The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, expressed his readiness to hand over border control in areas under his forces’ control to the new Damascus government.

Abdi told the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on Friday, December 27, that he is “in principle” ready to transfer the responsibility of border security to the new authorities in Damascus.

Abdi pointed out that there has been field coordination with the Military Operations Administration since the second day of the “Deterrence of Aggression” battle, but “there are no direct political negotiations” with the new Damascus government.

Reports have emerged about SDF sending a representative to Damascus to meet with the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa, but no statements have been issued from either side regarding that.

SDF controls parts of eastern Aleppo countryside and the eastern Euphrates region in northeastern Syria, except for the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.

On December 12, Abdi mentioned that SDF has agreements with the Military Operations Administration regarding Aleppo and Deir Ezzor governorates, indicating there is an agreement for both eastern and western Deir Ezzor

According to Abdi, the Military Operations Administration informed SDF about its military operation, assuring them that SDF-controlled areas are not its targets.

In his latest interview with Asharq al-Awsat, Abdi said he is ready to integrate into the new Syrian Army after agreeing on a “suitable formula through negotiations.”

Abdi confirmed in his talk with the British newspaper, The Times, on December 24 that his forces, composed of 100,000 elements, are ready to dissolve themselves and join the new Syrian Army.

This aspect resembles the offer Abdi previously made to the former regime, which saw no response from the Assad regime.

In the same context, the director of the media center for the SDF, Farhad Shami, stated in an interview with Sky News Arabia last Tuesday that they are “ready to join the new Syrian Army, but it requires discussions.”

SDF’s statement about its intention to join the new Syrian Army came just hours after the announcement by the Military Operations Administration to resolve all military factions and integrate them under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, SDF issued statements leaning towards avoiding direct confrontation with the Damascus government.

These statements coincided with a noticeable rapprochement between the new Damascus government and Turkey, along with Turkey’s rising pressure against SDF and its refusal to establish a ceasefire, with ongoing clashes between SDF and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in the Aleppo countryside.

SDF had allowed the previous regime’s army and Russia to enter its controlled areas in October 2019, after the Turkish-backed National Army expanded its control during the Peace Spring operation, in which it took control of the border cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.