Syrian President al-Sharaa and SDF General Commander Abdi discuss next phase of integration agreement

05/08/2026

DARAMSUQ — Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi met on Tuesday at the People’s Palace in Daramsuq (Damascus) to discuss the ongoing implementation of the 29 January Agreement, marking continued progress in the political and military process aimed at integrating the institutions and armed forces of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES) into Syrian state structures.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the meeting was attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Dayro Zcuro (Deir ez-Zor) Governor Ziad al-Aiesh.

The discussions focused on completing the remaining phases of the agreement’s implementation, including mechanisms for integrating SDF-affiliated military forces and administrative institutions into official state structures.

According to SANA, both sides held detailed talks on the executive steps required to integrate military units and civilian administrations, describing the process as part of broader efforts to enhance stability and consolidate state authority across various regions of Syria.

The meeting marks the latest milestone in implementing the agreement signed on 29 January, following months of negotiations and intermittent tensions between Damascus and the SDF.

The agreement established a political and security framework for reintegrating areas of northeastern Syria into state institutions.

Under its provisions, SDF fighters will undergo security vetting before being individually integrated into the Ministries of Defense and Interior. The agreement also provides for the integration of DAARNES civilian and military institutions, the regulation of border crossings and oil and gas fields, and the restructuring of local security arrangements.

Over recent months, several practical steps have been taken to implement the agreement, including the appointment of Nour al-Din Ahmad as Governor of Hasakah in February, followed by the appointment of Sipan Hammo as Assistant Minister of Defense for Eastern Region Affairs in March, as part of the understandings reached between the two sides.

The agreement also provides for the formation of a Syrian Army brigade composed of three SDF regiments based in northeastern Syria, in addition to an independent regiment for the Kobani region, as part of efforts to reorganize the military structure within the state’s official institutions.

Implementation of the agreement coincides with the continued reduction of the US military presence in Syria.

Last April, the United States completed its withdrawal from the Qasrok base, after which the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it had assumed control of the facility. Khrab al-Jir now remains the only military base in Syria where US forces are still stationed.

Proposals for Future of Women’s Protection Units

In parallel with the ongoing discussions, Roken Jamal, spokesperson for the Women’s Protection Units (Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, YPJ) Media Center, revealed that proposals have been put forward for the YPJ to join the Syrian Ministry of Interior as an independent counterterrorism force. She emphasized that the proposal remains under discussion and that no final decision has been made.

In remarks published on the YPJ’s official website, Jamal said negotiations with the Syrian government are continuing within the framework of the 29 January Agreement, adding that the YPJ leadership has not yet received any official notification regarding the organization’s future status.

She said a YPJ delegation had previously met with Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra in April, during which it submitted a written proposal outlining the group’s vision for integration while preserving its distinct identity.

Jamal added that further meetings between YPJ representatives and Syrian government officials are expected to take place in Daramsuq in the coming days to continue discussions on the proposed arrangements. She affirmed that the YPJ would continue working toward a legal framework that preserves its legacy and institutional status within any future security structure.

The meeting in Daramsuq comes amid an accelerating political and military process aimed at redefining the relationship between the Syrian government and the DAARNES. Domestic and regional observers are closely monitoring how the integration process unfolds and its implications for local governance, security dynamics, and the position of the region’s ethnic and religious communities, including the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people, in northeastern Syria.