The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, met with the former president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Masoud Barzani, in the capital of the region, Erbil, in what is considered the first such meeting since the establishment of the SDF.
Hoshyar Zebari, a member of the political bureau of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Iraq, announced that a meeting took place in Erbil between Masoud Barzani and Mazloum Abdi, who came from northeastern Syria.
Zebari stated in a post on “X” (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, January 16, that the meeting was held today in Erbil, marking an important achievement for “strengthening Kurdish unity.”
He indicated that the meeting would allow the new Syrian rulers in Damascus to achieve a smooth political transition.
Zebari also added in a separate post on “X” that a meeting took place on Wednesday between the Prime Minister of Kurdistan, Masrour Barzani, and the president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani, which included candid and constructive discussions about the negotiation process to form a new Kurdistan government as soon as possible.
Hours before announcing the meeting, the head of the Department of Foreign Relations in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Safeen Dizayee, spoke about an impending meeting between Abdi and Barzani, although he did not specify the timing precisely.
He told Shafaq News Agency that the “sudden” changes in Syria directly affect the region and Iraq, emphasizing the need to deal with the new reality in the area.
He added, “We have tried and are trying to enhance closeness and understanding among the Kurdish parties. In this context, there was a special envoy for President Masoud Barzani to Syria to communicate with the local authorities, and we look forward to further rapprochement between the involved parties.”
On Wednesday, the American site “The Monitor” reported from three informed sources (whose names were not disclosed) that Abdi, Washington’s primary ally in the campaign against the Islamic State group, would meet with Masoud Barzani, the former president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the oldest statesman in Kurdish politics.
The sources suggested that the meeting would be held this week at Barzani’s headquarters in the capital of the Kurdistan Region, Erbil.
On January 14 of this year, a delegation representing the former president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Masoud Barzani, arrived in northeastern Syria and met with Abdi and the Kurdish National Council in northeastern Syria, calling for “unity,” according to the SDF’s official website.
During the meeting, Dr. Hamid Darbandi conveyed a message of support from Barzani, emphasizing the “importance of Kurdish unity” and enhancing joint cooperation to face current challenges in Syria.
Deep disagreements
The relationship between the SDF and the Kurdish National Council has long-standing disagreements, extending into Iraqi Kurdistan, where there is a division between two Kurdish currents: the “Barzanians” (referring to the current led by Masoud Barzani) and the “Talabanians” (referring to the second current led by Bafel Talabani).
The SDF is allied with the “Talabanians,” based in the city of Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, who are also allied with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), while the Kurdish National Council leans toward the “Barzanians,” who are close to Turkey.
Disagreements between the SDF and the Kurdish National Council erupted, resulting in the exclusion of the Council from any form of administration in northeastern Syria. Moreover, pro-SDF military groups have detained members of the Council, with some still imprisoned today.