French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host an international conference on 13 February in Paris to address the future of Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, with Kurdish representatives set to play a key role.
The summit comes amidst rising concerns over Turkey’s intensified crackdown on Kurdish groups in northeastern Syria.
“The Kurds are our loyal allies and brothers in arms, we will never abandon them,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, confirming Kurdish participation in the conference.
“We strengthened the alliance between the Iraqi Kurds and the Syrian Kurds. We mediated between General Mazloum Abdi and the new rulers of Syria. We did all this so that the Kurds would not be harmed.”
French Foreign Minister confirms Kurds invitation to Paris conference on Syria to be held on February 13
— Rojava Network (@RojavaNetwork) February 4, 2025
French Foreign Minister: “The Kurds are our loyal allies and brothers in arms, we will never abandon them. The Kurds will also be present at the Middle East Conference in… pic.twitter.com/bc3V2tW8RE
Macron has stressed the need for Kurdish participation in shaping Syria's future, stating, “The Kurds of Syria must be fully integrated into the national dialogue,” following a phone call with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. "France will continue to support the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] who are leading this fight, in full respect of Syrian sovereignty," a statement from the Elysee Palace added.
His call comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Syria’s newly-appointed leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to discuss "security cooperation"—a move widely seen as an effort to coordinate attacks on Kurdish forces.
“I told al-Sharaa we are ready to provide the necessary support to Syria in the fight against all kinds of terrorism, whether it be Daesh or the PKK,” said Erdogan.
The Kurdish-led SDF, which played a pivotal role in defeating ISIS, has long been a target of Turkish military aggression. Turkey considers the SDF an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it views as a terrorist organisation. However, the SDF remains the key partner in the US-led coalition against ISIS.
“We are working on building a strategic partnership with Turkiye to confront the security threats in the region to guarantee permanent security and stability to Syria and Turkiye,” al-Sharaa said.
He added that the pair discussed “threats that prevent territorial unity in northeastern Syria” – an apparent reference to Kurdish forces. Al-Sharaa has rejected any form of Kurdish self-rule and urged the SDF to hand over their weapons.
The Kurdish administration in Rojava is currently engaged in negotiations with Syria’s new government, hoping to secure Kurdish political and territorial rights. Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), recently hosted a meeting with SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi in Erbil to discuss Kurdish unity in the wake of Assad’s fall.
Read more from Al Jazeera here.
