President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Monday (3 Aug) to discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation and regional security. The visit is the first by an Iraqi Kurdish leader since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
The talks also addressed Syria’s ongoing integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions, alongside border security and wider regional stability.
Key developments:
- Barzani and al-Sharaa discussed expanding economic cooperation and strengthening coordination between Syria and the Kurdistan Region.
- Talks covered the integration of the SDF into Syria’s defence and interior ministries under a January agreement.
- Both sides reviewed border security, including efforts to combat weapons and narcotics smuggling.
- The leaders also discussed regional security challenges, including detention camps holding suspected ISIS fighters and their families.
ℹ️ Al Jazeera
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