MESOP FLASH : ABDULLAH OECALAN (PKK) WILL BE RELEASED FROM IMRALI SOON

US Brings Turkey and PKK Back at Negotiating Table – PKK guerrillas must retreat from the Kurdish cities in southeastern Turkey

  Narin Kobani – BASNEWS  – 14 June 2016 – ROJAVA — An informed source from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) revealed on Monday, June 13th, that an agreement was reached between Turkey and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) with the help of the US mediation three weeks ago over the areas in the west of Euphrates river in Syria.

According to the agreement made between Ankara and PKK, the source confirmed to BasNews that PKK guerrillas must retreat from the Kurdish cities in southeastern Turkey, and the Turkish government, in return, will allow the Syrian Democratic Forces to control the areas in the west of Euphrates river in northern Syria.

The meetings between PKK and Ankara was held under the supervision of the Army Gen. Joseph Votel, Commander of US forces in the Middle East, who visited Kobani and Turkey last month, the source said. Ankara has also agreed to move the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, from İmralı Island Prison in the Marmara Sea to another location and place him under house arrest, and resume negotiations with PKK as part of the agreement.

The source also revealed that a meeting between SDF commanders and Turkish officials in Encerlik military base was organized by USA to make sure that no commanders from the Syrian Kurdish forces are involved in the operation of liberating Manbij, noting that Abu Laila, a prominent SDF commander  who was recently killed, also attended the meeting. 

“US has shown green light to SDF to advance towards all the areas in western Euphrates river to drive out the Islamic State (IS) militants from those areas” said the source, asserting that Turkey is aware of the thousands of Kurdish fighters involved in the operation, but unable to oppose it due to the pressures made by US.  The Turkish president previously warned about connecting Kobani to Afrin in Syrian Kurdistan [Rojava], calling it a ‘dangerous project’. www.mesop.de