French FM meets SDF’s Abdi: France role in Syrian crisis resolution on table

Shafaq News/ French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot held a closed-door meeting in Erbil late Wednesday with top officials from the Kurdish Autonomous Administration in northeast Syria, Syrian media reported.

According to Hawar News Agency, Barrot met with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed, Co-President of the Autonomous Administration’s External Relations Office. Discussions centered on stabilizing the Rojava region, fostering intra-Syrian political dialogue, and exploring potential French involvement in resolving the Syrian crisis.

Barrot had previewed the meeting during a press conference in Erbil after meeting with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. His itinerary also includes scheduled talks with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leaders Bafel and Qubad Talabani.

Earlier in Baghdad, Barrot held a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, where he reaffirmed France’s commitment to Iraq’s sovereignty and called for sustained international support to bolster reconstruction and long-term stability.