Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Informed source to Al Mayadeen: SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi demands that al-Sharaa approve the establishment of an autonomous region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Israeli media: Three drones launched from Yemen toward Eilat in span of 20 minutes.
Qatari Foreign Ministry: "Israel" should have already ceased fire under Trump plan for Gaza
Qatari Foreign Ministry: Release of Israeli captives will mark end of war in Gaza in accordance with Trump plan.
Israeli media: Security incident in Gaza Strip classified as serious results in six wounded soldiers so far, two critically injured.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets vehicle in Deir Ames, Tyre governorate.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: Final toll from airstrike on car in Zebdine, Nabatieh District: Two martyrs, four injured
Egyptian media: Indirect talks between Hamas and Israelis begin in Sharm el-Sheikh.
AFP: France's new PM Sebastein Lecornu resigns just hours after unveiling cabinet.
Trump: Technical teams will meet again on Monday in Egypt to discuss and clarify the final details, and the first phase is scheduled to be completed this week

Kurdish leader warns centralization may divide Syria, spark civil war

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 23 May 2025 15:44
4 Min Read

Aldar Khalil outlines the Kurdish-led administration’s conditions for talks with Damascus, including constitutional reform, military restructuring, and equal rights for all Syrian communities.

Listen
  • x
  • In this March 28, 2018 photo, Aldar Khalil, a senior Syrian Kurdish official in Syria, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, in Amouda, northern Syria. (AP)
    In this March 28, 2018, photo, Aldar Khalil, a senior Syrian Kurdish official in Syria, speaks during an interview for The Associated Press, in Amouda, northern Syria (AP)

Aldar Khalil, a senior member of the presidential council of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), has warned that the Syrian government’s insistence on a centralized system of governance could lead to the partition of the country and a renewed civil war.

In an interview for Kurdsat News, Khalil urged Damascus to engage in genuine dialogue with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) to avoid further instability.

Khalil argued that the Syrian government’s refusal to recognize the country’s diverse ethnic and sectarian makeup risks undermining national unity.

“A centralized approach will push Syria toward division and civil war,” he said, adding that the Autonomous Administration’s willingness to negotiate stems “from a position of strength, not weakness.”

SDF, YPG not linked to PKK, says Khalil

Addressing ongoing allegations, Khalil clarified that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) are not extensions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He stated that the future of these forces will be determined through internal Syrian dialogue, “away from any Turkish dictates regarding disarmament.”

Khalil outlined the priorities of the AANES in any negotiations with Damascus. These include:

  • Amending the Syrian constitution;
  • Agreeing on a new governance system and military framework;
  • Gaining formal recognition of Kurdish national rights.

Related News

Ceasefire reached in Aleppo after SDF - Regime clashes

Fierce clashes erupt between SDF and transitional forces in Aleppo

The Kurdish delegation will also press for guarantees that ensure equal representation and protection of rights for all Syrian communities, including Alawites, Druze, and others.

“What we are seeking is a national partnership based on equality, not dominance,” Khalil emphasized.

In March, the Syrian presidency announced that an agreement had been reached to integrate the SDF into official state institutions. It is worth noting that implementation committees are expected to be formed before the end of the year.

Wider context

This is happening shortly after Syrian army forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) engaged in clashes near the Tishreen Dam in the northwestern Aleppo governorate earlier this week, according to state television, which cited sources within the army.

The fighting comes in the wake of a significant political development. On March 10, the SDF leadership signed an agreement with the Syrian government to integrate all civilian and military institutions of the self-proclaimed Kurdish autonomy in Syria into the framework of the central state.

The agreement included provisions for control over border crossings, airports, oil and gas fields, and stipulated the enforcement of a nationwide ceasefire. The recent escalation raises questions about the viability of that ceasefire and the integration process.

Following the confrontation near the Tishreen Dam, army sources reported that "large columns of reinforcements were sent to the site" after intense battles, signaling a potential deterioration of trust between the government and the US-backed forces.

There has been no official statement from the SDF regarding the events, and neither side has confirmed the broader implications of this latest Tishreen Dam conflict.

While the March agreement was seen as a step toward long-term stability, these developments suggest ceasefire violations in Syria may persist, especially in contested regions like Aleppo.

The integration deal had been regarded as a framework for consolidating Syrian territorial sovereignty while resolving tensions with the Kurdish autonomous administration. However, the renewed clashes signal unresolved friction on the ground, threatening the fragile peace.

Read more: It’s time for Syria’s Kurds to fold: FT

  • Syria
  • Kurds in Syria
  • PYD
  • Aldar Khalil
  • Ethnic minorities

Most Read

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

  • West Asia
  • 30 Sep 2025
Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Hezbollah's representative in Iran, Sayyed Abdullah Safieddine, during an interview with Al Mayadeen which aired on October 6, 2025 (Al Mayadeen)
Politics

Tehran never interferes in Hezbollah decisions: Representative in Iran

Smoke billows over the Gaza Strip following an Israeli bombardment, as seen from southern Palestine, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Indirect talks for a ceasefire in Gaza begin in Sharm El-Sheikh

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) prepare to attend a military parad in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, August 12, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Security forces seal Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh districts

Amsterdam Captain Mohammed Ali Mohiuddin, who took part in the Global Sumud mission to Gaza, talks to Al Mayadeen on October 6, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

GSF captain says despite abuse, 'Israel weaker than spider's web'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS