The Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic confirmed that a joint understanding has been reached between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regarding a number of issues related to the future of Hassakeh province.
In a statement received by SANA on Tuesday, the Syrian Presidency clarified that an agreement was reached to grant the SDF a period of four days for consultations in order to formulate a detailed plan for the practical mechanism of integrating the areas.
The Presidency stated: In case of agreement, Syrian forces “will not enter the city centers of Hassakeh and Qamishli and will remain on their outskirts.” Subsequently, the timeline and details for the peaceful integration of Hassakeh province, including the city of Qamishli, will be discussed.
It added: It was also affirmed that “Syrian military forces will not enter Kurdish villages,” and that there will be “no armed forces present in those villages except for local security forces from the people of the region”, in accordance with the agreement.
The Syrian Presidency’s statement indicated that Mr. Mazloum Abdi will propose a candidate from the SDF for the position of Assistant Minister of Defense, in addition to proposing a candidate for the position of Governor of Hassakeh, names for representation in the People’s Council, and a list of individuals for employment within Syrian state institutions.
It affirmed that the two parties agreed to integrate all military and security forces of the SDF into the Ministries of Defense and Interior, while discussions on the detailed integration mechanism will continue. Civilian institutions will also be integrated into the structure of the Syrian government.
It clarified that “Decree No. 13 concerning linguistic and cultural rights and citizenship rights for Kurds will be implemented,” reflecting a joint commitment to building a united and strong Syria based on national partnership and guaranteeing the rights of all its components.
It indicated that the implementation of this understanding will begin as of 8:00 PM on Tuesday.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
