U.S. envoy updates Mazloum Abdi on Trump–Sharaa talks, SDF efforts praised
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, held a phone call late Monday with General Mazloum Abdi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to convey details of Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmad Shar’a at the White House, sources told North Press.
According to the sources, Barrack said that President Trump and President Sharaa discussed the progress of the March 10 Agreement, with Trump seeking updates on the ongoing negotiations. President Shar’a reportedly described the talks as “positive.”
During the meeting, President Trump praised the SDF’s decade-long efforts in combating the Islamic State (ISIS) and maintaining security over detention centers that hold members of the extremist group, according to Barrack. The envoy added that Trump highlighted the SDF’s crucial role in ensuring regional stability and preventing the resurgence of terrorism in northeast Syria.
Barrack noted that one of the main points of the discussion in Washington was the possible inclusion of the Syrian government in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Such a development, if realized, could signal a shift toward broader coordination against the remnants of the extremist organization.
The U.S. envoy also mentioned that Trump inquired about the ongoing negotiations between Syria and Israel. President Sharaa was quoted as saying that the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territories entered after the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8 remained a key precondition for progress.
General Mazloum Abdi, for his part, expressed appreciation for U.S. efforts to support the implementation of the March 10 Agreement. He reaffirmed the SDF’s readiness to contribute to the agreement’s success and emphasized the importance of integrating the institutions of north and east Syria into the broader framework of the Syrian state in a way that preserves stability and security in the region.
The SDF, backed by the U.S.-led Coalition, continues to be a central force in maintaining security and counterterrorism operations across vast areas of northeast Syria under the administration of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).