Syrian defence minister rejects Kurdish proposal for its own military bloc


Syria's new defense minister Murhaf Abu Qasra attends an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria's new defence minister said on Sunday it would not be right for U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters based in the country's northeast to retain their own bloc within the broader integrated Syrian armed forces.

Speaking to Reuters at the Defence Ministry in Damascus, Murhaf Abu Qasra said the leadership of the Kurdish fighters, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), was procrastinating in its handling of the complex issue.

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