Syrian government forces push into Kurdish-held areas

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00:00Latest information that we have in the latest announcement by the Syrian presidency,

00:06Al-Shariah just said that all pending or outstanding issues with the Syrian Democratic

00:12forces, the Kurdish-led forces, will be resolved. As he said, he said as well that state institutions

00:19are preparing to move into three governors in Syria, in eastern and northeastern Syria,

00:26as part of a new arrangement on the ground. We are waiting for more details about this new

00:32arrangement, about whether it's going to be the following of the deal that was signed in last

00:38March and April between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led forces. Just earlier today,

00:48Syrian as well, interim President Ahmad al-Shariah met with U.S. Special Envoy to Syria,

00:54Tom Barak. According to a statement from the Syrian presidency as well, he affirmed Syria's unity,

01:01as I quote, and sovereignty over all its territory and the importance of the dialogue

01:06at the present stage and building Syria with the participation of all Syrians, meaning with the

01:12Kurds as well. Now, Dana, there's been a lot of fighting recently. There had been calls both from

01:19Paris and Washington for de-escalation, I think you had mentioned there. Can you remind us what's

01:24been happening on the ground and how we ended up getting to this point?

01:29We ended up to this point after violent and severe clashes that erupted in several towns and

01:38regions in Syria, especially in Aleppo, in Sheikh Maksud, and as well in Ashrafia. As for the moment,

01:47and as for the last couple of days, the army was advancing rapidly towards eastern Aleppo and

01:55specifically to their Hafer, around 50 kilometers east Aleppo. And now, just today, earlier today,

02:02the army announced that its forces were rapidly heading towards the city of Raqqa after they captured

02:11a strategic city or town that's called Tabqa. It is near or about 50 kilometers west of Raqqa, marking one

02:19of its more or most significant advances, we can say, in recent weeks. The military also claims that it

02:28has seized the Euphrates Dam that is a strategically vital facility and that plays a crucial role in

02:35electricity and generation of water and electricity across the region. So, as for now, all Syrians are

02:42waiting to see if this agreement and as well the decree that was issued by the interim president just

02:51two days ago about the Kurdish rights and his promises to grant all Kurdish citizens, all Kurdish

02:59Syrians' citizenship. So, we will see if this will calm the situation and will let Syrians live in peace

03:07after all of this operation in the region.

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