MESOP : PYD/PKK NOW OBAMA’S CLOSEST ALLIES IN KURDISTAN ?

By Mariam Al-Hijab – 5 Oct 2015 – In the late September, Salih Muslim, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), said in a press conference in Kobani there are no obstacles to cooperation between the PYD military wing known as People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Iraqi Kurdistan Peshmerga forces. The statement came after Muslim met Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani to discuss the necessity of tight political and military coordination between Iraqi and Syrian Kurds. According to the local media, the meeting between two leaders and discussion of upcoming integration was held in the presence of the U.S. military and diplomats.

It is well known that U.S. for quite a long time are deeply involved in Iraqi Kurds issues, including the military training of Peshmerga forces. Now Washington has turned its attention to Syrian Kurds in order to use them against the forces of Bashar al-Assad and Islamic State cells in Syria. To these ends, the U.S. Special Forces have prepared several thousands of Kurdish YPG fighters in training camps in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to sources in Erbil and Kobane, the creation and trial by fire of the ‘Kurdish corps’ could be followed by other steps on the way to establish the Kurdish entity in north Syria. Syrian Kurds believe – and with good reason – that U.S. assistance will inevitably lead to Kurdish sovereignty. The Americans also consider this a valid option, but exclusively upon the condition of loyalty from Barzani and Muslim in addition to active participation in combat against Syrian Arab Army and IS fighters.Obviously Turkey doesn’t welcome Washington’s approach and interpret military and technical assistance to Syrian Kurds as a serious threat. During his speech in the UN General Assembly Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davoutoğlu stressed that PYD was a terrorist organization and must be banned in U.S. like PKK. Ankara’s message is clear: the White House should refrain from double standards in dealing with its NATO ally and a traditional partner in the region.

Mariam Al-Hijab – Mariam Al-Hijab, a freelance writer, her articles have appeared in numerous regional media, such as Middle East Panorama (Lebanon), Moheet (Egypt), SANA (Syria). www.mesop.de