DAMASCUS – A delegation from the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria arrived in Damascus on Saturday to begin negotiations with Syria’s transitional government, Syrian media reported.
The discussions aim to build on a preliminary agreement signed in March between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the U.S.-backed military alliance led by Kurdish fighters, and the transitional authorities. The talks will focus on the future integration of the autonomous administration’s civil and security institutions into the Syrian state framework.
According to Syrian TV channel Syria TV, key agenda items include education, natural resource management in the northeast, and the administrative structure of self-rule areas in relation to the central government.
The delegation reportedly includes senior Kurdish and Syriac officials such as Fawza Youssef, Abdul Hamid al-Mahbash, Ahmed Youssef, Sanharib Barsoum, Suzdar Haji, Mariam Ibrahim, and Yasser Suleiman.
Initial talks are expected to begin Saturday evening.
Related: Syrian Kurdish Forces Call for Decentralized Governance in Talks with Damascus
On Friday, SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi reiterated in an interview with Shams TV, that his forces remain open to dialogue, provided it leads to a comprehensive political settlement that guarantees decentralized governance and protects the rights of the region’s diverse communities.
Abdi emphasized that any integration of the SDF into the national military must be gradual, structured, and ensure the force retains its operational coherence within a unified national framework. He rejected “cosmetic or rushed solutions” that fail to address Kurdish political demands.
He cited Iraq’s Kurdistan Region as a viable model for federal-style autonomy under a national constitution, suggesting it could offer inspiration for post-conflict governance in Syria.
