U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Joel Rayburn: The Syrian Opposition Coalition is more hostile to the Syrian Democratic Forces than the Syrian regime

GENEVA — As part of the latest developments in the Syrian political process, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs and Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn met with the delegation of the Syrian Opposition Coalition in Geneva. Reportedly, a heated discussion took place between the two parties, and Rayburn rebuked the opposition coalition delegation after they made pointed comments about the oil deal signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and a U.S. company to extract oil from the oil fields under SDF control in North and East Syria.

Rayburn commented that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is more hostile to the SDF than the Syrian regime.

After the meeting, Rayburn denounced what he described as a distraction from the Syrian opposition, after demanding to know the fate of the eastern region, detainees and water in Hasakah, and confirmed the U.S.’s determination to support the areas liberated by the SDF in cooperation with the International Coalition.

On the other hand, the Russian Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, stated that a longer-term ceasefire cannot be discussed at the moment because of the fight against terrorist organizations in Syria. Lavrentiev added that the increasing number of terrorists hinders talk about the reconstruction of Syria and highlighted the increasing activities of sleeper cells of the Islamic State in Syrian territory.