PKK to Barzani: All of Kurdistan is under threat

06.07.2014 – Mewan Dolamari – BasNews, Erbil – Member of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leadership Council Murat Qarailan warned Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani that all of Kurdistan – including Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran – are under threat.

In a televised interview Qarailan said the recent attack on Kobane in Syrian Kurdistan by the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) was a strategic plan and that “by controlling Kobane, all Syrian Kurdistan will be at risk.”He warned all Kurdish political parties and particularly President Barzani that: “not only Kobane, but all parts of Kurdistan [including Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran] are at risk. If today ISIS controls Kobane, tomorrow they will control Kirkuk too.”

“Through their language, culture and richness Kurdish people can determine their future. Today is the best chance for Kurds,” said Qarailan.  

He also explained that ISIS had gained heavy weaponry in recent weeks. “Although they have not attacked the Kurdistan Region yet, they are a threat. We see clashes around the Kirkuk oil pipeline everyday, they could attack other parts of the Kurdistan Region soon,” said Qarailan. “There have been clashes in Kobane for the past four days but unfortunately Kurdish officials and the media haven’t reacted and the superpowers have chosen silence again,” added Qarailan. He also said: “ISIS has no link to Islam. People in Syrian Kurdistan were living under the authority of the Syrian regime, but now they are under threat because of ISIS militants. Because Kobane is a small city, they want to start there. For four days Kurdish people in Kobane have been defending the city against ISIS. ISIS militants bring weapons and tanks from Iraq to Syria and use them against Kurds in Kobane.”