Main Syrian Kurdish party backs ‘longer US role’ in Syria

The main Syrian Kurdish political party, the PYD, said on Wednesday the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) should continue to operate in Syria. PYD’s co-president, Shahoz Hasan, was responding to comments by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday that described a longer-term role for US troops long after IS militants lose control, Reuters reports. “Without achieving a political solution to the Syrian crisis,” the continued operation of the coalition is better, Hasan said.