WASHINGTON, January 20. /TASS/. The Washington administration no longer believes that the Kurdish coalition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) should play a key role in fighting the Islamic State (a terrorist group, also known as IS, banned in Russia) in the country; the US does not seek to maintain a long-term military presence in the country, US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said.
"The US has no interest in long-term military presence; it prioritizes defeating ISIS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and advancing national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism," the diplomat said in a statement on his X page.
Barrack added that the change in the situation in Syria has affected "the rationale for the US-SDF partnership." According to the envoy, "the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps."
He also opined that the policies of Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa "create a unique window for the Kurds." According to Barrack, "this moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation." The diplomat assured that the US is facilitating the implementation of relevant agreements between the SDF and Damascus.
Previously, the Al Hadath TV channel reported that Syria’s transitional government had announced the new terms of the agreement proposed by the SDF regarding the integration of their security forces into the Defense and Interior Ministries. According to the new terms, the SDF has "four days for consultations on the development of a detailed plan for practical integration."
On January 19, the Syrian transitional government's armed forces began deploying units to the northeast of the country, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish coalition. The document signed by al-Sharaa stipulates that the Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa Governorates will be under the interim government's full control. All civil institutions established by the Kurds in the Al-Hasakah Governorate will become part of the Syrian state. The Syrian army will secure all border crossings and oil and gas fields in the region.