The leading ground forces backed by the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition are the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is currently at the gates of the Islamic State’s waning stronghold.
Many SDF fighters believe the battle against the remaining militants might end in less than a week. However, new information about the number of Islamic State fighters still in the area (about 1,000) could delay the conclusion to the assault yet again by days if not weeks.
Following this fight, a grim fate awaits the chief Kurdish element of the SDF, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which has a de facto rule in many Kurdish areas in northeastern Syria. Their territory is landlocked between the Syrian government from the south and west and the Turkish government from the north.
Since last June, delegations the Syrian Kurdish authorities sent from much of the north and east of Syria have held talks with the Syrian regime in Damascus and Qamishli, but have yet to reach an explicit agreement.
After the US decision to withdraw from Syria in December, Kurdish authorities have presented a road map to Assad in recent meetings with his key ally, Russia, in hopes to strike a deal.
The Kurds want to safeguard their autonomous region within a decentralized state once US troops, currently backing them, pull out. They also hope a deal with Damascus would dissuade neighboring Turkey from attacking the Kurds.
Last week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad advised Syrian Kurds not to rely on the United States and suggested he is ready for a dialogue with the Kurds.
The White House on Friday announced they would keep about 200 troops in Syria, paving the way for the formation of a security zone, with international observers along Syria’s northern border. Later reports quoting a US official bumped the number up to around 400.
In a statement following the initial announcement, US Sen. Lindsey Graham welcomed Washington’s decision “to leave a small contingent of American forces in Syria as part of an international stabilizing force.” Graham also said the move would ensure, among others, “ISIS does not return.”
In another part of their meeting, Maksimov and Masrour Barzani agreed “ISIS ideology remains a serious threat, and the importance of reversing conditions that led to the terrorist organization.”
The Kurdish leaders and the Russian envoy also discussed the latest political developments in Iraq and bilateral trade ties with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany