Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi said the agreement reached with Damascus on Jan. 30 remains the framework for all next steps, stressing that the unification of military and civilian institutions is essential to stabilizing northeast Syria.
Speaking at a large gathering of tribal leaders and community notables in Hasakah, Abdi outlined the implementation process of the Jan. 30 agreement and plans for integration, according to Rudaw Turkish Service.
Abdi said the SDF and Syria’s Defense Ministry have agreed in principle that SDF forces will be incorporated into the ministry’s structure as “brigades,” adding that technical work is ongoing. He noted that while there has been an issue finalizing a representative at the level of deputy defense minister, the SDF will have official representation within the ministry and an announcement is expected soon.
He also said security institutions operating in the region since 2012 would not be dismantled but integrated, with personnel continuing their duties under the Interior Ministry. Abdi added that a senior-level committee has been formed to supervise integration and that practical steps would accelerate in the coming days, while urging vigilance against provocation and hate speech.
Abdi said he met in Munich with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and a Damascus delegation, and that the sides agreed to establish joint executive committees in Hasakah to merge institutions and support reconstruction while preserving the role of all local components.
On the future status of Kurdish-majority areas, Abdi said an understanding had been reached to preserve their “distinct structure,” describing it as enabling local communities to manage their areas at all levels within the state framework, with shared governance among all components.
He warned against rising racist and sectarian rhetoric, saying the region’s communities have long coexisted and should remain united as the political transition moves forward.
Photo: Rudaw