Several rounds of meetings between U.S. and Syrian leaders over the last two days demonstrate a push for integrating eastern Syria with Damascus and an attempt to reconcile the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus-backed forces in the wake of recent clashes.
The meetings mark high-level interactions involving the Syrian Presidency, U.S. representatives, and SDF leadership, underlining the gravity in addressing the complexities of the political and security sectors in Syria.
On October 6, SDF General Mazloum Abdi met with Special Envoy Ambassador Thomas Barrack and US Central Command Leader Admiral Brad Cooper in Hasakah, Syria. On the agenda was integrating eastern Syria, and ensuring the continuation of the fight against ISIS.
Admiral Cooper focused on an initiative designed to dismantle all ISIS detention centers and camps, foremost among them al-Hol Camp in eastern Syria. This plan includes the integration of a "New Syrian Army" into the International Coalition to fight ISIS.
On October 7, the meetings in Damascus continued to push for peace and prosperity, with Abdi, Barrack and Cooper all going to Damascus to meet with the Syrian transitional government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Accompanying Abdi was Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department Elham Ahmad, and Women's Protection Units (YPJ) Commander Rohlat Afrin.
The meeting focused on implementing the March 10 agreement between Abdi and Sharaa, which called for the SDF to be integrated into the central government’s security forces, and to be completed before years’ end.
The U.S. presence in the various meetings emphasizes Washington's commitment to finding realistic application mechanisms for the March 10 agreement, which the US helped draft and sponsor. This participation is reportedly backed by French involvement and full Turkish consent.
Reports indicate the U.S. delegation stressed that following the end of 2025, the US would cease any political or military intervention should the SDF fail to execute the terms.
The Syrian security forces have been implicated in sectarian clashes on the coast and Sawayda earlier in the year. Some among the Kurdish community are fearful of a future under the control of the security forces, and this is a factor in dragging their feet in integration.
On October 6, clashes broke out in two Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, which resulted in casualties. The clashes extended to other flashpoints, including the Deir Hafer area and Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, leading to the closure of crossing points between the two sides' control zones in Aleppo, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor.
Kurdish fighters are trained and supplied by the U.S. The strongest fighting unit is the YPJ, noted for being a female contingent. Conversely, the Syrian forces are males.
Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Head of the General Intelligence Directorate Hussein al-Salama also attended the meetings in Damascus.
On October 7, Qasra and Abdi met, resulting in an announced ceasefire between his forces and those of the SDF.
On October 5, Syria held its first parliamentary elections; however, eastern Syria and Suwayda were not included because they were not controlled by the central government.
Sky News reported that Mazloum Abdi requested that al-Sharaa consider a self-rule region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq—a demand related to broader discussions about decentralization and the integration of institutions, with the issue of internal police remaining a key point of contention.
The northeast region of Syria has been governed by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). It is a socialist style of government, noted for its secular ideology and gender equality.
The Damascus based central government is Islamist based, and has been associated with several clashes involving sectarian violence. However, the central government has taken measures to assure all faiths and ethnicities are treated equally under the law.
These security discussions coincide with the initial phase of a planned US military withdrawal from Baghdad and Iraqi provinces toward the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, leading up to a full US withdrawal by the end of 2026. This requires the repositioning and concentration of US forces in eastern Syria, which has already begun with the withdrawal from the al-Omar oil field and the Conoco gas facility in the Deir ez-Zor countryside.
The Syrian leadership's firm insistence on holding the meetings exclusively in Damascus successfully preempted any attempts to transfer the dialogue to other regional or international capitals.
The recently concluded Syrian People's Assembly elections have seen official results announced. A notable point was the low representation of women (below 3%), which the head of the Supreme Electoral Committee vowed to address.
The SDF-aligned "Syrian Democratic Council" (MSD) rejected the electoral process, claiming it "does not reflect the will of the Syrians."
The severe humanitarian needs persist, with reports indicating approximately 16.7 million people requiring aid, and over 14 million suffering from food insecurity. Relief strategies are pivoting towards "Early Recovery" projects focused on sustainable infrastructure like solar-powered water stations and bakery restoration.
Damascus seems to stand firm on implementing the March 10 agreement, and integrating the SDF into the new Syrian security forces. The U.S. appears to be pushing for the SDF to comply. At stake is the security of Syria, and the region, as the threat of ISIS continues, although in smaller cells. The ISIS prison camps, administered by the SDF, are extremely sensitive and urgent to both Syria and the region.
However, the question remains if the Kurdish leadership of Abdi and Ahmad will be willing to take a step down in control, and relinquish power to Damascus after so many years of self-governing.
Steven Sahiounie is a two-time award-winning journalist.