Unknown groups carry out several attacks on offices of Syrian Kurdish opposition in Syria

Unknown assailants attack several offices of Syrian Kurdish opposition in Syria
Unknown assailants attacked the offices of the KNC in the town of Amude and other cities in Syrian Kurdistan. (Photo: Social media)
Unknown assailants attacked the offices of the KNC in the town of Amude and other cities in Syrian Kurdistan. (Photo: Social media)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The attacks on several offices in recent days of the Syrian Kurdish National Council (KNC) by unknown figures are an attempt to undermine the dialogue between the main Syrian Kurdish parties in Syria.

The Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (KNC), the two major factions among Syrian Kurdish parties, renewed negotiations in early November in efforts to stand together as a united front after Turkey’s cross-border offensive in northern Syria in October 2019.

Current tensions between the two initially increased during the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, with the PYD playing a significant role in the establishment of the self-administration that has ruled northeastern Syria since.

The parties have yet to successfully cooperate, even after agreements they reached at talks held in the neighboring Kurdistan Region’s Duhok and Erbil provinces from 2012 and 2014 with support from the KRG, because the many provisions of the agreements were never effectively implemented.

An unknown armed group attacked the KNC office in Derbisiya on Sunday night shortly after one Peshmerga was martyred in an incident with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) at a checkpoint in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province.

Both the UK and US consulates in Erbil have since expressed their condolences for First Lieutenant Peshmerga Lt Abdul Rahman Amin Sheikhmous who lost his life in the clash with the PKK.

These attacks show that the tensions between the PKK and Peshmerga forces could negatively affect the Kurdish talks in Syria since the PYD is closer to the PKK, while the KNC is closer to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Moreover, during the attack in Derbisya, the unknown group also tried to burn the car of the deputy head of the local KNC office in the region. On the same day, unknown assailants also threw Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party – Syria (KDP-S), one of the main constituents of the KNC.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported that armed assailants burned down the KNC office in Amude on Monday evening.

Also, on Tuesday, unknown assailants attacked the KNC office in Hasakah city, destroying its equipment and setting the facility ablaze.

No persons were injured during the recent attacks.

The SOHR speculated in a report that the militant group Ciwanen Soresger (Revolutionary Youth Movement) was responsible for carrying out the attacks.

In late August, the group denied attacking offices of the KNC, saying such actions do not serve Kurdish unity.

Moreover, the head of the local KNC office in Amude, Mohammed Sheikhmous, told Kurdistan 24 that they cannot blame anyone for the attacks. However, he underlined that it is the responsibility of the PYD-linked Autonomous Administration of North and East of Syria (AANES) to investigate the incident.

“We cannot blame anyone because we did not see with our own eyes who set [the office] on fire. But there is a power, and the local self-administration, and it’s their responsibility.”

Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that “no one has the right to attack the offices of the KNC and any other political party in Rojava,” adding that “the Internal Security Forces (ISF) will rise to their duties according to the law.”

But Sheikhmous said that despite the attacks, no investigation was launched into the incident yet and no administration official has visited the KNC office.

Hesen Remzi, a member of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Syria (PDK-S), told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday that it seems there are “circles inside the PYD that do not want to have this Kurdish dialogue,” and instead aim to undermine the talks between the Syrian Kurdish parties.

“For several days now, the offices of the KNC and its affiliated parties were attacked, burned, and threatened. Sadly, such actions are not in the interest of the Kurdish people,” Remzi stated.

“The Kurdish people are saddened [by these recent tensions], and the [Kurdish] people are waiting for these political parties to reach an agreement, so our people can live a stable life.”

Kanaan Barakat, the interior minister of the Kurdish-led Self-Administration, told local media on Wednesday that there would be an investigation.

“We condemn these attacks that come at a time when discussions are being held to unify the Kurdish ranks in the region.”

He added that the internal security forces are investigating these incidents. “These attacks violate the laws in the Al-Jazeera region, and no one has the right to sabotage or attack any office or public or private institution.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany