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Syria
Ramazan Haji (2nd from right) being welcomed by ENKS leaders after his release on December 26, 2024.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Thursday released two members of the main opposition coalition from jail amid efforts to resume intra-Kurdish talks in the region.
Ramazan Haji and Kamiran Abdi, members of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), were jailed on July 29 last year and October 9 this year, respectively, by local security forces. They were both released on Thursday.
Sulaiman Oso, ENKS leader, told Rudaw English that Haji is the father of two Peshmerga fighters based in the Kurdistan Region.
Roj Peshmerga, a Syrian Kurdish force formed and trained by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the Kurdistan Region, was established to protect Rojava. However, they have not been permitted to Rojava.
“He is an old man. His only crime was being the father of Peshmerga fighters. The other comrade was also innocent. All ENKS prisoners are innocent,” he said, adding that the arrests have been used as an “intimidation” means to silence them.
“We told them [Rojava authority] that it is not acceptable to ask for the formation of unity while keeping our comrades in jails,” he noted, labelling the move as “positive.”
Following the collapse of the Syrian regime earlier this month, the Kurdish National Unity Parties (PYNK) expressed readiness to return to talks with the ENKS. The initial talks were held in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok city a decade ago which resulted in an agreement that has never been implemented.
The PYNK is a coalition of 24 parties that have close ties with Rojava’s ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) and have representatives in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).
The talks briefly resumed at the end of 2019 but were later stalled due to disagreements. The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Turkey’s ongoing threats to Rojava have motivated Syrian Kurds to pursue unity in hopes of securing a brighter future for the region.
Oso said that several other members of the coalition remain in jail, warning that talks with the PYD will not resume unless all prisoners are freed.
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