Presidents Obama and Putin are meeting in New York to talk about possible moves to end the war in Syria. Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Assad should be involved in future negotiations. Turkey’s President Erdogan, previously adamant that the Syrian leader must go as a precondition for talks, says much the same thing. The signs are positive compared with the diplomatic paralysis over Syria during the past four years.
But here in this Kurdish-controlled corner of north-east Syria, it is difficult to share in this mood of vague optimism. The triangle of territory known to the Kurds as Rojava is the most peaceful part of Syria, though this is not saying a lot. One day last week, I went to Hasaka, a mixed Kurdish-Arab city that Islamic State (Isis) had assaulted but failed to capture in an assault three months ago. Parts of it are defended by the Kurdish military forces known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and parts by the Syrian army, National Defence Force paramilitaries and pro-Assad militia of uncertain loyalties. YPG commanders say they have no communication with Assad’s men.