Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the foreign relations department of the Kurdish self-administration in northern and northeastern Syria, did not rule out the possibility of the SDF joining the new Syrian Ministry of Defense in an interview with Middle East analyst Jonathan Spyer. However, she emphasized that Kurdish integration into the Syrian army is conditional. 

Ahmed stated that the SDF's distinct and special status must be maintained within the new Syrian army, and that the force should also play a role in the overall management of the Syrian military. 

She warned that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), currently dominant in Syria, retains the mentality of extremist groups like al-Nusra Front and should not be removed from the list of terrorist organizations until its actions have been proven trustworthy. 

Ahmed, noting Syria's diverse ethnic and religious groups, described a centralized system as dangerous, warning that it could lead to renewed civil war. 

She expressed optimism about the continued presence of US forces in Syria, stating that recent ISIS attacks against the US, both domestically and internationally, coupled with alleged Turkish encouragement of the group, indicates a continued US commitment. She believes the Trump administration's position on maintaining a presence in Syria is clear. 

The Kurdish official welcomed engagement from all countries with interests in Syria on matters related to the country.