Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has held talks with delegates of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an official said, adding that they had been “positive”.
“A meeting took place between senior officials of the Syrian Democratic Forces and Jolani in Damascus,” the official said, using Sharaa’s nom de guerre.
Sharaa’s first with Kurdish commanders since his fighters overthrew longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad in early December comes as the SDF is locked in fighting with Turkish-backed factions in northern Syria.
The official said it was a “preliminary meeting to lay the foundations for future dialogue,” adding that both sides had agreed “to continue these meetings to reach future understandings”.
He described the meeting as “positive” and said there would be “intensifying dialogue and meetings in the future”.
Sharaa said that the Kurdish-led forces should be integrated into the new national army.
“Weapons must be in the hands of the state alone. Whoever is armed and qualified to join the defense ministry, we will welcome them,” he said.
“Under these terms and conditions, we will open a negotiations dialogue with the SDF… to perhaps find an appropriate solution.”
