Syrian Democratic Forces Spokesperson Aram Hanna: U.S. has assured SDF they remain committed to mission in Syria

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — In an interview with British newspaper The Times, with General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi explained that the residents of North and East Syria were concerned after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying: “Let’s be honest, after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, people were afraid that they would face the same fate.”

Abdi indicated that he preferred that the U.S. pledge to remain in Syria until a final political settlement of the Syrian conflict is reached, because with a U.S. military presence there is a higher chance of winning the long-sought official recognition of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA).

In related news, SDF spokesperson Aram Hanna told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that a strategic relationship had been formed between the U.S. forces and its partners on the ground. In North and East Syria, the U.S. saw that they had a serious partner who showed the will to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) militarily and worked to build democratic self-governance that could be the first seed of a political solution across the country, said Hanna.

Hanna stated that the U.S.–SDF relationship is strong despite its stumble during Turkey’s attack on Rish Ayno (Ras al-Ayn) and Tal Abyad in October 2019 following the unilateral decision of then U.S. President Donald Trump to abruptly withdraw from Syria.

“We began to see its negative results, especially with the escalated military actions within the territory under the control of the Turkish-backed factions,” he proclaimed.

Hanna pointed out that the SDF has contact with the U.S. at various levels and the recent high-level delegation from the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) visit to Washington, D.C. received assurances of the current U.S. administration’s support for stability and security in the region.

According to Al-Araby, the White House sent Commander of the U.S. Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie on an unannounced visit to North and East Syria to provide personal assurances to Mazloum Abdi and told him that the U.S. policy is Syria is fundamentally different than that in Afghanistan.