Damascus, northwest Syria – A delegation from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) met with Syrian government officials in Damascus on Wednesday, with US and French representatives present.
Hawar News Agency, which is close to the Autonomous Administration, reported that senior SDF leaders and officials representing Syria’s northeast began meetings with government counterparts in the Syrian capital. The talks were attended by US Special Envoy Thomas Barak and the acting head of the French Embassy in Damascus, Jean-Baptiste Faivre.
Local news outlets confirmed that the meeting was held under the sponsorship of both the US envoy and the French representative, aiming to advance negotiations between the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian government under the terms of an agreement signed on March 10 between SDF Commander General Mazloum Abdi and Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa.
In early June, another delegation from the Autonomous Administration visited Damascus for talks on implementing the March deal. The group included senior figures such as Foza Youssef, Abdulhamid al-Mahbash, Ahmad Youssef, Sanharib Barsoum, Sozdar Haji, Mariam Ibrahim, and Yasser Suleiman.
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At the time, Brigadier General Ziad al-Ayesh, a member of the government committee overseeing the agreement, described the discussions as positive and focused on shared national interests, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Both sides agreed to set up specialized subcommittees to implement the March 10 deal, including resolving issues related to exams and exam centers to protect students’ rights and the integrity of the education system. The negotiations also addressed ways to facilitate the return of displaced people and remove obstacles hindering their resettlement.
Al-Ayesh noted that both parties also discussed reactivating a previous agreement concerning the Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in Aleppo to promote local stability and community peace.
He emphasized that both delegations reiterated their commitment to constructive dialogue and ongoing cooperation in support of Syria’s unity and sovereignty, with the goal of ensuring security and stability for the Syrian people. A follow-up meeting is planned soon to continue discussions and monitor the implementation of agreed steps.
