Rojava/ Kurdish Regions Newswire [Archive]

Marinaleda

14th June 2015, 19:19

There was a sense of good news hidden in the words spoken by President Tayyip Erdoğan when he said, “Kobanê is about to fall” during the days when Rojava’s defence force YPG was resisting against ISIS in the besieged city. Now Kurds are celebrating that “Tell Abyad is about to fall”. The front ISIS has struggled most on has been Rojava. The YPG ousted ISIS from Kobanê and now have them hemmed in at Tell Abyad and want to create a channel between the Kobanê and Cizire (Jazira) cantons. As long as ISIS are in Tell Abyad there will be no peace for Cizire or Kobanê. YPG forces from the west (Kobanê) and from the south (Serekaniye) have surrounded Tell Abyad on two fronts. Tell Abyad connects Raqqa in the south, which ISIS has turned into a central base, to the Turkey border. According to information I obtained from YPG spokesperson Redur Xelil and a local Arab source the YPG have repelled ISIS to Sirrin and Ayn Isa at the south of Kobanê and have progressed to within 10km of Tell Abyad on the west and 19km on the south. The YPG are carrying out this operation with the Arab Burkan Al Firat (Euphrates Volcano) forces and have as of yesterday entered the eastern part of the town of Süluk which lies on the east of Tell Abyad. However the YPG are progressing warily; they are trying to avoid any civilian casualties and are sensitive to the reactions of the majority Arab population of the area. For this reason they are trying to make the Arabs feel safe and protected.

When ISIS attacked the area to the north of Aleppo where many Turkmen live, the third canton of Rojava, Afrin, also went on red alert. However even if ISIS defeat the other opposition forces surrounding them, it will not be easy for them to enter the area. Furthermore in contrast to Kobanê, which is flat, Afrin has mountainous areas that create protection against attacks from outside. So where is Turkey positioned in this ARRANGEMENT of war? The Turkish government, which armed the Army of Conquest against the Syrian regime, is unhappy at the YPG’s advance. Despite it being ISIS that is threatening the Turkmen in the villages around Azez and the Hamam town in Serekaniye (Ras al-Ayn), Erdoğan gave a cautionary response to developments. Having lost the Kurds with the gleeful words, “Kobanê is about to fall,” Erdoğan said yesterday:

“The West are bombing the Arabs and Turkmen in Tell Abyad and unfortunately replacing them with the terrorist organisation PYD and PKK.”

Could there be a more striking confession of support for ISIS? What is the point of being angry with USA President Barack Obama who recently said, “ISIS is replenishing itself with the thousands of fighters crossing from Turkey into Syria. Turkish officials are still yet to maximise their capacity and efforts to prevent this.”

Can the president of a country, at a time when over 500 Kurds from Turkey have lost their lives fighting ISIS in the ranks of the YPG, really toy with the pain of cities scorched with corpses? The bodies of 10 youths, who lost their lives recently in Cizire, were brought to Turkey. Hundreds of people lost their lives on the Syria and Iraq fronts protecting not just the Kurds but also the Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians and Yazidis. Of course people are having to leave their homes because of the conflict, ISIS’s oppression and aerial bombardments. However what we have here is a serious form of exaggeration and indeed manipulation. I asked Syria Turkmen Parliament President Abdurrahman Mustafa about this and this is what he had to say:

“When it’s said that Turkmen are being exiled everyone is asking us in anxiety about what is happening. I sent our representatives to Akçakale (Turkey’s border town to Tell Abyad) and they couldn’t find any refugees there. The situation is being exaggerated. A few people had come from Hamam but they have also returned. There are no Kurds in Hamam, only the threat of ISIS. 200-300 people have come from the Azez area due to the conflict between opposition forces and ISIS. This has nothing to do with Kurds either.”

If we are to talk about ethnic cleansing of any sort it would informative to look at what the Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar ash-Sham, two groups driven into Tell Abyad from Turkey, did to Kurds. When Kurds took administrative power in Rojava in July 2012, jihadist groups supported by Turkey entered Tell Abyad on 19th September 2012. There was conflict between them and the Kurdish Front, soon after peace resumed. Then a year later between 19th July and 5th August Kurds were told to leave Tell Abyad otherwise they would be killed by announcements from mosques. Following this houses were raided one by one, men were killed and women and children were taken hostage. At the time the YPG announced that 70 people had been killed and 400 abducted. (El Alem said 330 women, 120 of them still children had been massacred, but this figure could not be confirmed from other sources.) This was truly ethnic cleansing. With the exile of Kurds the Kobanê and Cizire cantons were cut off from each other. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took the matter to the UN and demanded condemnation but no one was interested because it would ‘stain the revolution.’ Parallel to the division between Al Nusra and ISIS in January 2014, ISIS brutally suppressed their former partners and took control of Tell Abyad. There is a long list of similar massacres. For example Al-Nusra and their partners massacred tens of Alawites in Istebrak following their victory in Idlib on 25th April 2015. On 10th June Al-Nusra killed at least 20 Durzis in the Kalp Loze village in Idlib.

