of the SDF delegation's arrival and the commencement of talks in Damascus. The involvement of the US military commander underscores Washington's continued role in facilitating dialogue between the parties.
SDF spokesman Ferhad Shami confirmed the visit via social media platform X, stating that the delegation would focus on establishing mechanisms for integrating the SDF into Syria's reconstituted armed forces.
The visit had originally been scheduled for December 29, 2025, but was postponed due to what the SDF Press Liaison Center described as "logistical and technical preparations." The delay had sparked speculation that a landmark agreement signed on March 10, 2025, between Syrian transitional President Ahmed Shara and Commander Mazlum Abdi had collapsed. Statements from both Damascus and Ankara suggesting the agreement's timeline had expired, coupled with increased military activity in the region, had fueled these concerns.
Sources familiar with the negotiations previously told Syrian TV that a military agreement sponsored by the United States would soon be announced. The deal reportedly includes mechanisms for integrating approximately 90,000 SDF fighters and Internal Security Forces (Asayish) personnel into Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries. Additionally, the two sides have allegedly agreed to allocate three military divisions under the Defense Ministry to the SDF in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Haseke provinces.
Key issues currently under discussion include the entry of Syrian government forces into northeastern Syria, determining SDF positions within the Defense and Interior Ministries, defining the SDF's military decision-making authority and administrative structure, and establishing the distribution of responsibilities between self-defense units and the ministries.
Yaser al-Suleiman, spokesman for the autonomous administration's negotiating team, stated Thursday that implementation of the March 10 agreement was expected to begin within days. He emphasized the importance of Syrian state sovereignty and activating sovereign institutions in the country's northern and eastern regions.
"Syria can only tolerate a single army with various formations," al-Suleiman said, adding that the arrangement reflects mutual understanding between the parties.
Photo: The New Yorker