Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Nadine Maenza is having a series of meetings with officials of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

At a joint press conference with the Syriac Military Council on Thursday Maenza declared her support for the Autonomous Administration. Maenza condemned the attacks, with which -she said- the Turkish state is disregarding international agreements. She recalled that Christian villages were reduced to ruins by the attacks of the IS and Turkey and the population was forced to flee.

Maenza reported on her visit to the Washokani camp for internally displaced persons and warned that the situation of people who were forced to flee because of Turkey's crimes was bad.

The USCIRF representative emphasized that: "It is necessary to recognize the Autonomous Administration and peoples of the region in order to protect the system and the region of Northern and Eastern Syria. It is also necessary to guarantee the return of displaced persons to their homes".

Maenza vowed to put pressure on the US government to do something against the Turkish occupation and to include the Autonomous Administration in the solution process for Syria. "There is no difference between Turkey and the IS. Both are committing crimes in the territories they occupy and changing demographics," she said. Maenza will report on the situation to the U.S. government and the Department of Defense and stressed that she will call for all possible support. She said she will also bring the crimes of the Turkish state in Serêkaniyê, Girê Spî and Afrin to the world public. She concluded with the words: "The USA's Syria policy is not clear and does not correspond to the UN decisions regarding the region. The important thing now is for the U.S. government to continue its alliance with the Autonomous Administration and the SDF. That is what we will work for."

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