Masrour Barzani calls on Syrian Kurds to work in ‘inclusive, cooperative spirit’
The Kurdistan Region’s top security chief on Wednesday called on the Kurdish political forces in northern Syria to cooperate and resolve their political differences.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s top security chief on Wednesday called on the Kurdish political forces in northern Syria to cooperate and resolve their political differences.
The remarks of Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), came during a meeting with Special Operations Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve Commanding General Patrick Roberson.
The two sides discussed a wide range of issues concerning the latest military developments in Iraq and Syria, “with a particular emphasis on the ongoing anti-ISIL [Islamic State] campaign,” according to KRSC’s press office.
“Chancellor Barzani emphasized the need for Kurdish political forces in Syria to work in an inclusive and cooperative spirit,” the statement added.
During the meeting, the Kurdish official expressed readiness to help advance a political settlement among Kurdish factions.
The two sides also discussed mechanisms necessary to stop further suffering and displacement of the Syrian people, including Kurds.
Tensions between the Syrian Kurdish factions have increased since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, during which the Democratic Union Party (PYD) established a self-administration and a military force known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which is the leading element of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Masoud Barzani, former President of the Kurdistan Region and current leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), previously mediated between the PYD-led ruling council of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) and its opposition, the Kurdish National Council (known as the KNC or ENKS). Three agreements were signed.
The first agreement, the Hawler (Erbil) I Agreement, was signed in Erbil on June 11, 2012. The second accord, the Hawler II Agreement, was reached in Erbil on Dec. 24, 2013, and the third one, known as the Duhok Agreement, was signed in Duhok on Oct. 22, 2014.
However, none of the stipulations in the accords have materialized because of political disagreements between the two blocs.
During their meeting, Chancellor Barzani and Roberson also discussed the latest development in Iraq and reviewed the importance of continued US engagement with Iraqi Security Forces, including Peshmerga Forces, “to prevent a resurgence of terrorism.”
Iraq declared victory against the Islamic State in December 2017, but the extremist group continues to launch insurgency attacks, ambushes, and kidnappings in the provinces of Diyala, Nineveh, Kirkuk, and Salahuddin.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
