Kurdish official urges Damascus to 'review' minorities approach
"The transitional government must undertake a comprehensive and urgent review of its approach to dealing with Syria's internal affairs, and begin a serious and responsible national dialogue with all components, while respecting the privacy and cultural and religious identity of each," Bedran Ciya Kurd, a senior official in the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, said on X.
AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Paris to host Syria talks on integrating Kurds
Syria, France and the United States said they agreed Friday to convene "as soon as possible" talks in Paris to integrate the autonomous Kurdish administration into the Syrian state. The Kurds, who control large swathes of northeast Syria, are negotiating with the central government in Damascus on the integration of their civil and military institutions into the state. Those include the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The three countries "agreed on the need... to host as soon as possible the next round of consultations in Paris between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces regarding the full implementation of the March 10 agreement," according to a joint statement. The statement was issued after a Friday meeting in Paris between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and Damascus's top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani. In March, SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa signed an agreement aimed at incorporating Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state. Several rounds of talks have been held, but the process has stalled, with Kurdish officials criticising a constitutional declaration announced by the new authorities, saying it failed to reflect Syria's diversity. The Islamist authorities in Damascus, who took power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, have repeatedly rejected calls for a "decentralized" government that would let the Kurds and other groups maintain some level of autonomy. A meeting was set to take place in Paris on Thursday between Kurdish representatives and a Syrian government delegation, but it was postponed. Barrot held a phone call on Friday with the SDF's Abdi, Paris said, to "confirm the upcoming negotiations session." Damascus insists on reunifying the country at any cost and demands that the Kurds hand over their weapons. But on Wednesday, SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami told Al-Yaum TV that disarmament is a "red line." "No one is surrendering in Syria. Those betting on our capitulation will lose; the tragic events have made that clear," he added, referring to recent sectarian violence in the southern Druze heartland of Sweida, which left nearly 1,400 dead according to a monitor. A Syrian government source told state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya that "talking about refusing to hand over weapons or maintaining an autonomous military force is completely unacceptable." Friday's joint statement stressed the need to "ensure the success of Syria's transition" and the importance of "efforts aimed at national reconciliation and cohesion, especially in northeastern Syria and Sweida."
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Hamas says US accusations over Gaza deal failure 'run counter' to talks
A Hamas official on Friday accused U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff of distorting reality after he announced Washington's withdrawal from Gaza truce talks and accused the group of blocking a deal. "The negative statements of the U.S. envoy Witkoff run completely counter to the context in which the last negotiations were held, and he is perfectly aware of this, but they come to serve the Israeli position," said Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim in an interview with AFP.
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli official tells AFP Gaza air drops of aid to resume
An Israeli official said Friday that aid drops over the Gaza Strip would resume soon, as the Palestinian territory reels from a humanitarian crisis after more than 21 months of war. "Humanitarian aid air drops on the Gaza Strip will resume in the upcoming days. They will be managed by the UAE and Jordan," the official told AFP.
