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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrived in Kobane on Saturday for the first time since the city came under siege by central government forces in mid-January, as part of a US-brokered agreement between the two sides to stop the fighting.
General Mazloum Abdi led a delegation to the city and took part in the funeral ceremony of a number of his fighters who lost their lives during the fighting with government forces.
Syrian government forces wrestled control of the Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor areas in January from the Kurdish forces and laid siege to the city of Kobane, which had gained global prominence after the jihadists of the Islamic State laid siege to the city in late 2014.
The delegation also included Sipan Hamo, a senior SDF commander appointed as an assistant to the Syrian defense minister for the predominantly Kurdish region in eastern Syria (Rojava), and Elham Ahmed, co-chair of Rojava’s foreign affairs office.
“We could not return their [fallen fighters’] bodies early. Therefore, we apologize to the families of the martyrs. Some of our comrades are in [Syrian government] captivity. They have been held captive for some time. We have returned some of them but others remain [in captivity],” Abdi said during a speech at the ceremony, attended by thousands.
He added that the SDF understands the criticism from the families of its fighters held captive by Damascus and promised to work toward securing their freedom.
“We could not return their [fallen fighters’] bodies early. Therefore, we apologize to the families of the martyrs. Some of our comrades are in [Syrian government] captivity. They have been held captive for some time. We have returned some of them but others remain [in captivity],” he said.
Last Saturday, Abdi told a committee representing the prisoners’ families that he had been officially informed of the presence of “1,070 civilian and military prisoners” from Rojava in Damascus custody.
The Syrian government last week released 100 SDF captives in a prisoner exchange in return for the SDF releasing 100 people from its prisons.
A previous exchange saw the release of 59 SDF prisoners.
The SDF’s defeat in areas between Kobane and Hasaka province led to the isolation of Kobane and a subsequent government siege that locals say has yet to be lifted.
The SDF and Damascus signed a comprehensive agreement on January 29, which included a ceasefire and the integration of Rojava’s military, security, and civilian structures into the government. The deal was brokered by the US and other Western powers.
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