In a statement to Rudaw Agency, Sanharib Barsom, Co-Chair of the Syriac Union Party in Syria, said that the situation in Deir Hafer and Maskanah remains tense and close to open conflict. He noted that although dialogue and negotiations are underway through American mediation to avoid a war between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), tensions persist along with sporadic clashes. He stressed that the situation has been deteriorating since the Syrian government launched its attack on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods and chose a military option over dialogue and mutual understanding, which has widened the gap between the two sides.
Barsom also emphasized that the Autonomous Administration and the SDF remain committed to the March 10 Agreement and to its activation, pointing to the necessity of the guarantor states returning to the negotiating table and resolving all disputes through dialogue rather than military means, which could cause significant harm and would not serve the interests of either side.
He explained that the United States and Turkey have roles to play in de-escalating the current conflict, expressing hope that these efforts will succeed, as there are proposals regarding the status of Deir Hafer and Maskanah. Regarding the American role, he said they had hoped it would be stronger. Barsom added that the March 10 Agreement is the foundation for a solution and serves the interests of all Syrians, but that there has been procrastination and obstruction of the agreement by the Syrian government. He noted that the negotiating committee and the SDF were ready for any session or meeting scheduled by the Syrian government, highlighting here the Turkish role in influencing the Syrian government’s decisions.
He concluded by saying that it would have been possible for Syrians to reach agreements and understandings without external interference, under American guarantees. In recent periods, understandings could have led to the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army, but these were obstructed by the Syrian government. Two days after one such session, fighting began in Sheikh Maqsoud, indicating that the escalation had been prepared in coordination with Turkey.
