Negotiators are focused on a possible deal to resolve one of the most central issues looming over Syria’s future: the fate of Kurdish forces that the United States considers important allies against the Islamic State but that neighboring Turkey considers a national security threat.
Diplomatic and military negotiators from the United States, Turkey, Syria and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are demonstrating more flexibility and patience than their public statements suggest, twelve sources, including five directly involved in the intense web of discussions in recent weeks.
That scenario could set the stage for a deal in coming months in which some Kurdish fighters would leave Syria’s restive northeastern region and others would come under the authority of the new Defense Ministry, six sources said.
However, they said, many thorny issues still need to be resolved. These include how to integrate the SDF alliance’s well-armed and trained fighters into Syria’s security structure and manage the territory under its control, which includes the country’s major oil and grain fields.
In an interview with Saudi Arabia’s Asharq News channel on Tuesday, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the alliance’s “basic demand” is a decentralized administration – a major challenge for Syria’s new leadership, who wants to bring the entire country back under government authority after ousting Bashar al-Assad last month.
Source: Terra
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