Relations and conflicts Rojava conflict

1 relations , conflicts

1.1 rojava-syrian government relations , conflicts
1.2 internal relations , conflicts in rojava
1.3 syrian kurdish–islamist conflict
1.4 rojava-turkey conflict

relations , conflicts

there 4 major forces involved in rojava revolution. people s protection units working pyd , other political parties establish self-rule in rojava. syrian government forces still maintain rule in areas of rojava under leadership of assad regime. collection of islamic forces, largest being isis, fighting rule region sharia law. finally, there several militias under general banner of free syrian army intentions , alliances have differed , shifted on time. @ moment, fsa fighters working ypg against islamist forces , syrian government.

rojava-syrian government relations , conflicts

while conflict between ypg , syrian government has not been active fighting against islamist forces, there have been several conflicts between 2 forces. territory once controlled syrian government in both qamishli , al-hasakah has been lost ypg forces. @ end of april 2016, clashes erupted between government forces , kurdish fighters control of city.

as of beginning of august 2016, ypg fighters controlled two-thirds of northeastern city of al-hasakah, while pro-government militia controlled remainder. on 17 august 2016, heavy clashes broke out between kurdish fighters , pro-government militias, resulting in deaths of 4 civilians, 4 kurdish fighters, , 3 government loyalists. on 18 august, syrian government aircraft bombed kurdish positions in hasakah, including 3 kurdish checkpoints , 3 kurdish bases. syrian kurds had demanded pro-government national defense forces militia disband in al-hasakah. government source told afp air strikes message kurds should stop sort of demand constitutes affront national sovereignty . possible factor behind fighting may have been recent thaw in turkish-russian relations began in july 2016; russia, key ally of syrian government, had been supporting syrian kurdish forces means apply pressure turkey. after recent setbacks suffered isis in syria , iraq , improvements in turkish-russian relationship, possible russia , allies began view strong ypg increasingly less useful.

in response attacks syrian aircraft on kurdish positions near al-hasakah, united states scrambled planes on city in order deter further attacks.

by 22 august, syrian government troops, hezbollah fighters, , members of iranian paramilitary basij militia had become involved in fighting against kurdish forces in al-hasakah.

internal relations , conflicts in rojava

on 28 december 2012, syrian government forces opened fire on pro-fsa demonstrators in al-hasakah city, killing , wounding several individuals. arab tribes in area attacked ypg positions in city in reprisal, accusing kurdish fighters of collaborating government. clashes broke out, , 3 arabs killed, though not clear whether killed ypg forces or nearby government troops. demonstrations organised various kurdish groups throughout western kurdistan in late december well. pyd supporters drove vehicles @ low speeds through knc demonstration in qamishli, raising tensions between 2 groups.

from 2 4 january, pyd-led demonstrators staged protests in al-antariyah neighbourhood of qamishli, demanding freedom , democracy both kurds , syrians. many activists camped out on site. on 4 january, approximately 10,000 people participating in rallies, included smaller numbers of supporters of other kurdish parties, such knc, staged rally in munir habib neighbourhood. pyd organisers had planned 100,000 people participate, such support did not materialise. demonstrations concurrent rallies conducted across country arab opposition, though kurdish parties did not use same slogans arabs, , did not same slogans amongst own parties. kurds demonstrated in several other towns, not across entire kurdish region.

meanwhile, several armed incidents occurred between dominant pyd-ypg , other kurdish parties in region, particularly kurdish union ( yekîtî ) party, part of kurdish political coalition called syrian kurdish democratic union formed on 15 december 2012, excludes pyd. on 3 january, pyd gunmen staged drive-by shooting on yekîtî office in qamishli. armed yekîtî members returned fire, injuring 1 pyd member. same day, armed clashes broke out between ypg fighters , members of newly formed jiwan qatna battalion of yekîtî in ad-darbasiyah. 4 yekîtî members abducted ypg, accused them of being affiliated islamist groups, though yekîtî activists alleged pyd wanted prevent other kurdish groups arming themselves. following demonstrations in town demanding release , intervention knc, 4 men released end of day. on 11 january, ypg forces raided empty yekîtî training ground near ali faru had been built in january, tearing down both kurdish , fsa flags had been flying @ base. though pyd members defended raid saying flags have attracted government airstrikes, yekîtî condemned action.

