Kurdish SDF chief begins Europe tour amid strained Damascus relations

Mazlum Kobane, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has begun a European tour that will take him to Italy, the Netherlands and France, as he seeks political and diplomatic backing for the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, according to sources familiar with his itinerary.

Kobane arrived in Italy on Wednesday (June 17), marking the first stop of the visit, and is expected to hold talks with senior European officials during the trip, including a planned meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris later this week, Al-Monitor says.

He is also seeking a possible meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, though sources said such a meeting has not been confirmed and faces opposition from US administration officials ahead of Macron’s expected visit to Damascus next month.

The concerns, according to the sources, centre on the potential diplomatic impact of a high-profile Macron-Kobane meeting at a sensitive moment in Syrian political transition and ongoing negotiations over the future of Kurdish-led forces in the country.

France has maintained close ties with Kurdish forces in Syria and is a key member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State, having deployed troops to the northeast during the fight against the group. Macron has previously met senior Kurdish commanders and hosted SDF figures at the Élysée Palace.

However, the Kurdish-led administration’s relations with Damascus remain strained, despite recent efforts to advance integration talks between SDF structures and the Syrian state. Kobane is expected to use the European tour to press for greater diplomatic recognition and economic support, as well as continued backing for counter-ISIS operations.

The visit follows Kobane’s recent talks in Erbil with US presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack, alongside Kurdish Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani. Those discussions focused on implementing a ceasefire agreement signed in January between the SDF and Syrian government representatives, as well as revised arrangements for the integration of Kurdish forces into Syria’s military structure.

The SDF has faced significant battlefield losses in recent months, including the reported loss of much of its territorial control in northeast Syria following clashes with Syrian government forces earlier this year. The withdrawal of US ground forces from parts of Syria has further altered the security landscape in the region.

European officials are expected to discuss both security cooperation and the ongoing fight against Islamic State during Kobane’s meetings, alongside broader questions over Syria’s post-conflict political settlement and the future role of Kurdish-led institutions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev