Kurdish SDF commander in Syria discusses challenges ahead
The World
PRX
4.6 • 884 Ratings
🗓️ 18 December 2024
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As Syria goes through historic changes, minority groups remain on edge. The commander of the US-backed Kurdish SDF discusses the situation in an exclusive interview with The World. Also, the tiny island nation of Vanuatu struggles to recover from a powerful earthquake. And, a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill in Ghana is one step closer to becoming law. Also, Thailand is offering a path to citizenship for nearly half a million stateless people in its borders in what its government is calling a “New Year’s gift.” Plus, a worldwide competition to find the coolest stick.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In Ghana, a controversial new law criminalizes homosexuality and the LGBTQ community there is reeling. |
| 0:11.9 | It feels like your life is being sacked out every day. It feels like you do not belong. I'm Marco |
| 0:18.3 | Werman. Today will take you to Ghana for reactions as the Supreme Court there |
| 0:21.9 | dismisses a challenge to that law. Also on the show, an exclusive interview with a commander from the |
| 0:27.6 | Syrian Democratic Forces, what he thinks Syria needs right now. A real and representative political |
| 0:33.8 | process, which will lead to the new Syria. And in Thailand, a new path to citizenship for refugees. |
| 0:40.7 | It's so bold that they can really serve as an inspiration for this region, |
| 0:45.7 | also on a global scale. |
| 0:47.6 | Plus, they are free and everywhere, the universal joy of finding a great stick. |
| 0:52.8 | All that and more today, here on the world. |
| 0:57.7 | This is the world. I'm Marco Wurman. Thank you for being with us this Wednesday. |
| 1:02.1 | In the north of Syria along the border with Turkey, there's an autonomous region run by Kurds, |
| 1:06.5 | and it is in a fragile position. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SD was a reliable ally for Washington while the U.S. was fighting the Islamic State. |
| 1:16.7 | Now, as the balance of power in and around Syria shifts, Turkey is in a position to exert a lot of influence. |
| 1:23.1 | The Turkish government has long viewed the Kurds as an adversary, and Turkey is currently building up forces along the Syrian border for a possible incursion into Kurdish territory. |
| 1:33.2 | That's according to American and Kurdish officials. |
| 1:36.0 | The world Sharan Jafari has been speaking with the top commander for the Kurdish forces |
| 1:39.4 | in Syria and is here to tell us more. |
| 1:41.5 | Sharin, who is his commander and what do we need to know about him? |
| 1:45.1 | General Mazloum Abdi is the top commander for the Syrian Democratic forces in northeast |
| 1:49.8 | Syria. He's in his 50s, and I have always seen him in his military fatigues. |
| 1:55.8 | Abdi is a very busy man these days. |
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