US condemns attacks on Kurdish opposition parties in Qamishli
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States on Thursday condemned attacks on the offices of Kurdish opposition parties in Qamishli, northeast Syria (Rojava), calling on local authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable. The opposition blamed armed groups affiliated with the ruling party for the arson attacks.
“We condemn the burning of KDP offices in Qamishli,” said the US embassy in Syria in a post on X, referring to attacks on the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Syria (PDK-S) and the Kurdistan Democratic Union Party-Syria (Yeketi) in the city the previous day.
Both parties are members of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) opposition alliance
.
“Attacks on political offices & parties in northern Syria must stop, & those responsible must be held accountable. We urge all parties to engage in meaningful discourse to advance the Syrian people's aspirations without violence,” added the embassy which has been closed since the outbreak of Syrian crisis in 2011.
The attacks resulted in significant material damages but no injuries.
“We call on international human rights [organisations] and the US-led global coalition [against the Islamic State] to take necessary measures to stop these actions,” the ENKS said in a statement on Wednesday, blaming the Revolutionary Youths, an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), for the assaults. The ENKS believes the group to be linked with the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Washington is the guarantor of talks between the ENKS and PYD which have been stalled for years due to disagreements. Although the process was initiated a decade ago, it remained dormant until late 2019 when it entered a new phase.
Dozens of offices of the ENKS and its member parties in Rojava have come under arson attacks in recent years. The opposition parties have blamed the PYD but the ruling party has denied any involvement.
“Nine offices affiliated to the ENKS have been burned since March 1 by the PYD armed men. They deny their involvement but believe otherwise. We know what they want. They want us to stop our political activities and ban us,” Sulaiman Oso, an ENKS official, told Rudaw English on Wednesday.
Washington has also condemned some previous attacks on the ENKS in Rojava.
“We condemn the burning of KDP offices in Qamishli,” said the US embassy in Syria in a post on X, referring to attacks on the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Syria (PDK-S) and the Kurdistan Democratic Union Party-Syria (Yeketi) in the city the previous day.
Both parties are members of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) opposition alliance
.
“Attacks on political offices & parties in northern Syria must stop, & those responsible must be held accountable. We urge all parties to engage in meaningful discourse to advance the Syrian people's aspirations without violence,” added the embassy which has been closed since the outbreak of Syrian crisis in 2011.
The attacks resulted in significant material damages but no injuries.
“We call on international human rights [organisations] and the US-led global coalition [against the Islamic State] to take necessary measures to stop these actions,” the ENKS said in a statement on Wednesday, blaming the Revolutionary Youths, an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), for the assaults. The ENKS believes the group to be linked with the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Washington is the guarantor of talks between the ENKS and PYD which have been stalled for years due to disagreements. Although the process was initiated a decade ago, it remained dormant until late 2019 when it entered a new phase.
Dozens of offices of the ENKS and its member parties in Rojava have come under arson attacks in recent years. The opposition parties have blamed the PYD but the ruling party has denied any involvement.
“Nine offices affiliated to the ENKS have been burned since March 1 by the PYD armed men. They deny their involvement but believe otherwise. We know what they want. They want us to stop our political activities and ban us,” Sulaiman Oso, an ENKS official, told Rudaw English on Wednesday.
Washington has also condemned some previous attacks on the ENKS in Rojava.