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U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack met Monday with a senior commander of the PKK terror organization's Syrian wing, as the Trump administration works to advance diplomatic efforts in the war-torn country following last year's dramatic regime change.
Barrack, who also serves as ambassador to Türkiye, traveled to the region with Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper for discussions with Ferhad Abdi Sahin, one of the ringleaders of the terror group PKK/YPG in Syria, which operates under the name Syrian Democratic Forces.
"I visited northeast Syria today with @CENTCOM Commander Admiral (Brad) Cooper for substantive conversations with @MazloumAbdi and the SDF," Barrack wrote on the social media platform X.
The envoy emphasized President Donald Trump's regional vision of "giving Syria a chance, by allowing Syrians to unite with all Syrians in a renewed effort for cooperative peace and prosperity."
The meeting comes as Syria's new transitional government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, grapples with integrating various armed factions that emerged during the country's civil war. The SDF, dominated by the terrorist group YPG, has been claimed by the U.S. a partner in fighting Daesh militants but remains a major source of tension with NATO ally Türkiye.
The YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Türkiye. Both organizations are designated as terrorist groups by Türkiye, while the United States lists the PKK as a terrorist organization but has worked with YPG forces against ISIS.
In March, Syria's presidency announced an agreement to integrate the SDF into state institutions while maintaining the country's territorial integrity and rejecting separatist movements. However, Turkish leaders say the group has not yet abided by the terms of the agreement.
The diplomatic outreach reflects the complex challenges facing Syria's new leadership after Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in late 2024, ending nearly 25 years of his rule and the Baath Party's control that began in 1963. Al-Sharaa's transitional administration, established in January, inherited a fractured nation with multiple armed groups controlling different regions.
The U.S. maintains approximately 900 troops in Syria, primarily to support counter-terrorism operations against Daesh remnants and to prevent the group's resurgence in the region.
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