A Syrian Kurdish official stated that recent talks held in Damascus between a delegation from the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on one side and representatives of the Syrian government on the other ended without making any progress due to Damascus' refusal to adopt a decentralized system of governance.
The source explained that "the Syrian government reaffirmed its commitment to a centralized system and rejected all proposals related to federal or decentralized governance, which complicates negotiations between the two sides."
The SDF delegation reportedly objected to the "constitutional declaration" issued by the interim Syrian government and demanded substantial amendments to ensure the rights of Kurds and other Syrian communities while embedding the principles of fair power-sharing and pluralism.
During the meeting, the Syrian government demanded that the SDF comply with the March agreement signed by interim Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara and SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi by transferring all territories under its control to the central government unconditionally before the end of the current year.
The main disagreement, according to the source, revolves around the format and mechanism of “integration” outlined in the agreement. The SDF insists on preserving its military and administrative autonomy in northern and eastern Syria and entering the system as a unified bloc, while Damascus demands full integration into state institutions with no exceptions—including the dissolution of the SDF and its civilian and military structures.
The source concluded by confirming that "reaching a practical and final understanding is still postponed to future negotiation rounds, despite the ongoing pressure being applied to the SDF from various parties."
Available information suggests that the SDF comprises around 100,000 military and security personnel, in addition to over 200,000 civilian employees, and operates institutions with administrative structures similar to those of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.