In light of the Syrian government’s offensive in the Kurdish‑controlled northeast, the aid organisation Medico International has warned that a new civil war could break out in Syria. The German federal government must press the Syrian transitional authorities for stability.
“It is quietly hopeful that an agreement can be reached that both sides can live under” said Anita Starosta, a Syria expert with the organisation, to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (free‑edition releases). “That would be the best thing that could happen-even though it still feels wrong because it is clear how much autonomy will be lost. If negotiations fail and Syrian government forces push into the autonomous areas, a new civil war could erupt. And a large portion of the population there would leave the country”.
The offensive has eroded Kurdish confidence in the transitional government. “They suffer from collective trauma” Starosta said. “That trauma is breaking out again”.
Therefore, the federal government should not let its Syria policy be dictated by an internal political agenda focused mainly on deportations. “The priority must be stability, human rights and the pursuit of war‑crime investigations in Syria. For that, the Kurdish side must also be included in the German government’s talks” she added.