The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), General Mazloum Abdi, met with a high-ranking Turkish official in the Syrian capital, Damascus, during his official visit last week. During the visit, Abdi also met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to Al Arabiya.
Sources close to the Syrian government revealed to AlArabiya.net/Al-Hadath that Abdi met with the Turkish Ambassador to Syria, Nuh Yilmaz, in Damascus. The sources did not disclose whether Al-Shaibani was present during this specific meeting.
Key Discussion Points: The Peace Process and PKK Elements
According to the sources, the meeting addressed the peace process led by the Turkish government with Abdullah Öcalan, the leader and founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which was disbanded last May. Yilmaz discussed with the SDF commander the implications of this file for Syrian Kurds, particularly regarding the withdrawal of former PKK cadres from Syrian territory.
The sources further noted that both sides discussed the exit of these cadres as part of broader arrangements being developed in parallel with political and security tracks. These arrangements aim to integrate SDF forces into Syrian government institutions.
Abdi to Ankara?
The Turkish Ambassador informed Abdi—who remains on Turkey’s wanted list—of the possibility of receiving him in Ankara in the near future. This move reflects a conditional Turkish openness toward the SDF, which Ankara has accused for over a decade of being an extension of the PKK.
According to the sources, Yilmaz emphasized to Abdi the necessity of accelerating the integration of the SDF as a fundamental part of understandings regarding the future of Syria and the transitional phase the country has been undergoing since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Official Stance and Previous Meetings
The SDF has not commented on these leaks; however, it has also not denied the meeting, which is considered the first of its kind in Damascus. Previously, SDF officials had met with Turkish officials in Paris more than a year ago.
Abdi visited Damascus publicly for the first time last week, appearing in a new photograph—the second of its kind—with the Syrian President since they signed their famous agreement on March 10, 2025.
The meetings between Abdi and Al-Sharaa were attended by the Syrian Foreign Minister and the prominent Kurdish leader, Ilham Ahmed.
Source: Al Arabiya
Read the Arabic version: Click here
