In a recent telephone conversation, French President Emmanuel Macron and Nechirvan Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, voiced their concerns over the escalating violence in Syria. They emphasized the urgent need for all parties involved to undertake measures for immediate de-escalation and to implement a permanent ceasefire, as recent clashes have erupted between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government troops in the northern regions of the country.
The SDF has been instrumental in controlling significant areas in Syria’s oil-rich north and northeast, territories largely seized during the civil war and the fight against the Islamic State. Meanwhile, the Syrian government, under the Islamist-led authorities in Damascus, is determined to reclaim full control over the nation, following the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad just over a year ago.
In March of the previous year, a deal was signed aimed at merging the semi-autonomous Syrian Kurdish administration and its military forces with the broader Syrian government framework. However, the implementation of this agreement has faced substantial delays.
Macron and Barzani reiterated their support for the swift resumption of talks that would facilitate the integration of the SDF into the Syrian state, stressing the importance of dialogue to ensure stability in the region.
