Syria says talks with US-backed SDF have yielded no results

Syria has publicly stated that its negotiations with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have failed to yield any concrete results. A senior Foreign Ministry source told state media that despite the SDF's public rhetoric about ongoing dialogue, the talks have not led to meaningful progress on the ground.

Accusations of Bad Faith and Division

The Syrian source claimed that the SDF's statements appear designed for media consumption and to alleviate political pressure rather than to advance genuine reunification. The ministry criticized the situation in northeast Syria, where the SDF holds sway, noting that administrative and military institutions operate outside state control, thereby entrenching division. It warned that "current proposals for decentralization go beyond administrative arrangements into political and security decentralization that threatens state unity."

Concerns Over Governance and Security

The statement further accused the SDF of political exclusion and a concentration of decision-making power, failing to represent the region's social diversity. Damascus reiterated that the SDF is dominated by the YPG, which it designates as a terrorist group and the Syrian branch of the PKK. This aligns with the position of neighboring Türkiye, which also designates the YPG/PKK as terrorists and has consistently warned that the group's presence threatens regional security, affecting Türkiye's border areas directly.

Context of a Stalled Agreement

The criticism follows an agreement announced on March 10 for the SDF's integration into Syrian state institutions, which affirmed territorial unity. Syrian authorities now claim the SDF has shown no effort to fulfill the terms of that deal in the subsequent months. Officials in Türkiye have similarly emphasized that the SDF must adhere to this agreement, highlighting that stability in northern Syria is a shared security interest.