Northeastern Syria. Kurdish Anarchy and Sultan Erdoğan Dreams

Rasa – In an exclusive report for Rasa News Agency, Firas Samuri, a freelance journalist, ‎wrote about the illegal practices of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces against the Arab ‎population in norteasthern Syria.‎

News ID: 441190

Date: 25 October 2018 - 11:27

RNA – During the past several months the situation around the Syrian Kurdistan remains ‎tense. The protests of the locals from the city of Manbij in Aleppo governorate against the ‎actions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are happening on a regular basis.‎

Last week Asayish, the Kurdish local police forces arrested more than 50 civilians who had ‎been protesting against the closure of the Arab schools and forced mobilization to the side ‎of SDF in Manbij. In fact, the presence of the Kurdish militia in this region is illegal, as in mid-‎June 2018, the United States and Turkey agreed on complete withdrawal of the Kurdish ‎formations from the area to reduce the tensions.‎

It worth noting that the illegal practices of Kurds are also underway in other cities in ‎northeastern Syria both in Raqqa and Hasakah governorates. Under the pretext of fighting ‎sleeping cells of Daesh, Asayish security service personnel burned down some glossary ‎stores in Suwaydan Jazirah village, whose owners had refused to pay taxes in favour of the ‎Kurds. The meetings of locals, which broke out in response to this outrage, were dispersed ‎with the use of weapons. During the action, several people were killed, including women and ‎children.‎

At the same time, according to the local activists, the arrests of local authorities participating ‎in the Syrian governmental local council elections from settlement of al-Khatuniyyah in ‎Raqqah governorate have become more frequent.‎

In addition to the Kurds, Turkey is another party that is involved in destabilizing situation in ‎northeastern Syria. Turkish President during his visit to the U.S. announced about the ‎creation of a number of safe zones within Syria to include the east of the Euphrates River as ‎it happened with the Idlib governorate. The noticeable increase of the Turkish presence near ‎the border with the Syrian governorate of Hasakah speaks in favour of the seriousness of ‎the Ankara decision.‎

It is also noteworthy that the Kurdish militia backed by the international coalition stopped ‎combating Daesh terrorists that call into question the desirability of their presence in the ‎region. Thus, on October 13, 2018, the jihadists attacked the refugee camp in the area of al-‎Bahrah resulting in the capture of 700 civilians.‎

The U.S. policy can explain such behaviour of the Kurds towards the local population. First, ‎the American leadership announced its intention to leave the country after the defeat of ‎Daesh terrorists, and now Washington intends to stay in the country for an indefinite period. ‎Mostly, this kind of actions provokes the anarchy from Kurds, since they understand the ‎presence of Western patrons let them to feel unpunished.‎

The expansion of the Turkish influence will not bring the stability in the region either. ‎However, Erdoğan’s intention can be understood, as he is not ready for any growth of ‎Kurdish influence as well as granting them any political rights. Unfortunately, he also rejected ‎the option of giving them a cultural autonomy.‎

Finally, if Erdoğan begins to implement what he claimed, and the Kurds in turn with the ‎patronage of the Americans continue to create chaos and feel their impunity, it may lead to ‎a new confrontation in the region between them, the United States and Turkey that will ‎adversely affect the course of the Syrian conflict.‎

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