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US Secretary of State Emphasizes Support for Political Transition and Welcomes the Integration of Northeastern Syria
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Washington's emphasis on monitoring the transitional government's policies and highlighting violence against minorities indicates continued US intervention in Syrian affairs, extending beyond military
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States views positively the agreement reached between the Syrian Interim Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which represents the dominant faction in northeastern Syria and enjoys US support.
According to a statement issued by the Syrian presidency on Monday, this agreement calls for the integration of the civil and military institutions of the SDF into the general structure of the state, which is seen as a step toward unifying the country.
In an official statement, Rubio emphasized, "The United States welcomes the recent agreement reached between the Syrian interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate northeastern Syria into a unified Syria."
He continued, saying, "We reaffirm our support for the political transition process that ensures a reliable administration free of sectarian divisions, and we believe this is the best way to avoid escalating conflict. We will continue to closely monitor the decisions of the interim authorities," adding that Washington is "deeply concerned about recent incidents targeting minorities in the country."
The agreement aims to bring northeastern Syria, including its border crossings and natural resources like oil and gas, under the control of the central administration in Damascus.
This move comes at a sensitive time for the Syrian Interim Government, which is facing increasing pressure following accusations of committing acts of violence against members of the Alawite sect in the western regions. These incidents were described by Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Shara on Monday as hindering his efforts to unite the country after more than a decade of conflict.
Calls for investigations into these events have increased, especially after reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and testimonies indicated the killing of hundreds of civilians in towns populated mostly by the Alawite sect, which was the sect of former President Bashar al-Assad.
