Syrian soldiers take position on a tank as they replace Kurdish forces after their withdrawal from Maskanah, in northern Syria, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Credit: Omar Haj Kadour/AFP) Syrian soldiers take position on a tank as they replace Kurdish forces after their withdrawal from Maskanah, in northern Syria, on January 17, 2026. Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron and Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region, on Saturday called for an “immediate de-escalation” in Syria during a phone conversation, the Élysée said.
They “called on all parties to immediately de-escalate and to establish a permanent ceasefire,” the French presidency said. They also urged “the resumption of talks on the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), composed mainly of Kurds, into the Syrian state in line with the March 10, 2025 agreement,” whose implementation has stalled.
Macron and Barzani added that it was “the full responsibility of the Syrian authorities to ensure the protection” of civilian populations, according to the Élysée. The SDF reported on Saturday that intense fighting was ongoing with the Syrian army.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region, on Saturday called for an “immediate de-escalation” in Syria during a phone conversation, the Élysée said.
They “called on all parties to immediately de-escalate and to establish a permanent ceasefire,” the French presidency said. They also urged “the resumption of talks on the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), composed mainly of Kurds, into the Syrian state in line with the March 10, 2025 agreement,” whose implementation has stalled.
Macron and Barzani added that it was “the full responsibility of the Syrian authorities to ensure the protection” of civilian populations, according to the Élysée. The SDF reported on Saturday that intense fighting was ongoing with the Syrian army.
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