Kurds gain support, perhaps invitation to Syrian talks
There appear to be serious attempts to include the Kurds in the negotiations aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis.
QAMISHLI, Syria — Since the battles against the Islamic State (IS) in Baghouz ended in March, several factors have indicated the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeast Syria is garnering international political support.
Previously, support to that region — known as Syrian Kurdistan or Rojava — from the international coalition against IS had been limited to military and security aspects. Now, diplomatic visits have increased in frequency, actually coming weekly in the past two months, Abdul Karim Omar, head of the region's Foreign Relations Department, told Al-Monitor.
Most foreign delegations visiting the self-administration area used to avoid the media and focused on receiving their countries' children and wives of IS fighters held there. But there has been a shift since June in the number and quality of these visits.
Since then, nine diplomatic delegations have traveled to Rojava, representing several countries that are part of the international coalition. A high-level Swedish delegation led by that country's envoy to Syria, Brower Yeniouz, arrived June 18.
