US Envoy, SDF Chief meet in Erbil amid Syria tensions
Shafaq News– Erbil
US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), arrived in Erbil on Saturday ahead of a planned meeting later in the day, mediated by Nechirvan Barzani, the Kurdistan Region’s president.
US-based outlet Al-Monitor reported on Friday that Erbil would host the talks to prevent further escalation in Syria. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is viewed as a trusted channel by Washington and the SDF, while also maintaining close ties with Turkiye, a key regional actor.
The meeting follows heavy Syrian government bombardment of SDF positions in the Deir Hafer area east of Aleppo, where artillery and missile strikes were reported. In the aftermath, Abdi announced the withdrawal of his forces from areas east of Aleppo, citing compliance with the March 10 agreement reached with Damascus, which provides for the integration of the Kurdish self-administration’s civil and military institutions into the framework of the Syrian state.
