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Tobias Tunkel, the director of the Middle East and North Africa office of the German foreign office, (right) meeting with Rojava delegation in Berlin on January 9, 2025. Photo:Tobias Tunkel/X
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior official from the German foreign ministry on Thursday received a top delegation from northeast Syria (Rojava) in Berlin, discussing the need to de-escalate the latest attacks on the Kurdish enclave and the threat of the Islamic State (ISIS) resurgence.
Tobias Tunkel, the director of the Middle East and North Africa office of the German foreign office, said in a post on X that he received a Rojava delegation led by Elham Ahmad, foreign relations co-chair of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).
They talked about “the need for de-escalation & protection of civilians in North East Syria,” the German official said.
Turkey and the Syrian militia groups it supports, who call themselves the Syrian National Army (SNA), have intensified their attacks on areas under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last month. They have managed to expel the SDF from key towns of Tal Rifaat and Manbij.
SDF has been resisting constant attacks from the same parties on the crucial Tishreen Dam and Qere Qozaq bridge, claiming to have killed hundreds of militants and destroyed numerous military vehicles so far.
Another threat the Rojava authorities have been warning the international community about is a potential resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS).
“A resurgence of ISIS must be prevented at all costs,” Tunkel said.
In an interview with the Guardian, published on Thursday, SDF chief Mazloum Abdi urged US President-elect Donald Trump to keep US troops in Rojava, warning that the withdrawal of the 2,000 American soldiers from the region could lead to an ISIS "resurgence."
The SDF is guarding around 10,000 ISIS prisoners and is keeping over 40,000 individuals, mostly wives and children of ISIS fighters, in the notorious al-Hol camp in Hasaka city.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a recent visit to Damascus reiterated her country’s support for Syrian Kurds.
Kurdish authorities have announced that they want to take part in new Syria, with Abdi telling AFP on Wednesday that they reject any project that seeks division of the country.
SDF and the new administration in Damascus recently met and discussed the future of Rojava.
Tunkel said he welcomes Rojava’s “commitment to dialogue with Damascus on an inclusive Syrian solution.”
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