Massoud Barzani's envoy in Syrian Kurdistan, meets SDF chief

QAMISHLO,— Massoud Barzani, a tribal leader in Iraqi Kurdistan and head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has dispatched a representative to Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) to promote dialogue with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The representative is also set to meet with the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNCS), an opposition group in Syrian Kurdistan affiliated with Barzani.

Hamid Darbandi, an envoy of Barzani, held a meeting on Monday with General Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the SDF, in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasaka,

According to an SDF statement, Darbandi conveyed a message from Barzani highlighting the critical need for Kurdish unity to tackle the ongoing challenges in Syria.

General Abdi, in response, expressed gratitude for Barzani’s message, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts to ensure stability and protect Kurdish interests in the region.

Following his meeting with Abdi, Darbandi held a meeting with the ENKS officials in Qamishlo city.

At the ENKS headquarters, Darbandi met with ENKS leader Mohammed Ismail and other key leaders, advancing Barzani’s diplomatic efforts to promote Kurdish unity in Syria.

Hamid Darbandi, envoy of Massoud Barzani (left), with Mohammed Ismail, president of the Barzani-affiliated KNCS group, in Qamishlo, Syrian Kurdistan, Rojava, on January 13, 2025. Photo: K24

The ENKS, a coalition of 12 small Kurdish political parties backed by Turkey and established by Barzani and the KDP in 2011, opposes the ruling Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which leads the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The ENKS has limited influence on the ground and does not recognize the Syrian Kurdistan self-administration.

Barzani, which opposes the ruling PYD party, has never recognized the autonomous Kurdish administration in Syrian Kurdistan. Political analysts suggest that Barzani views Syrian Kurdistan as a potential political rival.

Barzani, who maintains close ties with the Turkish government, stated in March 2016 that supporting the Kurdish PYD party is equivalent to supporting the PKK—a Kurdish militant group banned by Ankara, saying, “They are exactly the same.”

The Barzanis have enforced an embargo on Syrian Kurdistan for over a decade, keeping the border between Iraqi Kurdistan and Syrian Kurdistan closed, reportedly to appease Turkey.

Turkey, meanwhile, has ramped up threats against the SDF, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning in December 2024 that Kurdish fighters must surrender their weapons or “be buried”

Ankara fears that the establishment of a Kurdish autonomous region in northern Syria could inspire separatist movements among Turkey’s Kurdish population.

The SDF, which includes YPG fighters, has denied ties to the PKK, accusing Turkey of fabricating allegations to justify further incursions into Kurdish region.

The developments come as tensions escalate in Syria, where Salafi Islamist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of the capital on December 8, 2024, after a rapid military campaign.