Talks Intensify Over Future of Kurdish-Led Forces in Syria

Negotiators from multiple nations and factions discuss disarming and integrating Kurdish fighters into Syria’s new defense structure.

Diplomatic discussions involve the U.S., Turkey, Syria, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), focusing on the SDF's future role in Syria's northeast.
Syria's new defense minister, Murhaf Abu Qasra, rejects the SDF's proposal to remain a distinct military bloc within the defense ministry, emphasizing full integration under a unified command.
The SDF seeks a decentralized administration and has expressed openness to integrating with Syria’s defense ministry under certain conditions, but it resists full dissolution.
Turkey demands the disarmament of the SDF and the removal of foreign fighters, viewing the group as a national security threat linked to the PKK, while the U.S. sees the SDF as a critical ally against ISIS.
The negotiations are part of broader efforts to stabilize Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, with unresolved issues including territorial control, management of key resources, and the potential for further Turkish military action.