Abdi says Ankara visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, on Wednesday said plans are underway for a possible visit to Turkey that could include a meeting with imprisoned Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, as he defended a fragile integration deal with Damascus that has stirred anger among many Kurds in northeast Syria.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abdi acknowledged “mistakes” in negotiations with the Syrian transitional government but said the priority over the past four months has been implementing the Jan. 29 integration and ceasefire agreement with President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
“Our primary focus is the proper implementation of the integration agreement with Damascus,” Abdi said, noting that SDF military units are being reorganized into four brigades within the Syrian army while retaining their original commanders and personnel.
He added that around 12,000 SDF fighters have already been incorporated into the Syrian army structure across brigades stationed in Kobani, Derik (al-Malikiyah), Hasakah and Qamishli, while approximately 50,000 employees of the Autonomous Administration are expected to keep their jobs and receive salaries from Syrian ministries under agreed principles.
Abdi confirmed the SDF “still exists” and will remain in place until the integration process is completed.
Kurdish language and local governance
Tensions have recently flared in Hasakah after Kurdish-language signage was removed from a courthouse, triggering protests. Abdi said language rights remain a core demand in talks with Damascus.
A joint education committee is being formed to ensure the national curriculum is translated and taught in Kurdish in Kurdish-majority areas, he noted, adding that Damascus has agreed to recognize diplomas issued by the Autonomous Administration.
He stressed that in Kurdish-majority areas, governance must be led by locals, while mixed areas such as Hasakah city should be jointly administered by consensus among Kurds, Arabs and Christians.
Women fighters and detainees
On the future of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), Abdi said Damascus has resisted integrating women into combat roles in the army and is pushing for their incorporation into internal security forces instead. “Negotiations are ongoing,” he said.
Regarding detainees, Abdi said around 500 SDF fighters and Kurdish civilians remain in Syrian government custody, while exchanges have so far seen 900 detainees released by Damascus and over 500 by the SDF.
Criticism and concessions
Abdi admitted that the SDF could have shown more flexibility, particularly in Arab-majority areas such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.
“Our mistake was to not seek a middle ground,” he said. “Instead, we demanded that the entire area under our control be treated as a whole, for the reasons that I already described.”
He pointed out that the United States shifted its policy toward supporting Damascus during the fighting, adding that U.S. intervention came “too late” to prevent major territorial losses.
Contacts with Turkey
Abdi confirmed ongoing contacts with Turkish officials and said discussions would be more productive if conducted with Syrian government participation. He said the reopening of the Nusaybin-Qamishli border crossing was agreed with Damascus but postponed following recent unrest in Hasakah.
Asked whether he would travel to Ankara, Abdi said, “Such plans are currently in the making.” He added that a meeting with Ocalan “might” take place if the visit happens.
“He [Ocalan] is a national leader figure, and there is a large constituency here in Rojava [north and northeast Syria] that regards him as such,” Abdi said. “His role remains significant.”