US Secretary of State Meets Syrian FM and SDF Commander in Landmark Munich Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A rare and high-level diplomatic encounter unfolded on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where the foreign ministers of the United States, Syrian FM, and Mazloum Abdi, General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) met, alongside senior Kurdish representatives.

The meeting brought together Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, Asaad al-Shaibani, Syrian Foreign Minister, and Mazloum Abdi, General Commander of the SDF. Ilham Ahmed was also present at the talks.

Held within the framework of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, the gathering marked a moment of direct engagement between senior US and Syrian officials, with Kurdish leadership figures participating in the discussions.

Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces published photos from the meeting and stated: 

“The meeting that brought together the Syrian delegation, which included the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces Mazloum Abdi, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and Ms. Ilham Ahmed, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has concluded in the city of Munich, Germany.

“During the meeting, the issue of integration was discussed, as well as ensuring the rights of all Syrian components in the political process, foremost among them the Kurds and the Druze, and the importance of continuing to combat the terrorist organization ISIS.

“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that US President Donald Trump places the Syrian file, the integration process, the implementation of agreements, and combating terrorism among his top priorities.

“The General Commander and the accompanying delegation are expected to continue their meetings.”

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) also reported that the Syrian delegation, headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

According to SANA, the meeting addressed key local and regional developments, with an emphasis on Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The American side affirmed the United States’ support for the Syrian government and the recent integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces, as well as the Syrian state’s efforts in combating ISIS.

The talks also covered bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them across various fields.

The diplomatic engagement comes as the second phase of the agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF was carried out on Friday in the town center of Tell Brak and nearby villages.

Under the deal, SDF units withdrew from central Tell Brak and surrounding areas, handing over their positions to the Internal Security Forces, better known as Asayish. At the same time, Syrian Arab Army troops were redeployed to Shaddadi town and southern Hasakah, according to officials involved in the process.

Regarding the implementation of another phase of the agreement, Faruq Ali, a member of the Asayish in Western Kurdistan, told Kurdistan24: “Following the ceasefire and the agreement between the SDF and the interim government of Damascus, the SDF will withdraw from the center and surrounding cities to designated locations within the military brigades established for them. Simultaneously, the Asayish will be moving to SDF bases, checkpoints, and positions in the cities.”

Once implementation in Tell Brak is completed, the next phase will begin in Tel Hamees and Tel Kocher, where similar arrangements are expected. The SDF will also formally establish headquarters for the brigades created under the agreement.

Farhad Shami, head of the SDF Media Center, told Kurdistan24 that implementation is divided into four brigades: one designated for Kobani and three others to be stationed in different regions.

He said the brigades will be organized geographically: one based in Hasakah covering Dirbasiyah and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ayn); another in Qamishlo covering Amuda, Tell Brak, and Tel Hamees.

Shami added that the total number of recruits for these brigades has not yet been finalized and remains under negotiation.

The SDF stated that civilian institutions affiliated with the Syrian government will gradually return to cities and towns across Western Kurdistan once the military phase concludes.

Separately, the transfer of detained ISIS members from Syrian prisons is nearing completion, with more than 5,000 already transferred to Iraq.

However, two key elements of the agreement remain unresolved: the fate of captured SDF fighters held by Syrian authorities and the lifting of the siege on Kobani. Officials say that once these issues are addressed, the main provisions of the SDF–Damascus agreement will be fully implemented.

The Munich talks thus unfolded against a backdrop of ongoing military and administrative restructuring on the ground, as both diplomatic and field-level tracks continue to advance in parallel.

Updated on Feb. 13, 2025, at 9:23 pm.