As is evident the dossiers of crimes committed in Syria are beyond comprehension. And these dossiers are also cumbersome enough to chase those that fall!

Sentinel

14th June 2015, 21:31

Attaching a screenshot of the current (as of yesterday) situation on the front between YPG and Daesh. The map is from is from the war map on wikipedia (in the article 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant'), it is updated fairly regularly and seems to be accurate enough most of the times. But of course it can't be relied on to 100%.

Yellow is YPG and grey is Daesh. Tell Abyad is at the narrowest stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border still under Daesh control, directly to the north of (Daesh capital) Raqqa. In just the last few days, the YPG has swept seemingly unstoppably both west from Cizire and east from Kobane, either seizing or besieging the smaller town of Suluk east of Tall Abyad sometime yesterday.

According to some reports (the map does not confirm it though) they have already cut the road between Tell Abyad and Raqqa. Losing this fastest gateway towards Turkey would indeed be a very hard blow for Daesh economically and militarily, while the geographical unification of the two largest ones of the three Rojava cantons would obviously strengthen YPGs position significantly.

Sentinel

14th June 2015, 21:52

Moving thread from Practice & Propaganda to Ongoing Struggles.

YPG statement on the Tell Abyad/Gire Sipi battle, from their website:

June 14: Girê Spî (Tell Abyad) Rescue Operation (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/statements/713-june-14-gire-spi-tell-abyad-rescue-operation)

Created on Sunday, 14 June 2015 14:39 | http://ypgrojava.com/en/templates/ypgku22/images/system/printButton.png (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/statements/713-june-14-gire-spi-tell-abyad-rescue-operation?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=) | http://ypgrojava.com/en/templates/ypgku22/images/system/emailButton.png (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/component/mailto/?tmpl=component&template=ypgku22&link=991a4c7f6bbc8fc148d401a1ec79d8a86f8c6b45) | Hits: 1729

http://ypgrojava.com/en/images/Library/2015/06/June_14_2015_500x333.jpg
Immediate Release for the Media and Public Opinion
CIZÎRÊ, Rojava (June 14, 2015) – Following Phase II of Operation Commander Rubar Qamishlo, on its 39th uninterrupted day, members of the People’s Defense Units (YPG) along with the Women’s Defense Units (YPJ) – from both Kobanê and Cizîrê Cantons – have initiated a clamp assault operation against terrorist forces positioned in and around the city of Girê Spî (Tell Abyad).
Entirely liberating the town of Silûk, our forces last night continued to bring into performance numerous mop-up operations in the area and later directed towards the region amid Tell Abyad and Silûk; and eventually managed to rescue the villages of – Seîdo, Khashamn, Til Eshq Seîde, Bêjing, Kevok, Enzê, Mishêrfa Shêikh, Îsawî, Ayn al-Arus – as well as over 20 surrounding farmlands from terrorists’ occupation.
Completing final stages of a historical resistance, our troops from Kobanê congruently proceeded last night to advance to the west and southwestern Tell Abyad and inflicted important blows to the terrorist elements.
During the past 24 hours in rural Kobanê, Defense Units managed to cleanse the following villages off Daesh terrorists: Frêhan, Hêmira Kurda, Hemira Ereba, Boxa ya Mezin, Boxa ya Biçuk, Rafî, Sikêrat, Im Hiwêş, Nihit, Ebu Zihur, Bedrîa, Ebu Xireze, Xirbet Ebid, Xirbê Elwe, Curîl Xet, Gundê, Cihişa, Seddê, Faris, Eribet Ecil a Mezin, Eribet Ecil a Biçuk û Mebdece.
Our forces correspondingly reached to the East of Tell Abyad town where a fierce fighting is taking place between our combatants and terrorist groups. Our troops similarly went on the move to cut enemy supply route that links their forces to Al-Raqqah, and could close in on the road within 4 kilometers.
Throughout the operations conducted in the past 24 hours a large number of terrorist fighters were killed and wounded.
It was in the course of those operations that one of our comrades was martyred as result of explosion of an IED planted by the terrorists.
During these times that Daesh terrorists are receiving significant blows in Rojava and Syria, some media outlets have falsely reported on civilian deaths committed by our forces in the region. Our Units know well that terrorist forces will not spare any effort to use civilian lives as human shields, for that, they are very cautious on how to move while advancing on terrorists’ bases.

