Tensions Between the SDF and HTS
Ahmed al-Shaara, the Chief of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the de facto ruler of Syria, maintains good relations with many armed groups inside the country. However, these relationships are shaped by complex dynamics. For instance, the relationship with the SDF is particularly tense, despite their shared objective of a unified Syria.
On 30 December 2024, General Mazlum Abdi, leader of the SDF, met Ahmed al-Shaara for the first time since HTS assumed power. Their discussion focused on military issues, including the potential integration of the SDF into an HTS-organised military. For the SDF, such a scenario would require extensive negotiations within the larger political system of the new Syria.
General Abdi has repeatedly highlighted the uniqueness of the SDF’s self-governance experience since 2015. While stressing his commitment to a unified Syria during an interview with Al-Arabiya, Abdi stated that the SDF ultimately seeks to become part of Syria’s defence forces. However, he also emphasised the need to preserve the SDF’s distinctive governance model. Abdi proposed a decentralised administration while expressing readiness for the SDF to integrate into Syria’s Ministry of Defence as a unified bloc, provided they are not disbanded.