Turkey and its Syrian proxies in January 2018 conducted a cross-border military operation in Afrin called Olive Branch in an effort to dislodge Kurdish fighters affiliated with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the main element in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Turkish government views the YPG and SDF as extensions of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Rudaw news website, Ahmed, who serves as co-chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), discussed the state of dialogue with Damascus, efforts to reach a settlement and the ongoing talks involving regional and international actors.

Ahmed confirmed that dialogue with Syria’s interim leadership is ongoing but has not yet reached the stage of formal negotiations. The discussions follow a March 10 agreement between interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, which outlined the principles for integration.

Regarding the Turkish-controlled territories of Afrin, Sare Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), Ahmed reiterated calls for the return of displaced residents. She said the March 10 agreement includes a provision on returns and stipulates that a committee be formed for Afrin but said Damascus has yet to comply with it.

“There are groups from Deir ez-Zor who are now living there [Afrin] [who] should return to their homes. We have said they can return and we guarantee nothing will happen to them. In return, our people in camps — living in dire conditions — must be allowed to return [to Afrin],” she said.

Ahmed acknowledged that Sare Kani and Gire Spi remain under the control of Turkish-affiliated fighters and have not been handed over to Damascus, complicating the return of residents.

Asked about the possibility of her return to Afrin, the region she hails from, Ahmed responded, “I want to go in the near future. That’s my hope. We’re using all our weight to resolving this situation as soon as possible.”

The Kurdish-led administration is pushing for a decentralized political structure in Syria that would guarantee local autonomy for Kurdish, Arab and Syriac communities. According to Ahmed, the integration envisioned by the March 10 agreement requires mutual recognition, not unilateral absorption into central institutions.

“Damascus must recognize the will of the people here,” Ahmed said and added that “there is [an administration] with institutions serving this community,” referring to AANES.

Ahmed also confirmed international participation in recent meetings, including representatives from the United States, France and the United Kingdom. She noted that US Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack attended a session in person for the first time but said no final decisions were reached.

On the military front the March 10 agreement includes provisions for integrating the SDF into the Syrian army. Ahmed clarified that this must occur in a way that respects the autonomy and legitimacy of local institutions, rather than dissolving or subordinating them.

Ahmed said that while Kurds and the autonomous administration have no intent to divide Syria, they insist on structural reforms. “The centralized state has brought nothing but pain and suffering,” she said, advocating a federal-like system where local regions manage services such as education, health, culture and internal security.

She added that fears of Kurdish secession are misplaced and that similar accusations are now being directed at the Druze community in the south. “We haven’t heard [from the Druze in Suwayda] that they want to divide Syria,” she said, describing their relations as positive.

Ahmad expressed appreciation for the role played by Iraq’s Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and acknowledged continued dialogue with Turkey through an “open channel.” Without confirming specifics, she said such talks are “positive and constructive,” adding that efforts are ongoing to remove obstacles to peace.

Ahmad also addressed the broader regional peace process, including the call by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan for his group to lay down its arms. She praised the initiative but clarified that giving up weapons is not on the agenda for the SDF due to the ongoing instability in Syria.

“Asking the SDF to disarm under these conditions is like telling them to walk into death,” she said.

She added that the defense of Rojava, the Kurdish name for northeast Syria, has been the responsibility of its own people with support from the international coalition against the Islamic State group and emphasized the need for continued readiness in the event of renewed conflict.