Efforts underway for Kurdish groups from Syria to reconcile
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Efforts are underway for the two rival parties of Rojava, ENKS and ruling TEV-DEM to reconcile in a bid for Kurds to be more united in Syria.
"The interests of the Kurdish nation today requires that, that even if we are weak politically, we have to come together because we prioritize national interests over personal or party interests," Abdulsalam Ahmed, a co-chair of TEV-DEM's diplomatic relations department, told Rudaw.
TEV-DEM is the ruling coalition in Syrian Kurdistan. It is the rival of the Syrian Kurdistan National Council KNC, whose members TEV-DEM has imprisoned and its offices closed.
The ENKS is not part of the Rojava administration system, namely TEV-DEM, which is the ruling coalition of the Northern Syrian Federation, known as Rojava by Kurds.
"It is a bit difficult. We aren't too hopeful because measures against the Council on the ground should be eased. We are ready, and we have said it today and yesterday, that we take pride in if TEV-DEM takes one step we take three towards it," Faslah Yousif, member of ENKS' presidency, told Rudaw.
ENKS has members in the Syrian National Coalition, which supported the Afrin operation. PYD, the main ruling party in TEV-DEM, has requested that ENKS withdraw membership from the organization, but ENKS has refused, causing PYD to dub them traitors.
The PYD’s armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), have formed the backbone of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition. They have largely avoided large-scale conflict with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
When Kobane was under siege by ISIS in late 2014, Barzani ordered the deployment of Peshmerga forces to assist the YPG in its defence, albeit with the consent of Turkey as they had to pass through their territory.
"The interests of the Kurdish nation today requires that, that even if we are weak politically, we have to come together because we prioritize national interests over personal or party interests," Abdulsalam Ahmed, a co-chair of TEV-DEM's diplomatic relations department, told Rudaw.
TEV-DEM is the ruling coalition in Syrian Kurdistan. It is the rival of the Syrian Kurdistan National Council KNC, whose members TEV-DEM has imprisoned and its offices closed.
The ENKS is not part of the Rojava administration system, namely TEV-DEM, which is the ruling coalition of the Northern Syrian Federation, known as Rojava by Kurds.
Aldar Khalil, the co-chair of TEV-DEM, was in the Kurdistan Region earlier this week to meet with KRG officials, and it has raised hopes that talks similar to 2014 may occur - akin to the mediation of the former president of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani.
"It is a bit difficult. We aren't too hopeful because measures against the Council on the ground should be eased. We are ready, and we have said it today and yesterday, that we take pride in if TEV-DEM takes one step we take three towards it," Faslah Yousif, member of ENKS' presidency, told Rudaw.
ENKS has members in the Syrian National Coalition, which supported the Afrin operation. PYD, the main ruling party in TEV-DEM, has requested that ENKS withdraw membership from the organization, but ENKS has refused, causing PYD to dub them traitors.
The PYD’s armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), have formed the backbone of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition. They have largely avoided large-scale conflict with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
When Kobane was under siege by ISIS in late 2014, Barzani ordered the deployment of Peshmerga forces to assist the YPG in its defence, albeit with the consent of Turkey as they had to pass through their territory.