ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – France recognizes the sacrifices of those who fought the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria and continues to stand by its Kurdish allies, a visiting delegation of French parliamentarians said Friday.
The Foreign Relations Committee delegation from Paris met with officials from the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration (AA) of North and East Syria on Friday in the town of Ain Issa, just north of Raqqa – once the de facto capital of the ISIS caliphate.
“France has been at your side throughout this, and France will continue to be at your side for the reconstruction and the stabilization of this region,” committee head Marielle de Sarnez told journalists following the meeting.
“I want to give our immense recognition for the sacrifices they made, sacrifices that go beyond the borders of this part of the world – France in particular recognizes this, Europe in particular recognizes this,” she added.
France deployed troops, weaponry, and airpower in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to push back the ISIS onslaught. The jihadists were cleared from their last redoubt of Baghouz, Deir ez-Zor province in March.
The AA – formerly known as the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria – sent its own delegation to Paris in April, where President Emmanuel Macron pledged continued military and financial support for the “humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilization of civilian populations in Syria.”
Turkey condemned the visit, accusing Paris of legitimizing the SDF.
Ankara views the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which make up backbone of the SDF, as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group fighting for greater political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey.
France renewed its pledge of support for Syria’s Kurds just as US President Donald Trump was looking to draw down the American presence in northern Syria.
Trump made the shock announcement in December 2018 to withdraw all 2,000 US troops, later backtracking to allow a smaller force to remain. It led to fears the Kurds would be left exposed to attack by Turkey or the Syrian regime.
Macron and even some of Trump’s closest advisors viewed the move as a betrayal of their Kurdish allies who bore the brunt of the fight against ISIS.
The Foreign Relations Committee delegation from Paris met with officials from the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration (AA) of North and East Syria on Friday in the town of Ain Issa, just north of Raqqa – once the de facto capital of the ISIS caliphate.
“France has been at your side throughout this, and France will continue to be at your side for the reconstruction and the stabilization of this region,” committee head Marielle de Sarnez told journalists following the meeting.
“I want to give our immense recognition for the sacrifices they made, sacrifices that go beyond the borders of this part of the world – France in particular recognizes this, Europe in particular recognizes this,” she added.
France deployed troops, weaponry, and airpower in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to push back the ISIS onslaught. The jihadists were cleared from their last redoubt of Baghouz, Deir ez-Zor province in March.
The AA – formerly known as the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria – sent its own delegation to Paris in April, where President Emmanuel Macron pledged continued military and financial support for the “humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilization of civilian populations in Syria.”
Turkey condemned the visit, accusing Paris of legitimizing the SDF.
Ankara views the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which make up backbone of the SDF, as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group fighting for greater political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey.
France renewed its pledge of support for Syria’s Kurds just as US President Donald Trump was looking to draw down the American presence in northern Syria.
Trump made the shock announcement in December 2018 to withdraw all 2,000 US troops, later backtracking to allow a smaller force to remain. It led to fears the Kurds would be left exposed to attack by Turkey or the Syrian regime.
Macron and even some of Trump’s closest advisors viewed the move as a betrayal of their Kurdish allies who bore the brunt of the fight against ISIS.
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