This happened a few days after M. Abdi announced the disbandment of the Kurdish forces he led as part of an agreement on integration with Damascus.
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The Ministry of Education also announced a decision allowing the teaching of the Kurdish language in public and private schools.
M. Abdi led the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for many years. This Washington-backed group was at the forefront of the fight against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).
On Tuesday, he announced the disbandment of the SDF. This is part of the January agreement with A. al Sharaa to integrate Kurdish forces and civil administration into state structures.
The new Syrian government, which overthrew the long-time country leader Bashar al Assad in December 2024, seeks to restore state control throughout the country.
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This integration agreement was a significant victory for A. al Sharaa but ended the long-held Kurdish hopes for official autonomy.
U.S. special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said on Tuesday that “this is what true integration looks like (…) former opponents with different views are creating a diplomatic solution to strengthen sovereign Syria.”
“Ensuring key roles for our valued partners,” including M. Abdi in the government, “shows due respect for their leadership, our Kurdish partners’ sacrifices, and their constructive contribution to regional stability,” added T. Barrack, without specifying what positions M. Abdi will hold.
