SYRIA UPDATE
New batches of displaced Syrians return from Lebanon
In framework of the efforts exerted by the Syrian Government in cooperation with the Lebanese side, hundreds of displaced Syrians on Monday returned from Lebanon through the border crossings of al-Zamrani, Jdeidet Yabous and al-Dabbousyia heading for their villages and towns which have been liberated from terrorism by the Syrian Arab Army.
https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=154229
Grospic: Solving crisis in Syria through respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity
Head of the Czech Parliamentary Committee for Friendship with Syria Stanislav Grospic stressed that solving the crisis in Syria can’t be achieved without respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity and the legitimate government in it.
https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=154240
Lavrov: Washington continues to violate Security Council’s main resolutions on Syria
“Washington continually puts new conditions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria despite of that these principles are mentioned by the main resolutions of the Security Council,” Lavrov affirmed.
He added “Let’s see what the result of leaving Syria which was announced by US President Donald Trump will be.”
https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=154243>>4452957
Erdogan Does Not Object To Damascus’s Control Over Al-Hasaka: The Kurds Choose Between Loyalty To Syria Or Defeat By Turkey
Damascus rejected this proposal and instead proposed a special status for the Kurdish administration within Syria, opening the road for members of the YPG to join the Syrian Army in a special Kurdish and Arab contingent.
“There will be no other army on the Syrian territory but the national Syrian Arab Army”, were the instructions of President Bashar al-Assad to the Syrian delegation engaged in dialogue with the Kurds, according to this source.
On the possibility of Turkish forces advancing into Manbij and their massive deployment on the bordering province, the source confirmed that “Russia informed President Erdogan that it will not accept any crossing into the province, and that it will be up to the Syrian army to move in if the US withdraws its troops from the occupied area”.
https://southfront.org/erdogan-does-not-object-to-damascuss-control-over-al-hasaka-the-kurds-choose-between-loyalty-to-syria-or-defeat-by-turkey/
Map Update: Violations Of Ceasefire Regime In Syria’s Idlib Demilitarized Zone
https://southfront.org/map-update-violations-of-ceasefire-regime-in-syrias-idlib-demilitarized-zone/
Syrian War Report – Dec. 24, 2018: France Plans To Replace US Forces In Syria
Syrian government and pro-Iranian sources have increased their activity in the eastern part of Syria in response to the announced decision of the US administration to withdraw troops from the country.
On December 22, a spokesperson for Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah, Jafar al-Husseini, told al-Mayadeen TV that the group is ready to coordinate with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in order to protect Syrian Kurds.
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-dec-24-2018-france-to-attempt-to-replace-us-forces-in-syria/
Macron Slams Trump’s Decision To Withdraw U.S. Forces From Syria
“To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It’s the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military,” Macron said during a news conference in Chad, according to the Reuters news agency.
The French leader added that the US-led coalition “shouldn’t forget” what it owes to the SDF, which has been fighting under the coalition’s banner for three years now.
https://southfront.org/macron-slams-trumps-decision-to-withdraw-u-s-forces-from-syria/