Co-Chair of Economic Authority in Cafrin (Afrin) Region Daoud: The siege on North and East Syria aims to pressure the region’s people to concede to the Syrian regime

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — In a statement, Co-Chair of the Economic Authority in Cafrin (Afrin) Region of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) Imad Daoud claims that the economic siege imposed by the Syrian regime on the regions of North and East Syria, as well as the Shahba region housing thousands of displaced civilians from Turkish occupied Cafrin, is part of a plot based on regional agreements led by Russia, Turkey, and Iran, against Syria in general and the DAA in particular.

Daoud indicated that the siege is not new, but rather started several years ago as a result agreements made between Turkey, Russia, and Iran, especially after the failure of the Constitutional Committee and the last meeting of Astana to achieve any progress in negotiations.

In the wake of the failed negotiations, an alternative plan was implemented, which was to thwart the DAA project in North and East Syria.

“After the [sanctions imposed by the] Caesar’s Act on Syria, the Syrian situation, especially economically, became very bad,” said Daoud, blaming the Syrian regime and the Turkish occupation.

“The main goal of the tightened siege is to pressure the people to agree to their policies and interests that they seek to achieve in Syria,” he added.

Daoud stressed that creating a democratic political system in Syria is the only way to find a solution to the Syrian crisis and called on the Syrian regime to reconsider its policies.

He also called on international organizations to urgently intervene to force the Syrian regime to refrain from its unfair policies against the Syrian people which deprive them of economic opportunity, food, and medical care, including equal distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.