The Week’s News that is Relevant to the Relationship Between the US and North and East Syria.
- In his first serious statements about Syria, new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “the U.S. stands with the Syrian people and the international community in calling for a nationwide ceasefire and humanitarian access to Syrians in need. The U.S. is the single largest humanitarian donor to the Syrian people.” Blinken encouraged more international donors to Syrian humanitarian aid.
- The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced more than $596 in new humanitarian aid for Syria. The assistance is intended to help Syrians and IDPs inside Syria, as well as refugees in surrounding countries.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-syria-aid-idUSKBN2BM1VY
- David Brownstein, the new US Deputy Special Envoy to Syria, joined Newroz festivities in Hasakah, North and East Syria, with General Mazloum Abdi Kobani of the Syrian Democratic Forces and Ilham Ahmed of the Syrian Democratic Council. He also joined Akito celebrations with Elezabeth Gawrie, Deputy Co-Chair of the AANES.
https://www.hawarnews.com/en/mobile/?page=haber&ID=23622
- In an interview with Intelligence Matters, former US Deputy Special Envoy William Roebuck said that “ethnic cleansing” had occurred under the Turkish occupation of North and East Syria. He also gave his perspective on ISIS, US actions pertaining to the Turkish military invasion of October 2019, the Syrian Democratic Forces, UNSCR 2254, solutions to the Syrian crisis, and other issues.
- US Congress has pushed forward legislation that would repeal the 2002 Authorization of Use of Military Force act, a key legal authority that has provided some of the legal basis for the US military activity in Syria, according to a statement by the previous administration of US President Barack Obama.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/545016-house-panel-advances-bill-to-repeal-2002-war-authorization
- Official US State Department spokesman Ned Price fielded a question from a reporter about Turkish human rights abuses in Turkish-occupied Afrin, Syria. It was the first time a US State Department spokesperson addressed this topic. Price did not offer any response to the question.
- US Special Envoy to Syria John Godfrey held an online briefing in which he discussed regional stabilization efforts, ISIS violence inside al-Howl camp, and supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in maintaining ISIS detention facilities and continuing the fight against ISIS.