Syrian Kurds advocate for U.S. presence in Syria

"We have good relations with the U.S. and these relations continue to improve", a PYD official stated
Friday, 12 January 2018 18:46

"Official recognition of the U.S. military presence in Syria will gradually take place; but the U.S will be here for many years and we want its presence," an official from the Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) told Sputnik.

Abdulkarim Omar, Co-chair of the Foreign Affairs Council of the PYD's Jazira Canton, said the relations continue to improve.

The United States, which has set up at least 12 military bases with 5,000 troops in northern Syria, the de facto autonomous region of Kurds, is increasing its military and political presence in the region.

"WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING IS DE FACTO RECOGNITION"

"It will take time for the U.S. to officially recognize the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria. This is a diplomatic issue, so it will take place gradually; not immediately. Yet in practice, what we are currently experiencing is recognition", Omar said.

"The U.S. will help with the issue of border security. Agreements between the PYD and the U.S. will be preserved. We want the U.S. to maintain its presence in the region, and our good relations and collaboration with the U.S. will continue."

"U.S. TRIES TO DISSUADE MISTURA"

Noting that the U.S explicitly said that the Syrian Kurds should participate in the Geneva-8 Talks on Syria and has been pressuring Staffan de Mistura, the United Nation’s Special Envoy for Syria, Omar claimed that the Islamic State (IS) has not been totally defeated yet.

The U.S. has military bases in the Northern Syrian towns of Derik, Al-Tabqa, Rimelan, Al-Hawl, Al-Shaddadi, Kobani, Ayn Issa, Manbij, Raqqa, Al-Hasakah and Tal Abyad, all currently under control of the PYD. The U.S. also has a large military base near the village of Ğerebısk in the south of Kobani.