After Sweida, is it Qamishli’s turn?
This week, the northwestern regions of Syria witnessed another clash and exchange of fire between the Syrian Kurdish forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and militias affiliated with Arab tribes in the region.
The SDF stated these attacks, indicating that they were deliberate, and emphasized: “We hold the Damascus government responsible for this behavior and now, more than ever, we are ready to use our legitimate right to give a decisive response.”
Meanwhile, Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the SDF militias, has expressed interest in continuing negotiations with the Damascus government in recent days regarding their differences in the administration of the areas east of the Euphrates and the status of the militias in the new Syrian army.
Of course, according to media reports, this expression of interest has been more at the media level, and the SDF Kurds have acted stubbornly in the negotiations, not only refusing to back down in the negotiations, but also emphasizing the preservation of their military and political independence.
While the interim government in Damascus emphasizes that the SDF forces should be integrated into the army and placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense, the Kurds emphasize that they are against integration and should be part of the army as an Eastern Division (an independent division).
Of course, as Arab Post reported, the Damascus government has shown flexibility and is willing to accept the SDF’s independence in daily affairs in the northern regions, but it emphasized that any operations must be under the supervision of the General Staff.