Uncertainty surrounds Peshmerga deployment to Kobane
By Jonathon Burch in Istanbul and Alexander Whitcomb in Erbil
ISTANBUL/ERBIL - The Kurdistan Region is awaiting word from Turkey to deploy its Peshmerga troops to the besieged city of Kobane, senior officials told Rudaw on Monday.
While a small unit of Peshmerga forces is ready to cross to Syria, the presidential office of the Kurdistan Regional Government has said they “don’t yet have an answer from the Turkish side,” but it did not clarify what issues were under discussion.
Peshmerga Minister Mustafa Said Qadir confirmed the holdup, telling reporters: "We are awaiting the stance of the state of Turkey, and because of this we have not sent any forces.”
A Syrian Kurdish leader, whose forces are battling jihadist militants in the town of Kobane, rebuffed comments by the Turkish president on Monday that he had opposed Peshmerga reinforcements from Iraqi Kurdistan, saying they were ready to deploy but for reasons unknown to him had not yet arrived.
Salih Muslim, co-chair of Syria's largest Kurdish faction, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), told Turkey's CNN Turk television channel he did not believe the Peshmerga would try to take over from his fighters defending the town and accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of meddling.
Muslim's comments were the latest in a war of words between the PYD and Ankara, following Turkey's announcement last week it would open a corridor through its territory for Peshmerga to enter Kobane. Fighters from the PYD's militant wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), have been resisting an onslaught by Islamic State (ISIS) militants there for more than a month.
Since the announcement, there have been conflicting reports on how many Peshmerga fighters would be sent and their arrival has been beset by delays, prompting speculation that the deal may have even been called off.
“This is not about us,” Muslim said when asked about allegations the PYD was against the arrival of the Peshmerga. “The Peshmerga have been ready for two or three days but we don't know why they haven't crossed,” he said.
“We have no concerns that the Peshmerga will take control in Kobane. They are going to come and help. They have no intention of taking over anyway. This is Kurdish solidarity,” Muslim said.
In comments reported on Sunday by Turkish media, Erdogan said the PYD did not want the Peshmerga in Kobane out of fear they would overshadow their own fighters. Last week, the Turkish leader said there had also been resistance from the PYD over the number of Peshmerga to be deployed, saying the figure had now been reduced to 150 fighters.
“This is not in the hands of Erdogan. Why is he giving a figure? Our people have already reached an agreement, why is he interfering this much?” CNN Turk reported Muslim as saying.
“Is everything going to be ordered by him? The YPG and the Peshmerga command come to an agreement amongst themselves. In the first phase, it is said to be 150-200 [Peshmerga],” he said.
Turkey has come under increasing international pressure to act over Kobane. The United States has airdropped weapons and supplies to the YPG in Kobane and together with other allies has been carrying out air strikes on ISIS in and around the town. But apart from taking in some 200,000 refugees from the area and treating wounded fighters, Turkey has been reluctant to do more.
The disagreements appear to be born largely out of a relationship of deep mistrust. Turkey views the PYD as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a 30-year war against the Turkish state, and which it classifies as a terrorist organisation. Erdogan has also repeatedly likened the PYD to ISIS, angering Kurds on both sides of the border.
Ankara is reluctant to help the PYD out of fear it will strengthen the PKK and is also wary of causing a nationalist backlash within Turkey. Turkey launched a peace process with the PKK two years ago, however, its reaction to Kobane has threatened to derail those negotiations.
Tensions escalated over the weekend after PKK militants killed three Turkish soldiers in the southeast in retaliation for the death of some of its own fighters at the hands of the military. Deadly riots in several Kurdish cities earlier this month caused by events in Kobane have also added to the unrest.
Meanwhile on Monday the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that 815 people had died in the fight for Kobane, including 21 civilians and 302 YPG fighters. According to their information, 481 ISIS militants have been killed in the area since mid-September.
ISTANBUL/ERBIL - The Kurdistan Region is awaiting word from Turkey to deploy its Peshmerga troops to the besieged city of Kobane, senior officials told Rudaw on Monday.
While a small unit of Peshmerga forces is ready to cross to Syria, the presidential office of the Kurdistan Regional Government has said they “don’t yet have an answer from the Turkish side,” but it did not clarify what issues were under discussion.
Peshmerga Minister Mustafa Said Qadir confirmed the holdup, telling reporters: "We are awaiting the stance of the state of Turkey, and because of this we have not sent any forces.”
A Syrian Kurdish leader, whose forces are battling jihadist militants in the town of Kobane, rebuffed comments by the Turkish president on Monday that he had opposed Peshmerga reinforcements from Iraqi Kurdistan, saying they were ready to deploy but for reasons unknown to him had not yet arrived.
Salih Muslim, co-chair of Syria's largest Kurdish faction, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), told Turkey's CNN Turk television channel he did not believe the Peshmerga would try to take over from his fighters defending the town and accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of meddling.
Muslim's comments were the latest in a war of words between the PYD and Ankara, following Turkey's announcement last week it would open a corridor through its territory for Peshmerga to enter Kobane. Fighters from the PYD's militant wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), have been resisting an onslaught by Islamic State (ISIS) militants there for more than a month.
Since the announcement, there have been conflicting reports on how many Peshmerga fighters would be sent and their arrival has been beset by delays, prompting speculation that the deal may have even been called off.
“This is not about us,” Muslim said when asked about allegations the PYD was against the arrival of the Peshmerga. “The Peshmerga have been ready for two or three days but we don't know why they haven't crossed,” he said.
“We have no concerns that the Peshmerga will take control in Kobane. They are going to come and help. They have no intention of taking over anyway. This is Kurdish solidarity,” Muslim said.
In comments reported on Sunday by Turkish media, Erdogan said the PYD did not want the Peshmerga in Kobane out of fear they would overshadow their own fighters. Last week, the Turkish leader said there had also been resistance from the PYD over the number of Peshmerga to be deployed, saying the figure had now been reduced to 150 fighters.
“This is not in the hands of Erdogan. Why is he giving a figure? Our people have already reached an agreement, why is he interfering this much?” CNN Turk reported Muslim as saying.
“Is everything going to be ordered by him? The YPG and the Peshmerga command come to an agreement amongst themselves. In the first phase, it is said to be 150-200 [Peshmerga],” he said.
Turkey has come under increasing international pressure to act over Kobane. The United States has airdropped weapons and supplies to the YPG in Kobane and together with other allies has been carrying out air strikes on ISIS in and around the town. But apart from taking in some 200,000 refugees from the area and treating wounded fighters, Turkey has been reluctant to do more.
The disagreements appear to be born largely out of a relationship of deep mistrust. Turkey views the PYD as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a 30-year war against the Turkish state, and which it classifies as a terrorist organisation. Erdogan has also repeatedly likened the PYD to ISIS, angering Kurds on both sides of the border.
Ankara is reluctant to help the PYD out of fear it will strengthen the PKK and is also wary of causing a nationalist backlash within Turkey. Turkey launched a peace process with the PKK two years ago, however, its reaction to Kobane has threatened to derail those negotiations.
Tensions escalated over the weekend after PKK militants killed three Turkish soldiers in the southeast in retaliation for the death of some of its own fighters at the hands of the military. Deadly riots in several Kurdish cities earlier this month caused by events in Kobane have also added to the unrest.
Meanwhile on Monday the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that 815 people had died in the fight for Kobane, including 21 civilians and 302 YPG fighters. According to their information, 481 ISIS militants have been killed in the area since mid-September.