Rubio Discusses Trump’s Engagement in Syria

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that President Donald Trump had been actively involved with both Syrian President Ahmed al-Shalah and the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, in efforts to end clashes between the Syrian military and the SDF at the end of January.

Rubio explained, “The president personally engaged with al-Shara not just once but twice, urging them to cease hostilities to facilitate the transfer of ISIS prisoners.” He made these comments during a press conference alongside Slovak Prime Minister Roberto Fico in Bratislava.

“He said, ‘Please stop the fighting so we can transfer the ISIS prisoners, and you can do the same. This will give us more time to work on the integration of the Kurds into the Syrian National Army,'” Rubio elaborated.

He noted that the SDF has been managing large camps for ISIS fighters and their families for nearly ten years. Due to an attack by the Syrian National Army the previous month, there have been troop withdrawals from these camps, raising concerns about potential escapes of prisoners.

The United States is also pressuring al-Sharah to secure these camps and transfer as many ISIS detainees as possible to secure facilities in Iraq. Recently, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that 5,700 adult male ISIS fighters have been safely handed over to Iraqi authorities.

Rubio mentioned that the U.S. chose to skip discussions on Ukraine with several European powers at the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing its focus on talks involving Syria and the Kurds.

Attendees of the meeting included Abdi, Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani, and Ilham Ahmed, who serves as the co-chair of foreign affairs for the Democratic Autonomous Authority for North and East Syria (DAANES).

Rubio characterized these talks as “historic,” suggesting they would strengthen a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement established at the end of January. He acknowledged the significance of the challenges in Syria, stating, “It’s very important.” He suggested that national unity following the potential fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime is essential for security, noting that the U.S. might not have supported the SDF strongly enough during the conflict with ISIS.

He articulated the situation, stating, “Syria had two options. One was to collapse into chaos, leading to instability and a haven for terrorists. The second was to collaborate with transitional authorities. I chose the second option because it simply makes more sense.”

Rubio stressed that Trump was directly involved in these recent events in northeastern Syria. He explained that Trump had instructed President Mazloum to cease fighting, which facilitated the transfer of thousands of ISIS prisoners, many of whom had previously escaped from facilities.

He remarked, “We needed more time to improve coordination within the Syrian military.” He also expressed optimism about the trajectory in northeastern Syria following the ceasefire agreement, but acknowledged ongoing demands from other groups like the Druze and Bedouin nomads for similar security guarantees as those provided to the Kurds.

Looking ahead, Rubio indicated, “We have a solid agreement. Implementation is now the priority, and we will stay deeply involved in that process.” Preparatory measures since the January 29 agreement have included increased government troop presence in Kurdish-controlled cities and the withdrawal of fighters from the front lines.

However, key questions remain, particularly about how the SDF will integrate into the Syrian National Army. There are concerns regarding the amount of autonomy the SDF will retain, especially as Damascus aims to maintain control over its military while managing its forces differently across its roster.

Additionally, the SDF is keen on keeping crossing routes into Iraq, which have been crucial for resupply. Meanwhile, the Syrian government is exerting pressure on the Kurds to give up control of key oil fields and an airport near Qamishli.

An important aspect of the deal seems to be that while the SDF may lose much of its territory, internal security in the Kurdish area will be handled by a trusted force known as Asayish. This arrangement might not sit well with Turkey, which supports the Sharah government and perceives all Syrian Kurdish armed groups as security threats.