Democratic Union Party (PYD) Co-Presidency Council member Aldar Xelil commented on the latest situation in North East Syria.

According to Mustafa Çoban’s report in Yeni Özgür Politika, Aldar Xelil commented on a wide range of issues including on discussions on Kurdish national unity. He stated that although a great deal of unity has already been achieved, all the parties should work together to achieve total unity.

“A congress should be held across Kurdistan”

Xelil said that Kurdish National Unity Parties (PYNK) have worked in North East Syria since 2014 and drew attention to two points: “First a congress should be held across Kurdistan and then there is a suggestion to take a step for all the Rojava related parties that they should ally with PYNK parties.”

“Negotiations have continued for eight months and parties have agreed on some points including the will to constitute a joint Kurdish authority, establishing dialogue and carrying out common works,” Xelil added.

“The ENKS tries to remove Autonomous Administration”

Xelil criticised ENKS that it tries to remove the agreement on the Democratic Autonomous Administration which has been accepted by the joint will of all peoples in the region, including Kurds, Arabs and Assyrians.

“ENKS is also aimed at changing the self-defense mission, to halt education in mother tongue and to change the co-presidency system. The ENKS do not really care about the Democratic Nation”, he said.

Regarding the negotiations, Xelil said negotiations had still not began due to the absence of a United States representative in North East Syria.

Referring to the Roj peshmergas that the ENKS wants to place in northeastern Syria, Xelil stated that those were not real peshmergas, but Turkey’s mercenary gangs. “Roj peshmergas are not ‘peshmerga’ but are mercenary gangs of Turkey! They attacked the Sinjar Defense Units (YBŞ) in Sinjar and also they attacked Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerillas in Metina and Gare,” he said.

Turkey does not recognise international law

Reminding that Turkey has continued it’s military assaults in Ain Issa since 18 November 2020, Xelil said Turkey does not recognise any rules or abide by any international law. “Turkey’s aims are for expanding the borders for a ‘greater Turkey’ in the region,” he noted.

Xelil added that they were informed about an agreement between Turkey and Syria to put pressure on the Democratic Autonomous Administration of NE Syria.

According to that agreement, Xelil said that Turkish National Intelligence Chair Hakan Fidan reportedly went to Damascus with the support of Russia to meet officials of the Syrian regime and according to the plan Turkey would attack Ain Issa and Til Temir.

Democratic solution in Syria

Regarding the deadlock on ensuring a democratic solution in Syria, Xelil stated that the negotiations were based on a false premise, and for that reason no progress has been or could be achieved.

Referring to the United Nations (UN) No. 2254 decision for a peaceful solution in Syria, Xelil said, “They addressed Turkey’s mercenary gangs, not the actual opposition in Syria. Real democracy forces were not even included in that negotation process.

In addition, the Syrian regime still aims at maintaining its power in Syria. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), political parties and several organisations in northeastern Syria have their own representatives and projects.”

He added that neither the Syrian regime, nor the Muslim Brotherhood nor Turkey-backed mercenaries had a democratic project. He also reminded that since the democratic forces in Syria were not invited to the negotiations in Geneva, the negotiations are at a deadlock in Syria.

Relations between Arabs and Kurds

Regarding the relations between Arabs and Kurds, Xelil said, “Arab states are affected negatively due to the regional policies of Turkey. Therefore, diplomatic relations between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and Arab states have been built. Turkey’s operations in Libya are also a common danger for both Arabs and Kurds.”

Russia and US

Aldar Xelil explained that Russia has been recently accused of remaining silent towards Turkey’s attacks in North and East Syria. “Russia was a mediator between all the parties, but Russia did not fulfill this task. We were expecting Russia to persuade the Syrian regime to organise dialogue,” he said.

Xelil finally shared his comments on the US elections, stating that Donald Trump’s administration was misfortunate not only for the people of Syria or Kurds, but also for all the peoples of Palestine, Libya, Armenia, Yemen and Iraq.

“With a Democrat President now winning the election, the region might have the possibility of having a ‘band-aid’ in the short term, but the US’s regional strategy would not change in the long term,” he said.