US Envoy links SDF integration to ceasefire adherence in Syria
Shafaq News– Erbil
On Thursday, US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack and the Syrian Democratic Forces Commander (SDF) agreed in a meeting in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, that upholding the current ceasefire with the Syrian government is the essential first step toward advancing the integration process in the state institutions.
In a post on X, Barrack said that the United States expressed commitment to advancing the integration process outlined in the January 18 agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government.
We were honored to meet today with General Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed.The United States reaffirmed its strong support for and commitment to advancing the integration process outlined in the January 18 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government.…
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) January 22, 2026
Earlier today, an informed source told Shafaq News that Erbil will host “decisive” discussions between Barrack and Abdi to seal a comprehensive 14-point framework regulating relations between the Kurdish group and Damascus. The meeting marked the second in Erbil, following a previous gathering on January 17.
On January 20, Syria’s Defense Ministry announced a four-day ceasefire with the SDF, which the group said it would fully observe, as the Syrian presidency unveiled a preliminary framework for Hasakah outlining steps toward administrative and military integration. Despite the announcement, both sides have accused each other of violating the truce amid exchanges of heavy weapons fire.