People’s Defense Units (YPG) Press Office

Sentinel

16th June 2015, 07:06

Tell Abyad/Gire Spi fell to the forces of the YPG/YPJ and the Euphrates Volcano yesterday. Only small isolated and surrounded pockets of Daesh troops seem to remain here and there in the surrounding countryside. The city itself and the border crossing have been fully secured according to the YPG.

Kurdish media outlets were yesterday filled with pictures of celebrations as YPG troops from Cizire were welcomed by their comrades in once-isolated Kobane, after the territories of the two cantons had been linked up. Daesh, in the meanwhile has been reported to have begun building defensive fortifications around the city of Raqqa.

Sentinel

18th June 2015, 09:10

According to reports on Twitter the YPG reduced the pocket of Daesh forces to the west of Tell Abyad last night, many of the fascists fleeing over the border to Turkey. At the same time battle rages over the town of Ayn Issa between Tell Abyad and Raqqa, while Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that the YPG is sending 'hundreds' of troops as reinforcements from Cizire into Kobani canton.

I am stickying this thread as a newswire from Rojava. Title edited.

ChangeAndChance

18th June 2015, 09:36

Sentinel

18th June 2015, 10:07

Current status of the Wikipedia map posted above confirma that the cantons of Jazira and Kobane have been territorially united with only small pockets of ISIS resistance to the west and south of Tell Abyad.

There are actually three different maps on Wikipedia - one over the Syrian civil war, one over both the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts, and one called cities and towns in the Syrian civil war - all showing the frontlines slightly differently. According to the last one mentioned, which seems to currently be best in line with written reports online regarding the Tell Abyad front, the Daesh pocket to the west of the city has been defeated.

On the other hand it seems to show outdated info over the situation in Cizire canton. My point being, one has to take these maps with a grain of salt and compare different information to get an as accurate picture as possible.

Sentinel

19th June 2015, 12:03

Here are the maps from Wikipedia. As you all can see they aren't consistent with each other (I wonder who it is that updates them, anyway?). Anyway, they usually show recent changes, that can be verified by written articles and reports, fairly quickly and as long as one doesn't take them as some kind of absolute truth, are fairly reliable most of the time.

Syria and Iraq Onward War Map (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Syria_and_Iraq_2014-onward_War_map.png)
Syria and Iraq Insurgency Detailed Map (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Syrian_and_Iraqi_insurgency_detailed_map)

Syrian Civil War Map (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War#/media/File:Syrian_civil_war.png)
Syrian Civil War Detailed Map (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_and_towns_during_the_Syrian_Civil_War)

The Feral Underclass

27th June 2015, 12:05

Daesh have been kicked out of Kobane again. The YPG/PKK have taken back control of the city after Daesh fighters launched a surprise attack over the last couple of days.

John Nada

28th June 2015, 09:24

Kurdish fighters say they have fully secured the Syrian border town of Kobani and killed more than 60 Islamic State (http://www.theguardian.com/world/isis) (Isis) militants, two days after the group attacked it with suicide bombers.

Redur Xelil, spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, said about eight members of Isis had also escaped north towards the Turkish border after the Kurds (http://www.theguardian.com/world/kurds) pushed back.

“There are still search operations in neighbourhoods where they might be hiding. The town is quiet now,” he said in an online message.

In Syria’s northeast, Kurdish forces and the army fought separate battles with Isis around Hasaka city overnight as it tried to capture more areas of the major urban centre near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Saturday.

In Kobani, the YPG blew up a school building used by Isis earlier on Saturday, the Observatory said, and plumes of smoke could be seen from the Turkish side of the border rising into the air.

Isis killed about 200 civilians in the town and surrounding areas during the attack, which started on Thursday, the Observatory said, describing it as one of the worst massacres committed by the group in Syria (http://www.theguardian.com/world/syria).

Kobani was the site of one of the biggest battles against Isis last year. The Kurdish YPG force drove the militants back from the town with the help of US air strikes after four months of fighting and siege.

The YPG previously described the latest attack on Kobani as “a suicide mission” rather than an attempt to capture the town.

