Who is General Mazloum Abdi? Syrian Kurds leader says he is willing to engage with arch-foe Turkey, Israel 

The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), General Mazloum Abdi, has signalled a striking shift in tone, expressing openness to dialogue with Turkey and reiterating his group’s commitment to broader regional cooperation. Speaking to a local television station on May 30, Abdi confirmed that the SDF, which controls much of northeast Syria, is in direct contact with Turkish officials and is open to improving relations, including the possibility of meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

 

“We have direct communication channels with Turkey, and we also speak through intermediaries,” Abdi said. He emphasised the need to build on the current two-month truce with Turkish-backed forces, following years of fierce clashes, in hopes of securing a permanent ceasefire. "We are not in a state of war with Turkey. I am not opposed to meeting Erdoğan," he added.

 

His remarks come amid reports that Ankara proposed a meeting between Abdi and a senior Turkish official, potentially the foreign minister or the intelligence chief. A Turkish diplomatic source denied the report, calling the claims “not true” without further clarification.

 

Turkey continues to regard the SDF’s main Kurdish faction as indistinguishable from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which recently declared its disbandment after four decades of armed struggle. Nonetheless, Abdi’s overture marks a significant diplomatic development.

 

Dismissing accusations of covert ties with Israel, Abdi stated unequivocally: "We have no relationship with Israel." However, he did not rule out future cooperation. "We support good relations with all neighbouring states – with everyone,” he said. In a separate BBC interview in March, Abdi had welcomed potential Israeli support if it could help protect Kurdish lives and achievements. "Israel has influence in the US, the West, and across the region," he noted.

 

Abdi also reaffirmed his support for the US-mediated ceasefire agreement signed in December, following renewed hostilities during the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. In March, he reached a deal with Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to gradually incorporate the SDF’s administration into the national state structure—a move criticised by Erdoğan as “stalling”.

 

The SDF remains committed to political decentralisation, Abdi stressed, warning against superficial solutions. A joint delegation from the Kurdish National Council (ENKS) and the Autonomous Administration is currently engaged in talks with the transitional Syrian government. "A new Syria must recognise the rights of all its people," he concluded.

Middle East