By Suleiman Al-Khalidi
AMMAN (Reuters) -Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed hope that his nation would keep away from army battle with U.S.-backed Kurdish forces if efforts to combine their autonomous administration in northeast Syria into the state construction collapse.
In remarks late on Saturday to senior figures from Idlib, the place he has mustered loyalist forces, Sharaa mentioned Kurdish leaders had signalled readiness to maneuver ahead with a landmark deal in March to deliver their Kurdish-run areas beneath state authority.
However their actions on the bottom advised in any other case, he informed the publicised discussion board.
“At occasions on the bottom there are indicators reverse to what they are saying within the negotiations,” Sharaa mentioned.
Turkey and Washington, the primary powers backing the deal to combine Syria’s oil-rich northeast into the state, wished to resolve the problem peacefully, Sharaa mentioned.
“These events are pushing for an answer peacefully. I hope we do not enter right into a dispute. I’m hopeful in just a few months we’ll resolve it,” he mentioned.
The collapse of follow-up talks for the reason that March deal has escalated tensions within the area, triggering contemporary clashes this month between authorities troops and the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SDF, which controls components of northeast Syria the place Arabs type a majority, has just lately fortified intensive tunnel networks alongside the frontlines. Many tribal Arabs accuse the SDF of discriminatory insurance policies – claims Kurdish officers deny.
CONCERN OVER MAJOR ESCALATION
Turkey-backed rebels have additionally bolstered their positions amid issues over a possible large-scale escalation in hostilities, officers say.
Ankara has warned of army motion towards the SDF, whichit considers a terrorist organisation and has focused in pastcross-border operations. It expects the Syrian authorities toaddress its safety issues however says it reserves the proper tomount an offensive if wanted.
U.S. envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack – an advocate for a powerful, unified Syrian state – voiced concern final month over Kurdish delays in implementing the March deal, urging sooner progress.
Authorities in Damascus reacted earlier this month angrily to a current SDF convention calling for larger decentralisation and which demanded a evaluation of a constitutional declaration it mentioned discriminated towards minorities, a transfer officers mentioned threatened Syria’s territorial integrity.
Syrian officers mentioned any army push towards the SDF would depend on Turkish-backed factions working in northern Syria, including that Ankara has grown impatient with what it sees as Kurdish foot-dragging.
Sharaa mentioned those that sought partition have been “dreaming” and insisted the nation wouldn’t hand over any stretch of territory. He additionally criticised Druze teams in search of help from Israel of their confrontation with Damascus.
Hundreds joined a big Druze protest in Sweida on Saturday, demanding self-determination, hoisting Israeli flags and praising Israel for a army intervention that compelled Syrian forces to retreat after a whole lot of individuals have been killed final month.
Sharaa acknowledged that “violations” had been dedicated by safety forces and armed forces personnel in Sweida, however mentioned Druze militias had additionally perpetrated crimes.
(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; enhancing by Clelia Oziel)