US State Department delegation visits NE Syria, meets SDF, SDC leaders
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, a delegation from the US State Department visited northeast Syria, and held separate meetings with the command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), leaders of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), and officials of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) at the headquarters of the SDF in Hasakah.
The US State Department delegation was headed by Ethan Goldrich, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, accompanied by a number of diplomats and military leaders who came from the USA.
The delegation met with the SDF Commander-in-Chief, Mazloum Abdi, the president of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), Ilham Ahmad, and the co-chairs of the AANES Executive Council, Berivan Khaled and Abd Hamed al-Mehbash.
North Press correspondent quoted from informed sources that Goldrich first met with Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmad, in the presence of a high-ranking delegation from both sides.
The two sides discussed several files related to joint action to combat the Islamic State organization (ISIS), truce and stabilization in the region, in addition to the de-escalation agreement and respect for the current ceasefire.
The two sides also discussed violations that affect the humanitarian situation and support the stability of the areas liberated from the ISIS control, and the repatriation of the detained ISIS members and their families to their countries.
In another meeting within the agenda of the visiting delegation, which lasted for one day, Goldrich met with the two co-chairs of the AANES Executive Council and a number of co-chairs of the Boards.
The meeting discussed the Turkish threats to the region that affect the fight against ISIS, the means and tools necessary to continue the counter-terrorism operation in the north and east of Syria, and how to achieve self-sufficiency in basic resources to control the region’s stability and food security.
Following the two meetings, the delegation of the US State Department left northeastern Syria, after assuring the Autonomous Administration officials to work on the Syrian file, which is a top priority for US President Joe Biden, and to work on the continuation of the de-escalation agreements and paying attention to the humanitarian aspect in the region.