General Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has called for the inclusion of Druze and Alawite representatives in upcoming meetings with Damascus. To some, this appears to be a deliberate attempt to burden the Syrian government with additional complications, even as the deadline for implementing the crucial 10 March agreement draws near.
In recent remarks, Abdi stressed the need for Druze and Alawite participation in any Damascus negotiations, effectively expanding the demands linked to northeast Syria to also encompass the Syrian coast and Suwayda. Sources close to Al-Modon suggest this move may be a tactic by Abdi to avoid the consequences of failing to deliver on the March accord. That agreement requires the full integration of the SDF — both its civil and military structures — into the Syrian state by the end of the year. Backed by Washington, the SDF’s sponsor, the agreement gained traction following President Ahmed Sharaa’s visit to Washington and his summit with President Donald Trump, signalling a closer alignment between the United States and Damascus.
Blackmailing Damascus?
Radeef Mustafa, a Kurdish lawyer, politician and member of the National Transitional Justice Commission, described Abdi’s demand as a form of political extortion. “The SDF has long excelled at delaying implementation of the agreement,” Mustafa told Al-Modon. “Now, as the deadline approaches, Abdi is using the Druze and Alawite file as another instrument for stalling.”
He warned that such manoeuvres threaten to derail the accord. “Inciting Druze and Alawite discontent with the Syrian state will achieve nothing for the SDF,” he said. Kurdish politician Ali Tami offered a similar assessment, viewing Abdi’s minority-focused pitch as a provocation. Speaking to Al-Modon, Tami said Abdi seeks to portray himself as the chief protector of Syria’s minorities, outshining the government — despite the March agreement’s exclusive focus on the SDF, without extending to other regions.
Forging a Minority Alliance?
Abdi’s push for Druze and Alawite involvement coincides with reports of growing numbers of former regime officers and soldiers joining the SDF in northeast Syria. This trend positions Abdi as a potential architect of a new coalition of Syrian minorities.
Kurdish academic and politician Farid Saadoun explained the rationale to Al-Modon: “The SDF does not present itself as representing a single group. It portrays itself as a composite force of Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Syriacs, and now elements from the Syrian coast.”
This diversity, Saadoun argued, obliges the SDF to advocate for national inclusivity and insist on an agreement that resonates across Syria. “A bilateral Kurdish-Damascus pact will not solve Syria’s problems,” he said. “What is needed is a national reconciliation congress.”
Regarding the timing of Abdi’s remarks, Saadoun said it was expected as the agreement’s deadline looms. “Accusations of obstruction are increasing, with both sides interpreting the accord through their own political lenses. Neither has cultivated the necessary conditions for implementation,” he added.
The March agreement guarantees the representational rights of all Syrians in the political process, affirms the Kurds as an indigenous part of the Syrian fabric, and mandates the integration of the northeast’s civil and military institutions — including border crossings, airports and oil and gas fields — into the Syrian state.
A Leap Forward or Evasion?
Sheikh Mudar Hammad al-Asaad, president of the Supreme Council of Syrian Tribes and Clans, described Abdi’s proposal as an evasion tactic in response to growing American pressure to honour the March agreement. Speaking to Al-Modon, he noted that the warming of US-Syrian relations has placed the SDF under intense strain. “Making Druze and Alawite participation a condition is a clear attempt to escape the agreement,” al-Asaad said.
In his view, Abdi’s move reveals him as a central actor in a project that destabilises Syria. “If this deadlock continues, the March agreement could collapse — especially with the SDF’s continued insistence on demands that cannot be met,” he concluded.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
