US, French troops could secure Syria’s northern border – Top AANES official
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Ilham Ahmad, co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), said on Wednesday that United States and France could secure the entire border area in northern Syria.
“We ask the French to send troops to this border to secure the demilitarized zone, to help us protect the region and establish good relations with Turkey,” Ahmad said in an interview with TV5 Monde.
Last week, French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized, during his visit to Damascus, that the Kurds should play a significant role in shaping Syria’s future.
Similarly, French President Emmanuel Macron recently reaffirmed France’s commitment to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stating that France would not abandon them.
Ahmad elaborated that France’s role in persuading Turkey to accept its presence on the border would be a key step in initiating the peace process.
“As soon as France has convinced Turkey to accept its presence on the border, then we can start the peace process,” Ahmed said. “We hope that everything will be settled in the coming weeks,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Reuters quoted a source familiar with the discussions as confirming that talks are already underway. However, the source declined to disclose details about the progress of these negotiations or their feasibility.