In the northeast, Isis appeared to be attempting to wrest Hasaka city from government forces. Syrian state television said on Saturday the city was safe and under control, but the Observatory said fierce clashes continued in the southwest, south and southeast.

Hasaka is important to all sides fighting as it is positioned in an area that sits between Isis-held territories in Syria and Iraq, and reaches north up to the Turkish border.

The assault there will test the Syrian army’s capacity to hold on to areas far from the major government-held cities in the west. Xelil said the government forces appeared to be holding on to their positions early on Saturday.

Isis launched an assault on government-held areas of Hasaka on Thursday and the United Nations said the violence was thought to have displaced up to 120,000 people. Isis said on Saturday it attacked areas east of the city and in a video posted online claimed to have entered western areas.

Hasaka is divided into areas run separately by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government and Kurdish authorities and has a mixed population of Arabs, Kurds and Christians.

Isis has been back on the offensive after two weeks of defeats at the hands of Kurdish-led forces supported by US-led air strikes. This week, the Kurds advanced to within 30 miles (50km) of Raqqa city, the group’s de facto capital.

Late on Friday, Syrian information minister Omran al-Zoubi appealed to residents to take up arms to defend Hasaka.

While Isis had managed to advance slightly in Hasaka on Friday, seizing one army position, heavy Syrian air force strikes hindered the attack, according to the Observatory.Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/kobani-secured-islamic-state-kurdish-fighters-suicide-attacks The attackers may have entered from Turkey. One attacker was captured.

khad

28th June 2015, 11:18

I've really avoiding commenting about the terrorist attack on Kobane because I don't want to end up saying something I'll regret regarding Turkey and the sleeper-infested Syrian countryside. During this whole ordeal, I saw various reports from social media indicating that some of the attackers even spoke Kurdish and were disguised in FSA and YPG uniforms.

Erdogan is now doubling down screaming about how he would never accept a Kurdish state. It seems to indicate that the AKP is now angling for an alliance with the MHP, which will be an alliance forged in hell. Fascists. Should've seen this coming. I hope they all fucking burn.

http://www.todayszaman.com/op-ed_why-did-the-akp-lose-the-kurds_391751.html

Despite the slight optimism in this article, anyone who knows the history of the Grey Wolves knows that they are not above serving as the shock troops of islamism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wolves_%28organization%29#Outside_of_Turkey

Sasha

29th June 2015, 16:11

turkey planning to invade IS held area's in syria to prevent kurds from capturing the whole border region, army opposes; http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/28/turkey-plans-to-send-troops-into-syria-widening-the-war.html

Sentinel

29th June 2015, 20:55

turkey planning to invade IS held area's in syria to prevent kurds from capturing the whole border region, army opposes;http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...g-the-war.html

According to the fb page "Save Kobane" about an hour ago, the Turkish army has begun moving troops to the area, while PKK Executive Committee member Murat Karayilan has commented:

"We will say this loud and clear, If Turkey intervenes in Rojava, we will intervene against them. Turkey will become the battlefield."

human strike

30th June 2015, 16:58

Heavy military presence in border town of Roboski, where over 30 civilian Kurds were massacred by Turkey in 2011, lead to clashes with stone throwing civilians. Turkish army opened fire, wounding several. Several also arrested.

Turkish Air Forces bombed PKK this morning in Daglica. State claims PKK attacked the base there.

The Feral Underclass

1st July 2015, 21:19

I just heard about the Turkish army bombing PKK positions.

Sentinel

3rd July 2015, 03:03

YPG has according to their homepage (www.ypgrojava.com (http://www.ypgrojava.com)) as of June 30th launched a major military campaign in the southern part of the Kobane Canton, to avenge the victims of the terrorist attack on Kobane city on the 25th of that month.

The objective is to seize the town of Sarrin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarrin]Sarrin) in whose outskirts a previous offensive stalled in the spring.

Sentinel

4th July 2015, 18:14

Attaching a map of the frontline at Sarrin. I found it on the Save Kobane fb page. Besides portions of Daesh forces already being besieged in pockets outside, the town itself is nearly encircled by the YPG.

