Reuters reported that the United States recently relieved several senior diplomats working on the Syria file, coinciding with diplomatic efforts aimed at integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions.
According to five informed sources cited by the agency on Thursday, September 18, the changes took place “suddenly and involuntarily” over the past weekend, targeting diplomats in the Syria Regional Platform (SRP), the de facto US mission to Syria, headquartered at the US Consulate in Istanbul and operating from other sites across the region.
Reuters said the dismissed officials were all working under the supervision of US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, who also serves as Washington’s ambassador to Turkey.
A Western diplomatic source linked the move partly to “differences of opinion” between some staff members and Barrack over the SDF’s relationship with Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. The US State Department did not comment on this point, and Reuters was unable to reach Barrack.
Meanwhile, a US diplomatic source told Reuters that a “limited number” of employees were informed their assignments had ended as part of a “team reorganization,” stressing that the decision “does not reflect political disagreements” between staff, Barrack, or the White House, and will not affect US policy toward Syria.
Pressure on the SDF
The reshuffle comes as Barrack continues to pressure the SDF to accelerate implementation of the March 10 agreement with President al-Sharaa, which stipulates placing areas under SDF control back under state authority and integrating its forces into the national security apparatus, Reuters reported.
Some SDF leaders remain reluctant about the process, particularly after this year’s events in the coastal region and in Suwayda (southern Syria).
Despite Washington’s past military support for the SDF in the fight against the Islamic State group during the rule of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, the SDF has resisted US pressure to merge into Syrian forces, insisting instead on a less centralized governance structure in the post-Assad era that preserves a degree of autonomy it gained during the war.
On July 11, Barrack said the SDF is “an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK),” emphasizing that Washington does not support creating a separate SDF state or a so-called “Free Kurdistan” in Syria.
In remarks made in New York to a group of journalists, published by the US State Department, Barrack acknowledged sympathy within parts of the US Congress for the SDF, but underlined that US policy is to integrate the group within the Syrian government.
He clarified that American support for the SDF does not signal plans to establish a “Free Kurdistan” in Syria, nor does it mean creating an SDF-led entity, or separate “Alawite” or “Druze” states. “Everyone will be within the structure of Syria,” he said, adding that the country will have its own constitution and parliament.
The March 10 Agreement
On March 10, transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa met with the commander of the SDF, where they reached an agreement to integrate the force into Syrian state institutions.
The deal guarantees representation and participation for all Syrians in political processes and state institutions based on competence, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
It also affirms that the Kurdish community is an integral part of Syria, guaranteeing citizenship rights and constitutional protections.
Other provisions include:
A nationwide ceasefire.
Integration of civilian and military institutions in northeastern Syria into state administration, including border crossings and oil and gas fields.
Ensuring the safe return of all displaced Syrians to their towns and villages, with state protection.
Supporting the state’s efforts to combat remnants of the former regime and all threats to Syria’s security and unity.
The eight-point agreement, published by the Syrian Presidency, also rejects partition, hate speech, and attempts to incite discord among Syria’s diverse communities.
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