The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, expressed his readiness to transfer border control in areas under his forces’ control to the new Damascus government.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday, December 27, Abdi stated that he was “in principle” prepared to hand over border security responsibilities to the new authorities in Damascus.
Abdi mentioned that there has been field-level coordination with the “Military Operations Administration” since the second day of the “Deterring Aggression” campaign. However, he clarified that there are “no direct political negotiations” with the new Damascus government.
Reports have circulated about the SDF sending a representative to Damascus to meet with the head of the “New Syrian Administration,” Ahmad al-Sharaa, though neither party has issued any official statements regarding such a meeting.
Integrate into the army
The SDF controls parts of the eastern Aleppo countryside and the area east of the Euphrates in northeastern Syria, excluding the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn.
On December 12, Abdi revealed that the SDF has agreements with the “Military Operations Administration” regarding Aleppo and Deir-ez-Zor provinces, indicating an understanding of both eastern and western Deir-ez-Zor.
Sharaa Meets Leaders of Military Factions, Agree to Integrate Them Under Ministry of Defense
According to Abdi, the “Military Operations Administration” informed the SDF of its military plans, assuring them that SDF-controlled areas are not targets of its operations.
In his latest interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdi expressed readiness to integrate into the new Syrian army once a “suitable framework is agreed upon through negotiations.”
In a December 24 interview with the British Times, Abdi reiterated that his 100,000-strong forces are prepared to dissolve and join the new Syrian army. This stance mirrors a similar proposal Abdi had previously made to the former regime, which went unanswered by the Assad government.
Similarly, Farhad Shami, head of the SDF Media Center, told Sky News Arabia last Tuesday that the SDF is “ready to join the new Syrian army, but the matter requires discussions.”
“Operation Peace Spring”
The SDF’s statements about joining the new Syrian army came just hours after the “Military Operations Administration” announced an agreement to dissolve all military factions and merge them under the Ministry of Defense’s umbrella.
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, the SDF emphasized avoiding direct confrontation with the Damascus government.
These statements coincided with the growing rapprochement between the new Damascus government and Turkey, alongside escalating Turkish pressure on the SDF, including its refusal to halt military operations and continued clashes between the SDF and the Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army” in Aleppo’s countryside.
In October 2019, during Turkey’s “Operation Peace Spring,” which resulted in the capture of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn along the Turkish border, the SDF allowed the former regime’s forces and Russia to enter areas under its control to counter the expansion of the “Syrian National Army.”
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.