According to statements the morale and determination of the YPG is very high as this is not only about liberating the town but payback as well. Revenge by liberation of the oppressed - now that is a different story than how the enemy conducts themselves..!

ckaihatsu

7th July 2015, 04:12

http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/1137.php

Socialist Project - home
The B u l l e t

Socialist Project • E-Bulletin No. 1137
July 7, 2015

Socialist Project - home
The Women Combatants of Rojava

Interviews with commanders Abdullah and Rangin
of the YPJ (Women's Defence Units)

Isis chose the beginning of Ramadan to launch an attack on Kobane in an attempt to retake the city liberated by the Kurdish resistance this past January. No sooner was the attack repelled than Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan began brandishing his scimitar and deploying troops and armour to the border with Syrian Kurdistan, threatening to put an end to the project of democratic autonomy that Kurds are building in the three cantons of Rojava.

Below we publish interviews with two commanders of the YPJ given to the Italian leftwing daily Il Manifesto (June 24 and 26), explaining the role and goals of the YPJ. Nesrin Abdullah was interviewed while on a visit to Italy where she met parliamentarians, but also ordinary Italians during various events throughout the country. Commander Rangin was interviewed by telephone in Kobane while combat with Isis was taking place.

Commander Nesrin Abdullah:
The Other Half of Rojava

Giuliana Sgrena

“We are not soldiers, we are militants; we are not paid to make war, we are partisans of revolution. We live with our people, follow a philosophy and have a political project. At the same time we are carrying out a gender struggle against the patriarchal system. Other combatants are our comrades; we have political and friendly relations,” this is how Nesrin Abdullah, commander of the YPJ, explains to me the role of women combatants in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) and their relationship with the male People's Defence Units (YPG).

She is 36 years old, though in appearance looks younger, was born in Dirik in the canton of Jazeera, and is self-confident. Before being involved in the army she was a journalist. She is unmarried, as is demanded of all Kurdish fighters, men and women. From the time civil war erupted in Syria (2011) – and Isis (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) attacked Rojava destroying Kobane – Nesrin Abdullah was on the front line, and has become one of the ‘heroines’ celebrated not only in Kurdistan but worldwide.

“At this moment in Kurdistan the role of women is historic, not only for Kurdish women and those in the Middle East but also at the international level. Our struggle aims at the creation of a new society starting with an ecological vision, the respect for nature, and the affirmation of the rights and identity of women. The world today is unstable; there are many threats, among these is terrorism. As women combatants we have a lot of responsibility toward all women.”

Giuliana Sgrena (GS): Women who in the past took part in struggles for the liberation of their countries placed the rights of women in second place, thinking they would be achieved afterwards thanks to their contribution, but it did not turn out so. For you it is not like this...

http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/b1137.jpg
Nesrin Abdullah. [Photo by Giu*liana Sgrena]

Nesrin Abdullah (NA): The world shifted from a matriarchal to a patriarchal system and women lost their identity. Patriarchy has oppressed women, they have also suffered physical violence, and despite struggling they have not succeeded in achieving a space within society. Nevertheless women have always striven for their liberty and their rights. Through our struggle we are realizing this dream. It is the struggles of previous years that have led to the creation of the YPJ; it was the example of the movement of the women of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), who for years fought in the mountains for their identity and freedom. Women have been protagonists of the Arab Spring yet this has not opened a path for the realization of their rights; instead the revolution in Rojava has shown the strength of women. Ours is a struggle in which everyone participates: from 7 year-old girls to 70 year-old women, this has allowed for a feminine presence in all areas, even in the military.

GS: Do you think that women combatants who confront the fanatic terrorists have caused a shock inside Isis?

NA: I think the presence of women among combatants has caused a breakdown in the convictions and maybe in the faith of Isis. They have always fought against armies of men and they also won, but now confronting women must have been a shock because they declared women to be the main enemy. Moreover, they immediately decreed that if a fighter is killed by a woman he cannot enter heaven and his body is burned. When they killed a women fighter they cut off her head and displayed it by the hair like a trophy. This act is the symbol of an ideological defeat for Isis. For us, in contrast, fighting this enemy has become a symbol of identity and has mesmerized and won the attention of Arab, Assyrian, Turkish and German women (among whom there has also been a martyr).

GS: Are there also Italian women?

NA: Italians that I know of no, but there could be.

GS: What is your relationship with the western coalition, in the past these interventions always failed. Do you think that together you will succeed in defeating Isis?

NA: We are fighting for democracy; our door is also open to the coalition if it wants to help us. Up to now they have helped us with bombardments, including heavy ones. We are hoping the assistance will not remain only at the level of bombing.

GS: Do you think a coalition led by the USA is interested in assisting your democratic project?

NA: So far the assistance has only been through bombing, which we well know has not been undertaken for us but to defeat Isis as a mutual enemy. But it must go further: Rojava needs international recognition, we will see if the coalition is willing to also give us diplomatic help. We demand an end to all massacres including to that of our identity.

