Politics

US delegation meets with SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi

"The meeting stressed the partnership between north and eastern Syria and the U.S.-led international coalition would continue."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/03/16 20:48

A US delegation visited northeast Syria on Monday (Photo: SDF Press Centre)

Syria Mazloum Abdi SDF KNC PYD SDC

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A US delegation met the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi in northeast Syria on Monday.

Mrs. #Elham_Ahmed receives a high-level American delegation and many files have been discussedhttps://t.co/KgMTCBbxpk
— Syrian Democratic Council SDC (@SDCPress) March 16, 2022

“NEA DAS for Levant Ethan Goldrich, NEA DAS for Iraq and Iran Jennifer Gavito, and NSC Director for Syria and Iraq Zehra Bell met with the Syrian Democratic Forces and Syrian Democratic Council,” the US State Department for Near East Affairs tweeted on Monday.

NEA DAS for Levant Ethan Goldrich, NEA DAS for Iraq and Iran Jennifer Gavito, and NSC Director for Syria and Iraq Zehra Bell met with the Syrian Democratic Forces and Syrian Democratic Council. pic.twitter.com/YMmqTEhdSv
— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) March 14, 2022

The SDF said in a press release the delegation included Ethan Goldrich, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Jennifer Gavito, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, Zehra Bell, Director of the Syria and Iraq File at the National Security Council, and Matthew Pearl, U.S. State Department representative in north and eastern Syria.

“The meeting stressed the partnership between north and eastern Syria and the U.S.-led international coalition would continue. There were exchanged views on the latest developments regarding the campaign against the terrorist organization ISIS, especially after the attack on the al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasaka (in January),” read the press release.

The US delegation reportedly “commended the great efforts and sacrifices made by the SDF to retake the prison and thwart ISIS’s terrorist plot.”

The SDF had suffered significant casualties during the ten days of fighting after ISIS attacked Hasakah prison on Jan. 20.

According to the SDF, the meeting also underscored that ISIS continues to pose a threat to the entire region, “discussed ways to strengthen joint cooperation in various fields and at all levels, stressed the need to promote development in the north and eastern Syria to enhance stability and security.”

The delegation “also highlighted the importance of continuing dialogue between Kurdish parties in Syria”.

The Kurdish National Council previously held seven months of talks with its rival, the PYD (Democratic Union Party)-affiliated Kurdish National Unity Parties (PYNK) with support of the US.

The PYD is also the leading component of the political wing of the SDF, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC). Talks have been suspended since the US Presidential elections in November 2020 and have not resumed yet.