ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are approaching integration talks with Damascus with great seriousness, a senior commander from the Kurdish-led forces told Rudaw on Monday, lamenting however that progress remains stalled because their positive steps are not being reciprocated and due to a lack of political will from the Damascus leadership.
SDF Chief Mazloum Abdi and Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a landmark agreement on March 10 aimed at bringing all civil and military institutions in northeast Syria (Rojava) - including the SDF - under centralized state control and establishing a nationwide ceasefire.
Abu Omar al-Idlibi, a senior commander in the North Democratic Forces - a component of the SDF - told Rudaw that the agreement has yet to progress from the negotiation table to implementation.
“We in the Syrian Democratic Forces have been approaching the negotiation track with seriousness and a sense of national responsibility,” Idlibi said, noting that this engagement “has not been reciprocated with comparable steps from the Damascus government so far.”
In a written response to Rudaw’s questions, he added that there is currently “no actual timeline” for implementation because it requires “a serious political decision from the other party.”
Idlibi also dismissed claims by some Syrian officials that the SDF has failed to uphold commitments, saying the stalemate in implementing the key accord stems from the “persistent procrastination and obstruction” by the government. He stressed that the deal should be seen as a framework for “partnership and integration, not an attempt to impose unilateral visions.”
Talks to implement the March 10 Agreement have been ongoing since it was signed. The Kurdish delegation includes members of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) and the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), a coalition of influential Kurdish parties in Rojava.
However, disputes with Damascus have emerged over SDF integration. Kurdish negotiators want the forces integrated as a unified bloc, while the Syrian side prefers absorbing them individually into regular army units. Governance is another key sticking point, with Kurdish parties advocating for a decentralized system, citing past grievances and oppression under the toppled Ba’ath regime.
Idlibi told Rudaw that for the Kurdish parties, “the issue of decentralization emerges as a key pillar for the [March 10] Agreement’s success,” stressing that “the absence of serious engagement on decentralization remains a real barrier to its implementation” and affirming that “decentralization represents a national safeguard for Syria’s unity and stability.”
Following is the full transcript of the interview with Abu Omar al-Idilbi, a senior commander in the North Democratic Forces - a component of the SDF.
Rudaw: What practical steps have been taken to integrate your forces into the Syrian Army, and is there a clear timeline?
Abu Omar al-Idlibi: We in the Syrian Democratic Forces have been approaching the negotiation track with seriousness and a sense of national responsibility, and we remain committed to presenting all the practical measures that would lay the ground for implementing the integration process within a unifying Syrian vision. However, this positive engagement has not been reciprocated with comparable steps from the Damascus government so far - a point we have made clear on multiple occasions through the officials responsible for the negotiation file and through our leadership. As of now, there is no actual timeline, because moving to the implementation phase requires a serious political decision from the other party.
You reaffirm your commitment to the March 10 Agreement at a time when Damascus says some of your pledges have not been fulfilled. How do you respond?
The truth is that the March 10 Agreement has not yet entered into actual implementation - not because of any flaw in its content, but due to the persistent procrastination and obstruction that continue to hinder the negotiation process. This agreement requires genuine national will and a responsible approach grounded in partnership and integration, not the logic of imposing or enforcing unilateral visions. The March 10 Agreement offers a comprehensive national framework, and any obstruction to it undermines the future of the country as a whole.
What are the main files currently on the table, and have you reached any final points of agreement?
In our negotiations with the Damascus government, we rely on a realistic, nationally grounded vision that reflects the aspirations of all Syrian components without exception. The files under discussion cover the political, military, and administrative tracks, all treated as part of one interconnected package. So far, we remain in the stage of exchanging proposals, with some promising indicators to build upon. For that reason, we express cautious optimism that tangible progress can be achieved in implementing the provisions of the March 10 Agreement in the coming period.
What are the most prominent obstacles currently facing the negotiations?
The core obstacle does not lie in technical details, but in the divergent visions of how the March 10 Agreement should be implemented. We regard it as an agreement built on integration and cooperation among political, military, and administrative capacities and expertise. Yet there are still those who approach it as a path toward containment or the dissolution of the areas of northeast Syria (Rojava).
This is why the issue of decentralization emerges as a key pillar for the agreement’s success. The absence of serious engagement on decentralization remains a real barrier to implementation - despite the fact that decentralization represents a national safeguard for Syria’s unity and stability.
Were any official positions or posts offered to SDF or SDC senior figures within the structure of the Syrian state during the negotiations?
We do not approach this issue through the lens of positions or offers; it is neither about quotas nor personal gains. The March 10 Agreement is built on sharing national responsibilities and putting expertise and capabilities to work in service of Syria’s unity and sovereignty. Any role or position that might arise within this framework is a national duty - not a concession from one side to another.
How do you respond to the statement by the information minister that decentralization or federalism is dead?
These statements are politicized and ideologically-driven, and the fact that it was delivered through a Turkish media outlet strips it of any national credibility. The minister in question already faces widespread criticism from diverse segments of the Syrian people for his irresponsible positions and remarks. We believe that Syria’s future cannot be shaped through media posturing, but through a serious national dialogue that respects the rights and aspirations of all Syrians.