"The Kurdish self-government in northern and northeastern Syria still faces major challenges," said Ilham Ahmed, a senior Syrian Kurdish official, in an interview with Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

The Syrian Kurdish official stressed that confronting ISIS's secret cells, which launched a major attack on the Sanaa prison in Hasaka earlier this year, is one of the major challenges for the Kurdish self-ruling administration in the new year.

Referring to the ongoing Turkish attacks on Syrian Kurdish-controlled areas, she also mentioned this issue as one of the major problems and concerns of the Syrian Kurds this year.

Ms. Ahmed also referred to the issue of the political stalemate between the Kurds and the Syrian central government, saying that the Syrian central government's approach prevents an agreement between Damascus and the Kurds.

The Kurdish official stressed that the only solution available to the Kurds and the Syrian central government is an agreement based on a UN resolution.

Reporter's code: 50101