Syrian Government Thanks President Barzani for Peace Efforts and Ceasefire Implementation
Syria thanked President Masoud Barzani for his mediation role in supporting peace and implementing a ceasefire, highlighting efforts to prevent civilian bloodshed amid clashes involving the SDF and Syrian army.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Syrian government has expressed appreciation for the role played by Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani in supporting peace efforts and facilitating the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, emphasizing his contribution to preventing the shedding of innocent civilian blood.
On Wednesday, Qutaiba Idlibi, the official responsible for the United States file at Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Kurdistan24 that Damascus “thanks the role of President and leader Masoud Barzani” for his involvement in Syria’s complexities and for the mediation efforts he has undertaken. Idlibi stressed the importance of implementing agreements reached and preventing the bloodshed of innocent civilians.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions following developments earlier this month. On Jan. 12, the Syrian Arab Army launched attacks on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo province, both predominantly Kurdish areas. Since that date, direct clashes erupted between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Arab Army, with fighting later expanding toward the surroundings of Hasakah province and the city of Kobani.
In the latest related developments, the official responsible for the US file at the Syrian Foreign Ministry told Kurdistan24 that Syrian Democratic Forces had been granted a four-day period to integrate into Syrian state institutions. According to Idlibi, this grace period was provided through US mediation.
Since the outbreak of direct fighting between the SDF and the Syrian Arab Army, President Barzani has remained actively engaged in efforts aimed at protecting Kurds in Western Kurdistan and safeguarding their political and cultural rights within Syria’s new state framework.
As part of these efforts, President Barzani has held several telephone conversations with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, during which he emphasized the protection of Kurdish rights in Western Kurdistan.
On Jan. 17, with the participation of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi, a meeting was held in Erbil with Tom Barrack, the US president’s special envoy for Syrian affairs. The meeting focused on guaranteeing the rights of Kurds in Western Kurdistan within the new political structure of the Syrian state.
As clashes and negotiations unfold simultaneously, Damascus’s acknowledgment of President Barzani’s mediation underscores his continued role in pushing for ceasefire implementation, political guarantees, and the protection of Kurdish rights amid Syria’s shifting landscape.