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Senior US Official Denies Plans to Withdraw from Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his meeting with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last Sunday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his meeting with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last Sunday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Senior US Official Denies Plans to Withdraw from Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his meeting with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last Sunday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his meeting with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last Sunday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

A senior US official has said the US firmly rejects any consideration of withdrawal from Syria in the face of the persistent ISIS threat, emphasizing the significance of collaboration with Türkiye despite differences in opinions regarding how to conduct the fight.

The US is not withdrawing its forces from Syria, Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said in an interview with CNN Turk.

Nuland explained that ISIS was "still active in too many places."

Speaking about Türkiye, Nuland stated, “We have been partners in the fight against terrorism for decades. In particular, we have been strong partners in the fight against ISIS, wherever it is. This needs to continue with Türkiye, whether in Iraq or Syria.”

The interview was broadcast following Nuland’s participation in the Türkiye-US Strategic Mechanism meetings.

“Even though we do not always agree on how to conduct this fight, it is more important than ever to strengthen our cooperation,” she said.

“One of the issues we talked about was re-strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and establishing a dialogue on what path to follow in Syria because both sides have important interests there, especially in the fight against terrorism.”

Persistent discord characterizes the relationship between Türkiye and the US concerning Washington's assistance to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, a pivotal faction within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The US views the SDF as a crucial ally in the fight against ISIS, while Türkiye perceives it as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a designated terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and Europe.

Tensions have escalated regarding the US military presence in Syria, gaining momentum following a recent report by Foreign Policy, which unveiled that the US is considering ending its military presence in Syria.

“While no definitive decision has been made to leave, four sources within the Defense and State Departments said the White House is no longer invested in sustaining a mission that it perceives as unnecessary. Active internal discussions are now underway to determine how and when a withdrawal may take place,” according to the report.

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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)

Italy plans to send an ambassador back to Syria after a decade-long absence, the country’s foreign minister said, in a diplomatic move that could spark divisions among European Union allies.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in front of relevant parliamentary committees Thursday, announced Rome’s intention to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria to prevent Russia from monopolizing diplomatic efforts in the Middle Eastern country.

Moscow is considered a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has remained in power despite widespread Western isolation and civilian casualties since the start of Syria’s civil war in March 2011.

Peaceful protests against the Assad government — part of the so-called “Arab Spring” popular uprisings that spread across some of the Middle East — were met by a brutal crackdown, and the uprising quickly spiraled into a full-blown civil war.

The conflict was further complicated by the intervention of foreign forces on all sides and a rising militancy, first by al-Qaida-linked groups and then the ISIS group until its defeat on the battlefield in 2019.

The war, which has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million, is now largely frozen, despite ongoing low-level fighting.

The country is effectively carved up into areas controlled by the Damascus-based government of Assad, various opposition groups and Syrian Kurdish forces.

In the early days of the conflict, many Western and Arab countries cut off relations with Syria, including Italy, which has since managed Syria-related diplomacy through its embassy in Beirut.

However, since Assad has regained control over most of the territory, neighboring Arab countries have gradually restored relations, with the most symbolically significant move coming last year when Syria was re-admitted to the Arab League.

Tajani said Thursday the EU’s policy in Syria should be adapted to the “development of the situation,” adding that Italy has received support from Austria, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Slovakia.

However, the US and allied countries in Europe have largely continued to hold firm in their stance against Assad’s government, due to concerns over human rights violations.