Recent Mazloum 'Abdi interviews

On the status of integration, the January battles, and his experiences within the PKK and over the course of Syria's civil war

Two weeks ago three different news outlets published in-depth interviews of SDF commander Mazloum ‘Abdi. These included one by SDF-aligned Kurdish outlet Hawar, and one by Amberin Zaman for Al-Monitor, as well as an appearance on Saudi outlet Al Arabiya's Damascus Time podcast (see below). The former two are mostly focused on the status of the integration agreement reached with Damascus on Janaury 29th, with some of the details provided by ‘Abdi now out of date two weeks later. The Damascus Time conversation is two hours long and covers current developments, critical questions on the rise of the PYD/SDF/DAANES and its rule over northern and eastern Syria, as well as information regarding Mazloum ‘Abdi's early life, his role within the PKK, and his relationship to PKK commander Abdullah Öcalan.

Below I have compiled notes and some quotes from these three interviews, including from the slightly different Arabic and English versions published by Hawar. These are arranged by topic and marked with abbreviations detailing interview they come from (Hawar uses the abbreviation ANHA).

Military integration

• The military file is where the most important and significant achievements have been made with regards to integration. (ANHA)

• there’s an SDF team overseeing the military file while includes Sipan Hemo. (Al-Monitor)

• The SDF currently continues to exist but will cease to once integration is complete. (AM)

• The three SDF brigades from eastern Syria currently undergoing integration into the Syrian army’s Division 60 are assigned to al-Hasakah, al-Qamishli, and Dêrik/al-Malikiyah, and overseen by Çiya Kobani, now one of the Division’s deputy commanders. The brigade commanders are identified as:

  • Sardar Afrin: al-Hasakah brigade

  • Luqman Khalil: al-Qamishli brigade

  • Sasun Derik: Dêrik/al-Malikiyah brigade

  • Mahmoud Kobani: Kobani brigade (AM)

• Members of the integrated brigades are now receiving government salaries, while DAANES is still paying the salaries of SDF fighters still serving outside of these four units. (AM)

• Leadership of these units are undergoing retraining the government military academies. (ANHA)

• What to do with SDF fighters outside these units remains a point of negotiation, with the SDF pushing them to be included in the government in some capacity. They also want fighters from Afrin to serve in the region despite there not being a SDF-manned brigade created as part of the agreement. (ANHA)

• “Negotiations are ongoing, but it seems like that under the current circumstances our women fighters will become part of the internal security forces.” (AM)