Ahead of the implementation of the economic measures imposed by the Trump administration against Iran, according to reports from the Axios website, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reported to have stated that the U.S. will “set aside its weapons, for the time being.” Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his satisfaction with the development.
Kurdish armed forces in Syria are disbanding
After a lengthy process lasting several months, the leader of the Syrian Kurds, Mazloum Abdi, announced that the Kurdish armed forces are being disbanded and integrated into the regular Syrian army. Abdi expressed his optimism that the Kurdish community in Syria will integrate smoothly into Syrian society and state institutions, noting that the human rights and the cultural and linguistic heritage of his compatriots will receive the protection they deserve.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
This development is part of the broader atmosphere being fostered, both within Syria as well as internationally, that the country has opened a new chapter in its history, one that will guarantee unity and stability under the leadership of the current interim President, Ahmad Al-Sarra. Significantly, yesterday the United States decided to remove Syria from the list of countries that support international terrorism, while at the same time major U.S. business investments were announced, centered on the Kurdish city of Qamishli in the northeastern part of the country.
Challenges Remain
However, the situation on the ground is different. Specifically, Israel and Turkey occupy Syrian territories in the south and north, respectively. The Druze in southern Syria have not ruled out the possibility of a special autonomous status, while in recent days there have been demonstrations in Druze towns and villages, where, in addition to their community’s flag, they also waved Israeli flags to express their gratitude for the support Israel has shown toward their community. At the same time, within the Kurdish community, there are groups advocating for its autonomy, maintaining information channels on Syrian social media; and in the coastal regions of Syria, the Alawite community never fails to express the hope that the presence of Russian naval bases in Tartus and Latakia will serve as a guarantee of their security against the Syrian state apparatus, the regular Syrian army, and the Sunni armed groups that also maintain a presence in the region.
And while the plan for stability in Syria is supported by the U.S., Turkey, and is encouraged by the international community—specifically, to a large extent, by countries that are either part of the West or maintain good relations with Western governments— Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sara took the initiative to speak by telephone today with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As indicated by the official statement from the Damascus government, published by the state-run news agency SANA, it is clear that the Al-Sara administration is seeking to reassure Moscow that the process of stabilizing Syria will not threaten Russian interests in the country.
Watch the segments featuring Christodoulos Athanasatos and Gabriel Charitou on ALPHA Cyprus’s main newscast with Yiannis Xenophontos:
