The commander of Kurdish forces which run the northeast of Syria announced on May 3oth that his group is in talks with Turkey and that he is willing to rebuild relations with the country, The New Arab and agencies reported.
Mazloum Abdi, who is chief commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has expressed interest in meeting with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan.
Abdi’s comments indicate a significant diplomatic shift, as the SDF battled against Turkish soldiers and Turkish-backed Syrian rebels during the civil war of Syria.
Abdi said: “We have direct ties, direct channels of communication with Turkey, as well as through mediators, and we hope that these ties are developed.”
While Syria’s Kurdish region appears to be attempting to spearhead bilateral relations, the Syrian government has faced criticism for not being inclusive from its northeastern counterpart. The Kurdish-run administration in northeast Syria dismissed the legitimacy of the existing Syrian government, stating that it “does not reflect the country’s diversity,” Al Monitor via AFP reported on May 31st.
Despite the fact that there was international pressure for an inclusive transitional government, only four ministers in the government come from minority communities. A Christian, a Druze, a Kurd and an Alawite were appointed, although none received key roles.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated on March 31st that the newly formed transitional government would prioritise consensus to rebuild the war-ravaged country. But according to Al Monitor via AFP he acknowledged that it would not be possible for the government to meet everyone’s needs.
The 23-member cabinet of Syria, which does not include a prime minister, was unveiled on March 29th. This comes after Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led the offensive that toppled longtime president Bashar al-Assad.
The majority of Syria’s cabinet members are close allies of Sharaa or figures politically aligned with him. Sharaa maintained that ministers were appointed based on their skills and abilities, “without particular ideological or political orientations.”
The government’s composition predominantly consists of Sunni Muslims, reflecting Syria’s demographic makeup. The Assad family, which ruled the country for decades, belongs to the Alawite minority.
Sharaa defended the government’s structure, stating that it considered “the diversity of Syrian society” while dismissing a quota system for ethnic and religious minority groups.
Earlier in March, Sharaa enacted a constitutional declaration outlining a five-year transitional period. Rights groups and analysts have warned that the document consolidates power in Sharaa’s hands and lacks sufficient protections for minority communities.
Meanwhile, the country has witnessed a surge in sectarian violence, with recent massacres in Alawite-majority regions marking the deadliest incidents since Assad’s removal.
Sharaa has pledged accountability for those responsible for “bloodshed of civilians” and announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the attacks.
Al Monitor via AFP, The New Arab and agencies
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