France to Kurds: 'we support you'

Mohammed Rwanduzy

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- Turkey’s incursion into Kurdish-controlled areas in Northern Syria risks an ISIS resurgence and a humanitarian catastrophe, Kurdistan Region officials and the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian agreed following the latter’s visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan region.

Turkey’s operation, which started on October 9, has seen Islamic State militants break out of prisons and ISIS families escape Ain Issa camp in the Kurdish-controlled area of northern Syria. 

The operation has also killed more than 200 civilians and displaced around 300,000 people. Amid the humanitarian crisis and fears of ISIS resurgence, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to reiterate French support for Kurds and Iraqis. 

In a joint press conference shortly after the meeting, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani told reporters of shared concerns surrounding the resurgence of the Islamic State terror group (ISIS).

“We are worried about the humanitarian situation and the possibility of the population there being displaced, especially as some extremist factions of the Syrian opposition are participating in the military operation,” Barzani said.

“These developments increase the danger of a Daesh resurgence. It is a real threat, and that shakes and complicates the region’s conditions,” he added, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Barzani added that the international community needs to step in for a peaceful resolution in Syria to stabilize the region.

Following five hours of negotiations, Turkey and the US reached a ceasefire on Thursday evening, on the condition of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) handing over their weapons and withdrawing from the 32km deep “safe zone” planned by Turkey. 

However, the Turkish operation went unabated on Friday, especially around the border town of Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain). Seven people have reported to been killed according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). 

Le Drian reiterated French support for the Kurds, who are a key ally in Europe. President Emmanuel Macron of France is one of few leaders to have welcomed Syrian Kurdish leadership into the Élysée Palace.  

“The reason I have come, first to Baghdad and then to here, is to relay a message of support and friendship to your Excellency and all of our Kurdish brothers from President Macron and France,” Le-Drian said in Erbil.

“The situation is truly bad, both in terms of security for the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and even for the stability of Europe and France,” he added.

The French minister expressed worry over the possible 40,000 ISIS members and their families freed amid the Turkish incursion, warning that it could lead to “catastrophe”.

“We both share the opinion that ISIS has really not been defeated. It still persists,” added Le-Drian.

The Turkish incursion allows ISIS to “take a breath” and rise again. “We are seriously asking ourselves now: what has been achieved in the past five years?”

The US-led International Coalition should "urgently convene" to evaluate the current situation, added the minister. 

The French Minister announced the allocation of 10 million euros to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to provide for refugees, whose numbers are expected to rise amid Turkey’s operation. 

The French Foreign Minister also met with former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani. 

Besides the tweet, Barzani also published a readout of the meeting.

“President Barzani, while expressing gratitude and thanks for France’s role for its continued support for our people’s struggle, again expressed worry over the conditions and the fate of Kurds in Syria,” read the readout.

“Whatever solution is suggested from the conditions, and in case of any agreement, the sacrifices of Kurds and their fate in Syria need to be taken into consideration,” Barzani was quoted as telling the French minister.

Barzani called on France as a “permanent friend of the people of Kurdistan” and as a member of the US-led Coalition to prevent the demography of the Kurdish regions in Northern Syria from being changed.