French FM meets with Syrian Kurdish General Mazloum Abdi

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan – Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan (Bakur), with senior Syrian Kurdish officials, General Mazloum Abdi, the top commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Ilham Ahmed, the foreign relations co-chair for the Autonomous Administration in Syrian Kurdistan.

According to reports the meeting reviewed ways to strengthen political dialogue within Syria and examined prospects for regional stability.

Barrot also reiterated France’s backing for a diplomatic resolution involving all Syrian stakeholders.

Paris had previously expressed support for an agreement between the SDF and the Syrian Islamist transitional government, describing such efforts as important for preserving Syria’s territorial unity and ensuring equal rights for its diverse communities.

The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), has established a secular, decentralized self-rule system that emphasizes local governance, gender equality, and environmental responsibility.

The administration is widely respected by Western nations for its democratic model and inclusive approach, particularly for advancing women’s leadership roles in both civil and military structures.

The SDF, supported by the United States and other Western allies, serves as the de facto military of the Kurdish-led administration.

The Kurdish force played a central role in the campaign to defeat the Islamic State, including the capture of the group’s final stronghold in Baghouz, eastern Syria, in March 2019.

Barrot’s visit to Erbil followed a series of engagements in Baghdad. While in the Kurdish capital, he also held separate talks with Iraqi Kurdish leaders from the Barzani family, including Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, and the tribal leader Massoud Barzani, who leads the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

In a statement released by the Barzani office, officials said the French minister was briefed on developments in

General Mazloum Abdi (left), the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) with Nechirvan Barzani, the president of Iraq’s Kurdistan region (Bakur), Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2024. Photo: Barzani’s Press Office

Erbil-Baghdad relations, the status of Iraq’s upcoming elections, and regional Kurdish matters.

Barrot also explored diplomatic efforts related to peace negotiations between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the statement noted.

Nechirvan Barzani also held a separate meeting with Mazloum Abdi in Erbil late Wednesday, during which they discussed a range of issues, including relations between the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, as well as Kurdish participation in shaping Syria’s future, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Presidency.