US Delegation Visit To NE Syria 'Good Sign' For Supporting Stabilization In Region - SDC

US Delegation Visit to NE Syria 'Good Sign' for Supporting Stabilization in Region - SDC

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2021) A visit by several senior US officials to northeastern Syria on Sunday gives a good sign of Washington's commitment to the stabilization of the region, Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Representative in the United States and member of the Presidential Committee, Bassam Saker, told Sputnik.

"This delegation shows some good sign," Saker said. "It is a good sign for stabilization. The visit in general was to support continuous stabilization of northern Syria."

On May 16, several senior US officials and diplomats visited northeast Syria, where they met the Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDC and other coalition counterparts, the State Department said on Monday.

Saker said the visit concerned humanitarian support for the region and defeating the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia).

"You know, because to defeat the ISIS [IS], it's not enough to defeat them militarily," Saker said. "It should be defeated ideologically. In this case, you need some help to the area. We need humanitarian aid, including for infrastructure, everything for the people, for changes in the area.

I believe it is one of the very important topics they discussed."

Saker also shared that there has been no change in cooperation with Washington after Joe Biden became US president.

"We are still cooperating. We are here as representatives to the United States," he said. "We continue our cooperation, we meet with State Department, we meet with Senate, the US House of Representatives. It is usual cooperation and the same as it was before."

Saker, however, also said more cooperation is needed.

"We need more but we are waiting," he added.

The State Department said in Sunday's meetings, the US stressed Washington's multinational drive to reopen cross-border points of entry for humanitarian assistance without Damascus' approval.

Rear Adm. Alexander Karpov, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said earlier in May that the US-led coalition has intensified airborne shipments of military cargo and movement of military equipment by land in eastern Syria.