A Kurdish-led militia that controls much of north-eastern Syria has handed over several detained government fighters during talks with Damascus officials, as the two sides edge towards implementing a deal to integrate the group with state institutions.
The Syrian Democratic Forces said late on Monday it had received a delegation from the capital in the northern province of Raqqa, most of which is controlled by the group.
“As a gesture of goodwill, our forces handed over a number of detainees who are members of the Damascus government forces and were apprehended in different locations,” the SDF said in a statement.
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement in March to integrate the SDF and territory under its control with the state. But the deal has not yet been realised, largely because of the SDF's resistance to disbanding. Hostilities have broken out between the two sides in recent months.
The SDF, which has traditionally been backed by the US, is the largest militia to remain outside state control since former president Bashar Al Assad was overthrown last December. The SDF controls areas where most of Syria's energy, electricity and commodities are produced.
Many Kurds in north-eastern areas have allied themselves with the US in the past decade, after the SDF was formed in 2015 to fight against ISIS. Kurds comprise about 10 per cent of Syria’s population and the SDF has carved out a de facto autonomous region that borders Turkey.
The meeting in Raqqa indicates progress on integration, but hurdles remain. The SDF has said it wants a secular, federal Syria, but Mr Al Shara believes such a system would mean division, as he tries to unite a diverse country fractured by years of civil war and authoritarian rule.
The SDF wants its fighters to be integrated into state forces as a unified bloc, but Damascus favours absorbing them individually and distributing them across army units.
On Monday the two sides also discussed recent tensions in Kurdish-majority areas in the north-western city of Aleppo. This month intense clashes broke out in two districts of the city between government forces and Kurdish fighters. A truce was later reached with US mediation. Aleppo, which remains under SDF control, is Syria’s commercial capital and its second-largest city.
In its statement, the SDF said the talks on Monday explored “ways to address the tensions through peaceful means to ensure the security and stability of the residents and prevent any field escalation”.
The SDF said it was committed to “peaceful solutions, maintaining stability and protecting civilians”.
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Allison (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
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Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
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Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
