Kurdish gains and the very existence of Kurds are under threat in both Iraq and Syria, which gives more gravity to the northern Syria visit by Iraqi Kurdish opposition leader Bafel Talabani, Democratic Unity Party (PYD) Spokeswoman Sema Begdaş told Mezopotamya Agency on Thursday.
Talabani’s visit shows the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader embracing and upholding the gains in northern Syria, Begdaş said.
“All parties and civil society organisations should come together and join forces. This visit, at a historic time, is important to stand united against attacks and has created a positive mood,” Begdaş said. “Bafel Talabani knows his enemies well, so he takes precautions. Kurdish forces now know their enemies well.”
Kurds around the world should stand united against attacks, most recently exemplified in the Paris shooting that killed prominent women’s rights politician Emine Kara (Evîn Goyî) and two others, the PYD spokeswoman said.
“Kurds today have the opportunity to achieve national unity. This century should not make Kurds victims to foreign state plans again. As such, we are content with Bafel Talabani’s visit,” she added.
Syrian Kurds and all Kurdish people “want more visits that continue stronger with the addition of other Kurdish parties”, Begdaş concluded.
PYD has controlled the Kurdish-held areas in north and east Syria, since the civil war broke out in 2011. The party has frequently called out to Kurdish organisations in Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran to act in unison, and forged strong ties with the multi-ethnic population of the region.
The PUK is a left-leaning opposition party in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, having splintered off the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which lacks strong relations with Syrian Kurds.
