Barrack says SDF integration with Syria still needs political deal
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Syria Tom Barrack on Friday said that the integration of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian transitional government has advanced on the military level, but political and educational issues remain unresolved.
Speaking in a video interview with commentator Mario Nawfal, Barrack described the SDF and the Kurds as a central part of the complex challenges facing the transitional government, saying Washington had worked to help broker an arrangement between the two sides.
“General Mazloum announced the dissolution of SDF and the full integration on a military basis of that Kurdish northeast,” Barrack said, referring to SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi.
He added that “We’re still working on the political aspect, the educational aspect,” but said the parties were making progress.
Barrack added that the SDF’s integration was particularly sensitive because the force had fought alongside the United States during the campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS).
He described the SDF as “friends of America” and “allies for America,” noting that its forces had fought alongside U.S. troops throughout the anti-ISIS campaign.
“General Mazloum, who is a sensational general who helped us through a very difficult period, was now being integrated or was required to become integrated into the Syrian government,” Barrack said.
He characterized the process as a “shock to the Kurdish system,” while noting that the issue was further complicated by the long-running conflict between Turkey and Kurdish forces.
ISIS threat
Barrack also linked the SDF’s future role to the continued threat posed by ISIS in Syria.
He said that around 9,400 ISIS prisoners were being held in prisons in Syria without what he described as a clear judicial process or long-term resolution strategy.
He also cited around 75,000 women and children associated with ISIS prisoners living in camps, including Hawl and Roj, describing the humanitarian conditions as severe.
According to Barrack, the unresolved fate of ISIS detainees and their families was among the issues contributing to regional concerns over Syria’s security vacuum.
He indicated that Turkey, Israel and Syria were coordinating against ISIS as the group sought to exploit instability and rebuild its presence.
Kurdish-Turkish tensions
Barrack said that the SDF integration process must also be viewed against the backdrop of decades of conflict between Turkey and Kurdish forces.
He distinguished between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the United States, and the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which formed a major component of the SDF.
He pointed out that the United States had worked with Kurdish forces through the SDF framework during the campaign against ISIS.
Barrack also said that Turkey had sought security arrangements along its border with northeastern Syria, including military positions and training activities, because of its concerns over Kurdish forces.
He described the situation in northeastern Syria as another layer of the broader regional tensions surrounding the Syrian transitional government.
Syria-Israel talks
Barrack said that Washington had also been working to facilitate direct discussions between Syria and Israel, describing a series of formal and informal meetings as “quite productive.”
He added that the talks initially focused on border security and de-escalation rather than broader political issues, with the sides discussing arrangements to monitor the border and military activity in the area.
According to Barrack, Syria’s transitional government had sought to reassure Israel that it was not pursuing an adversarial policy toward it.
Barrack pointed out that the fall of the Assad regime and the emergence of a new administration had prompted Israel to question the intentions and identity of the new authorities, particularly given the presence of foreign fighters and the lack of a fully developed Syrian foreign policy at the time.
He indicated that the United States had been pushing to revive bilateral Syria-Israel discussions following recent tensions, emphasizing the need for continued communication between the two sides.
Golan Heights
Barrack also addressed Israel’s continued occupation of the Golan Heights, saying that the territory remains an unresolved issue between Syria and Israel.
“Israel still occupies the Golan against the UN resolutions, against all of the international order which has said the Golan is Syrian,” he said.
Barrack questioned how long Israeli incursions into Syrian territory could continue before regional tensions begin to ease.
His remarks came as discussions over a security arrangement between Syria and Israel remain closely linked to Israel’s concerns over border security and the future posture of Syria’s transitional government.
Syria’s political future
Barrack said that the broader objective should be to preserve Syria as a sovereign and independent country while addressing the security concerns of neighboring states.
He added that Turkey had rejected the idea of taking control of Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, arguing that Ankara wanted Syria to remain “a sovereign and independent country.”
Barrack added that the challenge was to resolve competing concerns involving the transitional government, the Kurds, the SDF, Turkey and ISIS without allowing the situation to escalate into a wider conflict.
“Syria the same,” Barrack said when discussing the country’s economic potential, describing it as possessing fossil fuels and the potential to become a trading hub and regional corridor.
He noted that the regional powers were increasingly being pushed toward taking greater responsibility for regional security, while Washington sought to reduce tensions and encourage dialogue among the parties.