On Monday, January 13, President Masoud Barzani’s representative Hamid Darbandi traveled to northeastern Syria for talks with key figures, including Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi and the leadership of the Kurdish National Council (KNC), an umbrella organization composed of various Syrian Kurdish parties.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces Mazloum Abdi received Dr. Hamid Darbandi, the representative of President Masoud Barzani, in a meeting that focused on the latest developments in Kurdish and regional affairs.
— People’s Defense Units - YPG (@YPGinfo) January 13, 2025
During the meeting, Dr. Darbandi conveyed a… pic.twitter.com/Wc7nGyJmSA
Following the meeting, Faisal Youssef, the official spokesperson for the KNC in Syria, stated during a press conference that the KNC’s leadership was proud to receive President Barzani’s representative in Qamishli, reported ARK News.
Youssef added that the representative conveyed a historic message to the KNC and SDF Commander-in-Chief Abdi, and noted that the visit helped break the ice between the KNC and the SDF-backed Kurdish National Unity Parties.
Youssef further explained that the visit of President Barzani’s representative is part of ongoing support for Syrian Kurdistan (Western Kurdistan), bringing optimism to all segments of the Kurdish population in Syria.
President Masoud Barzani initiative to reach out to SDF Commander in NE Syria and to push for Kurdish unity in dealing with the new rulers of Syria of HTS is another development towards helping Syria to move smoothly in the transitional period toward stability and harmony.
— Hoshyar Zebari (@HoshyarZebari) January 13, 2025
The KNC spokesperson emphasized that President Barzani has highlighted the importance of Kurdish unity and a unified stance in the upcoming phase, expressing hope for reaching an agreement that serves the interests of the Kurdish people.
The SDF in a press release said that during the meeting, Darbandi conveyed a message of support from President Barzani, emphasizing the importance of Kurdish unity and strengthening joint cooperation to confront the current challenges in Syria.
For his part, SDF Commander-in-Chief Abdi expressed his appreciation for President Barzani’s message and support, stressing that the current phase requires concerted efforts from all Kurdish parties to achieve stability and safeguard the interests of the Kurdish people.
Kurdish leader @masoud_barzani dispatched representative Dr Hamid Darbandi for talks with key figures in NE Syria, including General @MazloumAbdi and the Kurdish National Council (KNC) - an umbrella of Kurdish parties/figures.
— Aziz Ahmad (@azizkahmad) January 13, 2025
They have all called for unity in the face of… pic.twitter.com/9XUVmOrHh3
Former Foreign Minister of Iraq and senior Kurdistan Democratic Party official Hoshyar Zebari in a post on X wrote that President Masoud Barzani’s initiative to reach out to the SDF represented a “push for Kurdish unity in dealing with the new rulers of Syria of HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham)” and “is another development towards helping Syria to move smoothly in the transitional period toward stability and harmony.”
Read More: President Barzani Calls for Kurdish Unity in Syria
Previously, in a meeting with the KNC delegation in Erbil on January 8, President Masoud Barzani also stressed his support for the cause of the Kurdish people in Syria and the necessity of unifying positions among the Kurdish parties.
President Barzani also underlined that the interests of the Kurdish people in Syria should be taken into account, and dialogue and peaceful means should be adopted to resolve differences.
Darbandi’s visit comes amid an initiative by France and the United States to bring Kurdish parties together in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, and the takeover of Damascus by HTS.
Darbandi was also accompanied by U.S. officials during his visit to the KNC.