on 31 january, kamal mustafa hanan, editor-in-chief of newroz (a kurdish-language journal) , former yekîtî politician, fatally shot in ashrafiyah district of aleppo. not clear if victim of stray bullet or of politically motivated assassination. yekîtî organised funeral procession in town of afrin in kurdish-held northwest corner of aleppo province on 1 february, members of both pyd , knc attended. on 1 february, kurds staged demonstrations in several towns , villages across west kurdistan concurrent opposition demonstrations elsewhere in country. demonstrations organised various kurdish groups, including pyd , knc. demonstrators knc demanded end fighting in ras al-ayn , withdrawal of armed groups town, while pyd demonstrators stressed solidarity ypg units , kurdish supreme council.

from 2 5 february, ypg forces blockaded village of kahf al-assad (kurdish: banê Şikeftê‎), inhabited members of kurdish kherikan tribe, after being fired upon unknown gunmen in village. ypg checkpoints established around other kherikan villages. kherikan traditionally supporters of massoud barzani government of iraqi kurdistan, , oppose pyd. blockade third time in 2 years hostilities had broken out between pyd/ypg , locals kahf al-assad.

on 7 february, ypg members kidnapped 3 members of opposition azadî party in ayn al-arab.

on 22 february, osman baydemir, mayor of city of diyarbakır in turkey, announced initiation of one-month humanitarian aid programme in city—along surrounding districts of bağlar, yenişehir, kayapınar, , sur—would provide food assistance kurdish areas in syria affected war, had received little of humanitarian aid other regions of syria had received.

on 11 april 2016, pyd supporters attacked offices of kurdish national council , kurdistan democratic party of syria in derbessiye , qamishli. head of kurdish national council told turkey s trt world channel pyd s oppressive attitude in syria forcing kurds leave region .

on 16 january 2017, more 270 syrian kurdish activists signed appeal calling unity talks between main syrian kurdish parties. in response, movement democratic society led pyd stated welcome unity , called on kurdish national council participate in federal project. knc led kdp-s, in response, demanded release political prisoners detained in rojava. knc has rejected federalism project launched syrian democratic council , stated participate in peace talks in astana, kazakhstan, turkey , russia. kurdish national alliance in syria, part of sdc welcomed proposal of unity.

on 3 february 2017, amidst clashes between kdp-s-affiliated peshmerga group , sinjar resistance units in sinjar, knc office burned in qamishli , attacked in dirbêsiyê. knc accused pro-pyd youth group ciwanen soresger of perpetrating attacks. however, perpetrators reportedly arrested asayish.

on 3 march 2017, rojava asayish arrested more 40 members of knc in syria while kdp asayish arrested 23 opposition protesters in iraqi kurdistan. 17 of them later released 6 still imprisoned. 16 march, more 13 knc offices , assyrian democratic organization office in rojava shut down rojava asayish forces, reportedly failing register pyd authorities. in response, human rights watch called on both sides release arbitrarily held political detainees . mesopotamia national council announced support tev-dem s requirement parties apply licenses operate in rojava. however, council called self-management give sufficient time applications , denounced random closing of parties offices.

on 3 april 2017, kurdish national council called on pyd release 4 of detainees: kurdish future movement in syria member, kurdish youth movement member, , 2 kdp-s members. of same day, 6 detainees still held iraqi kurdish authorities.

on 12 april 2017, official in tev-dem met gabriel moushe gawrieh, head of assyrian democratic organization, , discussed closure of latter s offices since march. first time tev-dem officials met ado.

syrian kurdish–islamist conflict



changes of territorial control in ypg s june 2015 offensive



2016/17 raqqa campaign

the syrian kurdish–islamist conflict major theater in syrian civil war, starting in 2013 after fighting erupted between kurdish people s protection units (ypg) , islamist rebel factions in city of ras al-ayn. kurdish forces launched campaign in attempt take control of islamist-controlled areas in governorate of al-hasakah , parts of raqqa , aleppo governorates after al-qaeda in syria used areas attack ypg. kurdish groups , allies goal capture kurdish areas arab islamist rebels , strengthen autonomy of region of rojava.

