SDF chief signals resumption of intra-Kurdish dialogue

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi on Sunday indicated in a tweet that the intra-Kurdish dialogue between Syrian Kurdish parties would resume in the coming days.

“Our goal is the success of the dialogue between the KNC (Kurdish National Council) and the PYNK (Kurdish National Unity Parties). The agreements we have reached so far are important and serve our people’s interests,” he stated in a tweet.

“It is the duty of everyone to prepare for the new stage of unity so that we can meet in a new phase in the coming days.”

The PYD—affiliated with the PYNK and the leading component of the political wing of the SDF, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC)—and the 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.

The KNC and the PYD-linked PYNK have previously held talks for at least seven months.

These talks were temporarily suspended due to the absence of US officials and the US elections in November but are expected to resume in February.

Amid suspended talks, tensions between the Syrian Kurdish parties increased in the media, especially after a senior PYD official harshly criticized the KNC-affiliated Rojava Peshmerga forces and suggested they could not return to northern Syria.

This lead to an angry response among KNC officials, who argue that its necessary for them to return in order to complete any Kurdish unity agreement in the city of Qamishlo.

Read More: Tensions grow between Syrian Kurdish parties over return of Rojava Peshmerga

On January 24, the KNC criticized the alleged abduction of a pro-KNC media activist Fanar Mahmoud Tami—who disappeared on January 23—and the arrest of tutors for teaching the Syrian regime curriculum by the Darbasiya Asayish earlier this month. The teachers were later released.

The KNC claimed it was an attempt by the PYD leadership to create obstacles for ongoing Kurdish unity talks.

The General Command of the Internal Security Forces in the Jazira Region on January 25 denied involvement in Tami’s alleged abduction.

Earlier this month, Democratic Left Party Secretary-General Salih Gheddo, a member of the leadership of the PYNK, told Kurdistan 24 he believes “the dialogue will restart after Joe Biden’s inauguration.”

“At this moment, we are discussing ‘administrative’ subjects on how the KNC will participate as a partner in the Self-Administration,” Gheddo added.

“We have already completed the ‘Kurdish Reference’ [Supreme Body] subject, and we hope that during the next phase of the talks, we can reach an agreement on administrative roles and the KNC’s involvement.”

Editing by Khrush Najari