The United States has said it is ready to help facilitate “constructive engagement” between the Syrian government and the terrorist organisation YPG.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on X that he met in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al Shaibani, and members of their team “to discuss recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.”
Barrack said the meeting was held on behalf of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He said Trump views the current moment as “a pivotal opportunity for a new, unified Syria” in which all communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Druze, Christians, Alawites, Turkmen and Assyrians, “are treated with respect and dignity and afforded meaningful participation in governance and security institutions.”
The US welcomes Syria’s transition and supports the Syrian government under al Sharaa as it works to stabilise the country, rebuild national institutions and meet Syrians’ aspirations for peace, security and prosperity, he added.
The statement reaffirmed US support for efforts to defeat the Daesh terror group, including through Operation Inherent Resolve.
“The Syrian government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2025 integration agreement with the YPG, which provides a framework for incorporating YPG forces into national institutions in a manner that preserves Kurdish rights and strengthens Syria’s unity and sovereignty,” he said.
Barrack said recent developments in Aleppo that appear to challenge the terms of that agreement are “deeply concerning,” urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue in accordance with the March 10 and April 1, 2025, agreements between the Syrian government and the YPG.
“Violence risks undermining the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no party’s interests,” he said.
The envoy said Secretary Rubio’s team stands ready “to facilitate constructive engagement” between the Syrian government and the YPG to advance an inclusive, responsible integration process “that respects Syria’s unity, upholds the principle of a single sovereign state, and supports the goal of one legitimate national military.”
The statement concluded with a call on Syria’s neighbours and the international community “to support this vision and to provide the cooperation and assistance necessary to help make it a reality.”
Since Tuesday, the YPG terror group has shelled residential neighbourhoods, civilian facilities, and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo.
The attacks have killed 23 people and wounded over 100 others and triggered the displacement of about 165,000 residents from Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud districts.
In March 2025, the Syrian presidency announced the signing of an agreement for the YPG’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.
In April 2025, Syrian authorities signed an agreement with the YPG concerning the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, stipulating that both districts would be considered administrative parts of the city of Aleppo while respecting their local particularities.
The agreement also included provisions to ban armed manifestations, restrict weapons to internal security forces, and require the withdrawal of YPG terrorists to areas east of the Euphrates River in northeastern Syria.
But authorities said that in the months since, the YPG has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreements.
