New Syrian Leader: Damascus Emphasizes the 'Indivisibility' of Kurdish Regions

Officials from the Syrian interim government described the meetings and discussions between the new Syrian leader and representatives of the Kurds in the country as 'positive'. Figures from the 'Syrian Democratic Forces', known as 'SDF', who have effectively held governance over vast areas of northeastern Syria during the civil war, met on Monday, December 30, with Ahmad al-Shar' in Damascus. This was the first face-to-face dialogue of this kind since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 9. The Kurds governing the areas they call 'Rojava' have expressed concerns since the rise of the 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham', which is significantly supported by Turkey, that the Turkish army may seek to initiate conflict in these territories alongside its supported militia groups in Syria. The President and Foreign Minister of Turkey have emphasized in recent weeks that their country's goal is to eliminate security threats posed by the 'People's Protection Units', which they consider an extension of the PKK separatist group in Turkey; the 'People's Protection Units' closely cooperate with the 'SDF'. The names of 'six foreign jihadists' appear on the list of senior commanders of the new Syrian army. Additionally, the new government's request for the disarmament of all groups, aiming to ensure that weapons are solely in the hands of the central army, has faced opposition and concern from 'SDF' commanders. Ahmad al-Shar' stated on Monday that federalism in Syria is unacceptable, the possibility of the country's division does not exist, and the Kurds are 'an inseparable part of the composition of Syria'. He, whose official title has recently changed to 'Commander-in-Chief of the New Syrian Administration', emphasized the necessity of integrating Kurdish forces into the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Mr. Shar' mentioned that meetings with Kurdish leaders and commanders to resolve issues related to the north and northeast of his country will continue. An official regarding the details of Ahmad al-Shar's meeting with 'SDF' commanders on Tuesday stated that this meeting was a 'preliminary session' to discuss the principles and contents of future dialogues, and such negotiations will increase and continue. The Syrian interim government appointed the first Druze woman to the governorship of the Suwayda province on Tuesday. Mohsena Mohithawi, 54, was proposed for the governorship by civil activists in the southern Suwayda province to the new rulers. Ms. Mohithawi, who is not veiled, previously served as a bank manager and a member of the supervisory and inspection organization of Suwayda province. A day earlier, the interim government appointed Ms. Misa Sabreenah as the head of the Central Bank of Syria. Ahmad al-Shar' also met with a group of senior Christian clerics in Syria on New Year's Eve and assured them of 'complete freedom' to hold Christian ceremonies. The French Defense Minister announced that his country's fighter jets have been bombing ISIS positions in Syria since the beginning of this week. This is the first military action of this kind by France since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Sebastian Lecornu stated on Tuesday during a visit to his country's forces, which are part of the UN peacekeeping force stationed in Lebanon, that the French armed forces in Syria are still engaged in the fight against terrorism. The French Ministry of Defense described the attacks by its fighter jets on ISIS positions as 'targeted'. France has been part of the international coalition in the fight against ISIS in Syria since 2015 and had also been active in this coalition in Iraq against ISIS a year prior. The United States, which has intensified targeted attacks against ISIS positions this week, announced that it has doubled its ground forces in Syria in recent weeks to about 2,000 to prevent ISIS from re-emerging. The leader of 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' called for a 'review' of Iran's regional interventions. Meanwhile, Russia is also striving to maintain its presence in the Mediterranean, eyeing Libya. CNN reported on Tuesday that Russia has increased flights from Syria to Libya to bolster its base in the Mediterranean following the fall of Assad's regime in Syria. Citing an analysis of Russian military aircraft flights over Libya in recent weeks, CNN noted that Moscow is working towards 'increasing military intervention in Africa' and finding a way to maintain its military presence in the Mediterranean. Guido Crosetto, Italy's Defense Minister, whose country is a NATO member, previously told the newspaper La Repubblica in Rome that the presence of Russian ships and submarines in the Mediterranean is always concerning, and when their distance from us shrinks from a thousand kilometers to just two steps, it becomes 'even more concerning'. However, according to CNN, Libya will be a weak substitute for Syria in some respects. For example, transport aircraft can only effectively reach Libya from Russia if they are allowed to fly over Turkey's airspace, while Turkey is a NATO member and, given its close relations with parts of the Libyan government, cannot act at will. Ahmad al-Shar' stated this week that the new government does not want Russia to leave Syria 'in a way that is not suitable for long-standing relations'. However, it remains unclear what the new Syrian leadership will decide regarding the continued operation of the two Russian air and naval bases in Latakia and Tartus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday, January 1, that more than 528,500 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war. This total includes thousands who have died since 2011 but whose deaths have only recently been confirmed. This confirmation has been made possible due to easier access to detention centers and mass graves following the fall of Bashar al-Assad by rebels. The Syrian civil war began in 2011 after the government's severe crackdown on protests. These devastating conflicts forced millions to flee the country and opened the door for foreign powers to enter this war.