Syria
Perwin Yousef, co-chair of northeast Syria's (Rojava) ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), speaking to Rudaw on January 25, 2025. Photo: Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish ruling and opposition parties in northeast Syria (Rojava) are set to hold an intra-Kurdish conference on Friday aimed at strengthening unity and addressing long-standing internal disputes concerning their negotiations with Damascus.
“Kurdish unity is the key to resolving all our challenges and disputes,” Perwin Yousef, co-chair of Rojava’s ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), said in a video statement. “When we are united, we can overcome our issues.”
“The conference will be held on April 18 and gather 300 delegates,” including representatives from all Kurdish parties, national figures, and women’s movements, according to Yousef.
“The most important outcome is for us to unify our stance and demands,” Yousif emphasized.
Rojava’s political landscape shifted significantly following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December, prompting rival Kurdish coalitions in Rojava to accelerate unity talks. In January, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani hosted a landmark meeting in Erbil with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi to advance the dialogue.
The PYD, the dominant party in Rojava, has since engaged in negotiations with the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), an opposition coalition backed by the KDP. Talks have been facilitated by members of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), particularly the United States and France.
Since then, Kurdish factions have shown a unified front in rejecting recent moves by the new Syrian leadership in Damascus, including their opposition to the 53-article constitutional declaration and their decision to abstain from participating in the interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
“Extensive meetings and discussions have taken place to enable us, as Kurdish parties, to secure the rights of the Kurdish people during this sensitive period and to negotiate with Damascus from a position of strength,” Yousif stated, urging all Kurdish parties to put aside partisan agendas in favor of the broader national interest.
In 2015, PYD and ENKS signed a historic agreement mediated by Barzani in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province to reduce tensions and establish a power-sharing arrangement in Rojava. However, the deal was never implemented, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the process and trading harsh rhetoric, including allegations of betrayal.
“Kurdish unity is the key to resolving all our challenges and disputes,” Perwin Yousef, co-chair of Rojava’s ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), said in a video statement. “When we are united, we can overcome our issues.”
“The conference will be held on April 18 and gather 300 delegates,” including representatives from all Kurdish parties, national figures, and women’s movements, according to Yousef.
“The most important outcome is for us to unify our stance and demands,” Yousif emphasized.
Rojava’s political landscape shifted significantly following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December, prompting rival Kurdish coalitions in Rojava to accelerate unity talks. In January, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani hosted a landmark meeting in Erbil with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi to advance the dialogue.
The PYD, the dominant party in Rojava, has since engaged in negotiations with the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), an opposition coalition backed by the KDP. Talks have been facilitated by members of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), particularly the United States and France.
Since then, Kurdish factions have shown a unified front in rejecting recent moves by the new Syrian leadership in Damascus, including their opposition to the 53-article constitutional declaration and their decision to abstain from participating in the interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
“Extensive meetings and discussions have taken place to enable us, as Kurdish parties, to secure the rights of the Kurdish people during this sensitive period and to negotiate with Damascus from a position of strength,” Yousif stated, urging all Kurdish parties to put aside partisan agendas in favor of the broader national interest.
In 2015, PYD and ENKS signed a historic agreement mediated by Barzani in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province to reduce tensions and establish a power-sharing arrangement in Rojava. However, the deal was never implemented, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the process and trading harsh rhetoric, including allegations of betrayal.
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