Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region, held talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, marking the first visit by a Kurdish leader to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The meeting focused on bilateral relations between Erbil and Damascus. Prior encounters between the two leaders occurred on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
“Iraqi Kurdish regional leader meets Syrian president in Damascus”
Read at Al Jazeera →“Iraqi Kurdish president’s meeting with Syria’s Sharaa signals shift in SDF dynamics”
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The meeting represents a pragmatic step toward regional dialogue and greater Kurdish inclusion in Syria’s transition.
“Emphasis on minority rights, stability, and inclusive governance.”
Barzani’s outreach prioritizes concrete bilateral ties and positions the Kurdish region as a reliable actor in post-Assad Syria.
“Focus on security coordination, sovereignty, and counterterrorism.”
Sub-national actors like the Kurdish regional government can pursue independent diplomatic channels.
“Emphasis on decentralized power and local autonomy over central control.”
All three perspectives treat al-Sharaa as a conventional leader while overlooking HTS’s jihadist record and Turkey’s influence.
“Highlights shared omissions on Islamist governance risks and regional power competition.”
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