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The Swedish and EU flags fly in front of the Swedish Parliament in April 2020 in Stockholm. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Sweden has called on the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces to exercise restraint, condemning violence against civilians as “unacceptable” amid ongoing clashes in northeastern Syria, also known as Rojava.
“The recent hostilities between Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria are concerning,” the Swedish Foreign Ministry told Rudaw. “Violence directed against civilians is unacceptable, and the Swedish government urges all actors to show restraint.”
The ministry added that the European Union, including Sweden, along with other "like-minded countries", has emphasized the need to uphold the ceasefire and ensure that agreements between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syria’s transitional government are respected.
Sweden’s remarks come amid a large-scale offensive launched in mid-January by the Syrian Arab Army and allied armed groups aimed at capturing territory held by the Kurdish-led SDF in northern and northeastern Syria.
The SDF functions as the de facto military force in Rojava and remains a key partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS).
Syrian government forces and affiliated militants have advanced into former SDF-held areas in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and near the predominantly Kurdish province of Hasaka in eastern Rojava. According to United Nations estimates, the fighting has displaced around 100,000 people, most of them Kurds.
Many of the areas seized by Damascus and its allied forces were previously liberated by Kurdish-led fighters from ISIS following the group’s declaration of its so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2014.
Under mounting pressure from members of the US House of Representatives and Senate, the US administration has brokered a temporary ceasefire between Damascus and the SDF. The truce was extended by 15 days on Saturday after the initial four-day period expired.
The ceasefire aims to facilitate the safe transfer of ISIS detainees held in SDF-run prisons in northern and northeastern Syria to neighboring Iraq. It is also intended to create space for accelerated negotiations between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led administration in Rojava.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it has stressed the importance of inclusivity in meetings with Syria’s new authorities.
“In our dialogue with the Syrian transitional government, Sweden and the EU continue to emphasize the importance of an inclusive Syria that is safe for everyone - regardless of religious or ethnic background - and that safeguards the human rights of all Syrians, including Kurds,” the ministry said. “Sweden continues to stress the importance of accountability for crimes committed - past and present—in Syria.”
The ministry also noted that Sweden is closely monitoring developments related to camps and prisons holding individuals linked to ISIS.
“It is vital that security in and around these facilities is maintained and that any evidence held is secured,” it said.
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