The commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, emphasized the Kurds’ primary demand for decentralized local governance in north-eastern Syria during the Munich Security Conference. He asserted that the focus is on enabling Kurdish autonomy rather than the specific terminology used, countering Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani’s rejection of Kurdish “self-rule.” Abdi reported international support for Kurdish rights and called for a mechanism to implement agreements with Damascus, ensuring protection for Kurdish areas. He also highlighted the importance of Kurdish unity among leaders like Nechirvan Barzani and Ilham Ahmed, despite differing approaches.
