ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A Kurdish opposition umbrella group in northeast Syria (Rojava) accused on Wednesday groups affiliated to the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) of being behind recent attacks on their offices.
“The series of burnings of the offices of the Kurdish National Council [ENKS] and the offices of its parties continues despite the condemnations from many friendly forces and parties and the sons of our Kurdish people,” read a statement from the ENKS.
It accused “armed groups affiliated to the PYD” of being behind the incidents.
The ENKS office in Amuda was set alight on Tuesday, and the offices of two of its affiliated parties in Kobane and al-Darbasiyah have also been targeted by unknown gunmen.
The office of the Kurdistan Democratic Unity Party in al-Darbasiyah was attacked with Molotov cocktails on Monday, according to the ENKS.
No casualties were reported at any of the locations.
The attacks come less than a week after an ENKS official said stalled unity talks between the ENKS and the PYD would resume before the New Year.
ENKS head Siud Mala described the attacks as “very bad” on Monday, “especially at a time where our nation needs unity.”
“These parties and their actions confirm that they target Kurdish rapprochement and efforts made in this direction,” the ENKS said on Wednesday.
Ties between the ENKS and ruling authorities in Rojava have been fraught for some time.
In 2016, Rojava authorities banned ENKS activities in the region, closed about 40 of their offices and jailed hundreds of ENKS members who were later released. The crackdown was launched after the latter refused to follow ruling authorities’ procedures on opening political offices.
The ENKS was allowed to reopen their offices this year following the revival of unity talks late last year.
The first talks took place in Duhok in 2014. Initiated by Masoud Barzani, then president of the Kurdistan Region and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the initial talks ended in a deal which was never implemented, before being reignited this year.
Several rounds of talks have taken place so far.
Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) condemned the office attacks in a Tuesday tweet.
“No one has the right to attack the offices of the ENKS or any other political party in Rojava. The internal security forces will rise to their duties according to the law,” he wrote.
The SDF is led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the PYD.
Abdi is the kingpin of the unity talks, moderated by US officials in Syria.
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