Syria: Kurds declare a federal region in Syria
Kurdish YPG fighters in northern Syria
Syria’s Kurds on Thursday declared a federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, but both the government and an opposition coalition rejected the move.
The announcement is likely to anger neighboring Turkey and has complicated peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending the five-year civil war.
The United States, a key backer of Kurdish fighters in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group, has also warned it would not recognize any self-ruled Kurdish region within Syria.
More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties meeting in Syria agreed to create a “federal system” unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces.