French Foreign Minister to Meet SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - As a diplomatic corridor stretches from Damascus to Baghdad and now toward Erbil, the arrival of two key regional actors is set to converge in the Kurdistan Region, where security, political guarantees, and cross-border stability are expected to dominate a high-level meeting.

Hoshmand Sadiq, Kurdistan24 correspondent, said that on Thursday, Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), will arrive in Erbil to meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

Barrot is currently on a regional diplomatic tour that began on Feb. 5 and includes Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. According to Pascal Confavreux, spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit aims to strengthen cooperation with federal authorities in Baghdad and, in particular, with the Kurdistan Region.

AFP reported that, as part of his visit to Iraq, the French minister is expected to travel to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, where he will meet with senior officials.

In Erbil, Barrot intends to hold discussions on consolidating regional stability and ensuring the continuity of the fight against the terrorist organization ISIS.

One of the key issues expected to be raised during meetings in Erbil and Baghdad is the case of ISIS fighters of French origin who were previously transferred from Syria to detention facilities in Iraq and are awaiting trial.

Barrot’s first stop on the tour is Damascus, where he is meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani. France, which considers itself a guarantor for the protection of Kurdish rights since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, is pressing for the full implementation of the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Damascus government.

Paris places significant importance on the recognition of Kurdish institutions within the new Syrian state and on Kurds assuming a central political role in the country’s new framework.

The French foreign minister is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Friday. There, he will discuss the Lebanese government’s plan to disarm Hezbollah, as well as preparations for the Paris conference to support the Lebanese army, which is set to be held in March.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot launched a regional tour on Feb. 5, including Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The tour was confirmed by Pascal Confavreux, spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and reported by AFP. Erbil is a key stop within this itinerary, linking France’s diplomatic engagement with security, cooperation, and regional political arrangements.

With Mazloum Abdi’s arrival and Barrot’s expected stop, Erbil becomes a central junction in a regional diplomatic arc that ties security, dialogue, and political guarantees into a single meeting point.