Russia calls for Kurds to join Syrian state military

Moscow (dpa) – Russia, the main military backer of Syria’s disputed government, called on beleaguered Kurdish militants to join the Syrian state military on Monday.

“The sooner, the better,” Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said in comments carried by Russian news agency Interfax.

He said Russia was in contact with “all sides” in an effort to secure peace based on “respect for Syria’s sovereignty.”

Kurdish militias, which have opposed the Syrian government, were pushed out of parts of northern Syria last month as Turkey’s military invaded.

Turkey considers such militias to be terrorists seeking to carve their own state out of parts of Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

Russia has agreed with Turkey to share control over parts of northern Syria in an effort to prevent Turkey from continuing its military operation.

Syrian state forces, allied with Russia, have taken over some areas abandoned by the Kurdish militias.

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