SDC co-chair denies handing over areas to Syrian regime

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), denied it will hand over areas like Raqqa, Tabqa and Manbij to the Syrian regime, while saying its meetings with Damascus need to be followed up to achieve concrete results.

“In the previous meetings in some areas, some people spread rumors that the Syrian Democratic Council will hand over areas to the Syrian regime. These same people this time as well spread such rumors that the Council will hand over Tabqa, Raqqa and Manbij to the Syrian regime. We on our side say this news have no truth,” Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of SDC, told Hawar News Agency.

The SDC is the political wing of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is spearheaded by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which the agency is close to.

Ahmed added that the talks need to be bolstered, but posited that not all hopes should be hung on the meeting that took place last Friday.

“The issue isn’t merely that of demands, but it is related to rights, democratizing Syria, and an administration regime. These are big topics, and are important,” Ahmed added.

She argued that Bashar al-Assad’s regime needs to review the Syrian Constitution and the SDC needs to be reassured of Damascus’ intentions in the talks.

Ilham went on to say that the solution to Syria’s issue can be found internally, not from abroad. 

Continuing the same trajectory without negotiations will lead to “dangerous results and even division,” Ilham posited.

“In case we there is no understanding reached, then we will understand that all [negotiations] was within the framework of their propaganda campaign and to propagate that we are handing over our areas,” said Ilham, who noted the meeting requested by the regime.

“We can call the meeting good, but not all hopes should be hung upon it, or that it can resolve all exacerbated issues,” Ahmed added.

The practical steps taken on the ground following the meeting will determine whether further meetings will take place, Ilham added, vowing they won’t compromise on the rights of their people.

“Our going to Damascus was to protect rights, secure freedom and democracy for our people, and to emphasize that the solution is with us, internally, not externally”, said Ilham.

The SDC visited Damascus last Friday in the first official meeting between the regime and the authorities of Northern Syrian Federation.

US President Donald Trump has announced that he wants to leave Syria. Turkey threatens more incursions on the horizon. The regime has won back territory with the help of Shiite militias, Iran, and Russia.

The UN Special Envoy to Syria said on Tuesday that he wants to host Iran, Russia, and Turkey in September to discuss a new Syrian constitution. 

At different times, Kurdish fighters in Syria have been supported by the United States and Russia. The US stance is for UN-backed elections in the country engulfed by war since 2011 that has claimed 400,000 lives.