Iraqi Kurdistan's Barzani Meets Syrian President al-Sharaa in Damascus — First Such Visit Since Assad's Fall

August 3, 2026 — Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, the first visit by an Iraqi Kurdish leader to Syria since Assad's fall in December 2024. The two discussed SDF integration into national institutions, Kurdish constitutional guarantees, border security, management of ISIS-detainee camps, and reopening Syria's consulate in Erbil — all components of Syria's broader post-Assad political transition.