SDF chief says they reject Syria's division

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mazloum Abdi, chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Wednesday that they do not want to break away from the rest of Syria. 

"We agree that we are for the unity and integrity of Syrian territory and reject any division projects that threaten the country's unity," he told AFP in a written statement. 

A coalition of rebel groups, spearheaded by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched an offensive late November, toppling Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The country is navigating a transitional phase.

Informed sourced recently told Rudaw that the SDF and the HTS-led government had met with the American mediation to discuss the future of the Kurdish enclave in northeast Syria (Rojava). 

United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen confirmed to the Security Council during a briefing on Wednesday that the meeting had taken place. 

He said "channels of dialogue have been established between the caretaker authorities and the SDF, who met last week in Damascus. Public statements suggest the charting out of positions but not yet the prospect of imminent agreement."