Obama's envoy meets with Kurdish officials in northern Syria: monitor

Xinhua News Agency

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A delegation of the U.S.-led anti- terror coalition have visited Kurdish fighters in a Kurdish area in northern Syria, a monitor group reported on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK based watchdog group, said the delegation grouped British and French officers led by Brett McGurk, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State (IS).

The delegation landed on Saturday at the Rmailan airport, located in the city of Rmailan, which is under the control of the Kurdish fighter group of the People's Protection Units, or (YPG), said the Observatory, citing a Kurdish source.

According to the Observatory, which relies on a wide network of activists on ground, said McGurk met with Kurdish members of the Democratic Self-Rule Administration, during which the Kurds expressed dismay over being excluded in the currently-underway talks between the government and the opposition in Geneva.

McGurk told the Kurds that the current preliminary meetings in Geneva are "formalities" to achieve a cease-fire between the government and the opposition, assuring them that they will have a role in next "serious" rounds, according to the Observatory.

The U.S. official also hailed the self-rule of the Kurds in their areas, saying they deserve to have an autonomy as they have fought the IS group several times.

The Observatory said McGurk returned along with his delegation members to the Rmailan airport and deported by a helicopter.

It said the U.S. air force is preparing the Rmailan airport to be used for the American war jets.

It added that the U.S. airplanes had landed over the past few weeks in the aforementioned airport and its personnel worked to expand the runway there amid a landing and taking off of American helicopters in the airport.

The Observatory said the airport will be used by the American air force in striking the positions of the IS group in Syria.

It added that American military advisers had entered Syria in recent weeks and will use the airport as headquarters.

Rmailan and much of al-Hasakah is under the control of the YPG, a powerful Kurdish force, which is heavily backed by Washington. Enditem