ypg forces later broader syrian democratic forces (sdf) have clashed heavily islamist forces of stripes in following years, in particular representing islamic state of iraq , levant (isil). notable have been siege of kobanî (2014), al-hasakah offensive (february–march 2015), al-hasakah offensive (may 2015), tell abyad offensive (may–july 2015), battle of sarrin (june–july 2015), battle of al-hasakah (june–august 2015), , ongoing raqqa campaign (2016–present) including battle of tabqa (2017).

rojava-turkey conflict

turkey has long regarded pyd alleged syrian extension of kurdistan workers party (pkk), , has therefore taken hardline stance against group, official talking point being not allow kurdish state form along southern border syria. turkey s policy towards rojava based on economic blockade, persistent attempts of international isolation, opposition cooperation of international anti-isil-coalition rojava militias, , support of islamist syrian civil war parties hostile towards rojava, in past times including isil. turkey has on several occasions been militarily attacking rojava territory , defence forces. latter has resulted in of clearcut instances of international solidarity rojava.

turkey has received pyd co-chair salih muslim talks in 2013 , in 2014, entertaining idea of opening rojava representation office in ankara if s suitable ankara s policies . turkey recognizes pyd , ypg militia identical kurdistan workers party (pkk), listed terrorist organisation turkey, european union, united states , others. however, eu, us, , others cooperate pyd , ypg militia in fight against islamic state of iraq , levant (isil) , not consider either terrorist organisation. loss in international standing, consequence of domestic , foreign policies of recep tayyip erdoğan, turkish government contemptuous. turkish foreign minister called pyd terrorist organisation in speech @ meeting of council of foreign ministers of 13th islamic summit of organisation of islamic cooperation (oic) on 12 april 2016 @ istanbul, turkey. in november 2016 official anadolu agency accused educational institutions of rojava of prejudice against islam . u.s. defense secretary ashton carter admitted links between pyd, ypg, , pkk. secretary carter replied, yes, senate panel when sen. lindsey graham (r-sc) asked whether believed syrian kurds aligned or @ least have substantial ties pkk . rojava , ypg leaders insist pkk separate organization. ypg representatives have persistently reiterated militia has syrian agenda , no agenda of hostility whatsoever towards turkey. however, according turkish daily sabah, @ 1 occasion in january 2016 youtube video has appeared of english-speaking man, believed fighter democratic union party s (pyd) armed wing, people s protection units (ypg) (...) making call westerners join ranks of armed group , conduct terrorist attacks against turkish state. in perception of of turkish public, rojava federal project u.s. support ypg against isil elements of wider conspiracy scheme mastermind aim weaken or dismember turkey, in order prevent imminent rise global power.

following major ypg successes in 2015, notably capture of tell abyad, turkey began indiscriminately targeting ypg forces in northern syria. since 16 february 2016, turkish forces have been shelling kurdish forces in afrin canton after sdf took initiative saa offensive , captured rebel-held areas of azaz district, notably tell rifaat , menagh airbase. turks have vowed not allow kurds capture key border town of azaz. result, 25 kurdish militants have been killed , 197 injured turkish artillery fire. in 2016, following capture of tishrin dam, allowing syrian democratic forces (sdf) cross river euphrates, proclaimed red line turkey. turkish forces bombed kurdish ypg headquarters in tell abyad, destroying 3 armoured vehicles , injuring 2 kurdish fighters. following day, 21 january 2016, turkish troops crossed border syria , entered isis-controlled syrian border town of jarabulus ypg had been planning on capturing part of offensive unite areas of control 1 continuous banner of territory. kurdish-led forces in northern syria said turkish airstrikes hit bases in amarneh village near jarablus on 27 august 2016, after turkish artillery shelled positions day before. syrian observatory reported on 27 august 2016, exchange of gunfire between ypg , turkish forces in countryside north of hasakah. unclear if turkish forces on syrian territory or had fired across border.

in march 2017, u.s. lieutenant general stephen townsend said have seen absolutely 0 evidence have been threat to, or have supported attacks on, turkey northern syria on last 2 years. top u.s. commander in campaign against islamic state of iraq , levant (isil) argued peoples’ protection units (ypg), military wing of syrian kurdish democratic union party (pyd), not pose threat turkey. of ypg fighters, i’ve talked leaders , we’ve watched them operate , continually reassure have no desire attack turkey, not threat turkey, in fact desire have working relationship turkey.