U.S. envoy has urged the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to complete their their military and administrative integration into the Syrian state by the end of the year during high-level talks held in Iraq this week, media reports said.
U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, met SDF chief Mazloum Abid and Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani on June 16 in Erbil.
Media reports said on June 18 that Barrack stressed that Washington expects the integration process to be finalized by the end of 2026. He also reportedly underscored that severing ties between the SDF and PKK remains a key U.S. priority.
Sources cited by Al Arabiya said Barrack conveyed to Abdi that Washington expects not only the formal termination of organizational links with the PKK but also the removal of all PKK cadres from areas in northeastern Syria.
Economic issues were also discussed during the meeting, including prospective oil agreements involving U.S. companies operating in oil fields under SDF administration and mechanisms for sharing revenues with the Syrian government.
According to the reports, SDF authorities could initially receive a share equivalent to around 10 percent of production from the fields, with the possibility of a larger allocation at a later stage.
Following the meetings in Erbil, Abdi embarked on a diplomatic tour of Europe. He arrived in Italy late on June 17 and held talks with officials from Italy’s foreign and defense ministries.
After concluding his visit to Italy, Abdi is expected to travel to France, where he is anticipated to meet French President Emmanuel Macron.
