Van Hollen Statement on Situation in Syria

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement after a phone call with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Mazloum.

“After decades of conflict and oppression, promoting stability in Syria is critical for both the Syrian people and the security of the region. That’s why I’m deeply concerned by recent developments in Syria and why I’ve been monitoring rapidly changing events closely. I just spoke to SDF Gen. Mazloum about these developments, including reports that the Syrian government is violating the recent ceasefire agreement, including in Kobani. As a close partner of ours and the tip of the spear in the fight against ISIS, we have an obligation to ensure that the SDF is treated fairly. The U.S. should immediately demand that the Syrian government comply with the ceasefire and not attack predominantly Kurdish areas. It is imperative that the U.S. work to get both parties back to the negotiating table before the current ceasefire expires to finalize a fair agreement that fully integrates the SDF into the Syrian government.”