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"The United States will withdraw its military forces but they will be also maintaining the presence to protect the Kurds of PYD. Strategically, I think, they know that this military and political force would have to initially negotiate the end of its control over the area but on condition slightly better than simply surrendering and dissolving its own forces. They want to maintain a certain level of military capacity in Syria to allow them to prevent Turkish military offensive and to seek a better agreement with the Syrian regime", Kodmani said.According to Kodmani, Washington feels moral responsibility for the Kurds, who have been instrumental in fighting Daesh* in Syria.
Ayman Soussan, an assistant to the Syrian Foreign Minister, confirmed: "The Kurds are an integral part of the Syrian nation. We are sure that we are able to resolve a number of difficult issues through a dialogue, and this is guaranteed as long as the dialogue is based on the principle of territorial integrity of Syria and the unity of its people."
In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the Turkish army was ready to start an offensive against the Kurdish forces on the eastern bank of the Euphrates at the earliest opportunity. However, after talks with US President Donald Trump, who informed the Turkish counterpart of the US troops withdrawal from Syria, Erdogan shelved its plans, saying that the offensive would be launched only after the complete pullout of the US forces.

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