Al-Sharaa and SDF's Abdi Meet in Damascus to Advance SDF Integration Agreement

August 4, 2026 — Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met SDF commander Mazloum Abdi at the People's Palace in Damascus to discuss completing implementation of the January 29, 2026 SDF integration agreement. Al-Sharaa acknowledged progress had been slow; a key sticking point remains integrating the Women's Protection Units into the Interior Ministry as a counterterrorism force, a politically sensitive step for both sides.