"Kurds Agree to Give Control of Key Syrian Cities to Damascus"

FARS

July 28, 2018 - 4:16

TEHRAN (FNA)- A preliminary agreement has been made between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government on transferring control of different parts of the country to Damascus and withdrawal of the US forces from Syria, media reports said.

The Arabic-language al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper quoted informed Syrian sources as saying that the SDF has agreed to give control of Raqqa city and a large number of districts in Hasaka city, including those near the government and security centers, to the Syrian government.

Based on the report, the meetings were held in the presence of the Kurds close to the Syrian government, adding that they have told the SDF officials that regaining control of the occupied areas is possible but Damascus prefers to retake them through political ways and negotiations.

It added that the executive council of the SDF has also informed Damascus that the US intends to withdraw its forces and evacuate its military bases from the Syrian territories.

The SDF announced in a statement earlier on Saturday that it has agreed with the Syrian government on formation of committees at different levels to continue talks with the aim of ending the war and violence.

A delegation of the SDF was sent to Damascus to hold talks on the future of regions occupied by the Kurds in Northern Syria.

Relevant reports said on Friday that an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militants in Syria sent a delegation to the Syrian capital for talks with Syrian government officials.

The so-called Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), which is linked to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — a US-backed coalition of mainly Kurdish militants holding a grip on northeastern Syria — sent the delegation to Damascus, according to SDC co-chair Riad Darar.

The delegation, led by executive head of SDC Ilham Ahmed, was expected to discuss matters of service provision in the areas controlled by the Kurdish group, but “the talks might widen to political and security matters," Darar said on Friday.

"This is certainly the first visit that happened," he added.

The militants are allied with the United States and French troops deployed to Syria under the pretext of fighting ISIL.

Chief among their demands is having an autonomous region within the Syrian borders. Darar, however, said that the outcome of the meetings is not yet clear, and that he did not know which Syrian officials will be meeting with the Kurdish delegation.

He also did not clarify how long the delegation will stay in Damascus.

[END REPORT]

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