GS: The first assistance could be to pressure Turkey to put an end to the embargo that prevents the passage of aid for Kurds.

NA: We think that if the coalition wants to, it could create humanitarian corridors. The borders need to be opened for humanitarian purposes, but we also need commercial relations.

GS: Can the success of the HDP (People's Democratic Party, a party of Kurdish inspiration) in the recent Turkish elections foster a change in the policies of Ankara?

NA: Certainly when a Kurdish party is strong it is an advantage for all Kurds. They are our representatives in Turkey, their victory is our victory. Important also is the fact they elected many women (31 out of 79), this is a terrific message to the Turkish parliament. The success of the HDP could encourage a common policy among the Kurds. We hope in addition that it helps to push Turkey toward a more democratic regime to also foster new relations with Syria. We want autonomy for the three Kurdish cantons, but our country is Syria.

GS: And what will happen in Syria?

NA: Syria has gone the way of a suicide bomber; there is now nothing on which to build. We are ready at the military level to construct a new democratic system but political engagement is necessary. The Syrian opposition does not have a project for the future of Syria and proposals cannot come from abroad; it could follow our example. We are not waiting for the situation in Syria to resolve itself in order to achieve our project for democratic autonomy as part of a democratic Syria. The model proposed from Rojava is popular at the international level because it guarantees everyone can live freely with their culture, identity and religion. We're fighting solely against Isis and are ready to defend the system we created; we are one pillar of our system.

GS: Yet the charter of Rojava foresees a demilitarized territory.

NA: We only want to maintain a self-defence force, to administer our territory. In the Middle East all peoples need self-defence.

GS: Do you plan on remaining in the YPJ in the future?

NA: Right now our people need to be defended, this role must be continued at this time. So for now I'm not thinking about anything else; if one day it is no longer required, I will work where necessary. In the past I was a journalist.

GS: What do you ask of Italy?

NA: Above all, political support for the international recognition of Rojava and then assistance for the reconstruction of Kobane, but also wider cooperation. In addition, the weapons we fight Isis with are obsolete, so we also need arms, but only for defence. •

Kurdish Commander Rangin:
“International Coalition Against Isis Only in Words”

Giuseppe Acconcia

“This is the moment that ends the isolation,” declared the commander of the YPJ, Nesrin Abdullah in a news conference at the Italian Parliament in Rome shortly after the new attack by Isis on Kobane.

To discuss the new crisis that is gripping the city, we reached commander Rangin (June 26th) by telephone at her headquarters in Kobane.

Giuseppe Acconcia (GA): What is happening in Kobane?

Commander Rangin (CR): The fighting continues. There are about a hundred Daesh [Arabic acronym for Isis] fighters holed up in the city carrying out summary attacks against the population.

http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/b1137b.jpg

GA: How do you rate the performance of the international coalition?

CR: They are not doing their best. Kurdish civilians are often killed in the bombardments. They happen by mistake, according to them, but we believe they want to maintain a kind of equilibrium between the jihadis and the Kurdish combatants. If the coalition wants to bomb a cigarette they do it. Sometimes we ask for targeted attacks and they say it's not possible to proceed. Many jihadi fighters have weapons from the United States or Turkey. Yet, for months we haven't received enough weapons. After the liberation of the areas controlled by the Syrian regime we reinforced the armed struggle but we are always more dependent on the support of the people than on arms.

GA: You joined the YPJ in April 2013 and immediately entered into the professional units. How is the YPJ organized?

CR: First of all there are the local self-defence units (Haremi), then professional fighters and finally the resistance units. Men leave the self-defence units to join the YPG; the more educated women often enter directly into the professional combatants. We are like every other army; we depend on the ideology of Abdullah Öcalan. But we are not only an army. In meetings we spend time discussing and self-criticizing. We are a defensive army. In order to fight, women must know why and for what to fight. For this we begin with ideological and academic preparation, because every YPJ fighter must know her own self.

GA: So the YPJ is an army of feminists?

CR: We stand for a radical feminism. We depend on ourselves and benefit from the experience of everyone. Women at home protect the essentialness of women. Our fight is as women (no matter if Kurdish, Syrian or European) and for a nationality that identifies with democratic autonomy and is opposed to the concept of the state. During the fighting for Shingal, women went to save other women. At Til Temir YPJ fighters went to save Arab women. We went to save dozens of women captives in villages occupied by Isis.

GA: One of the themes you deal with in YPJ training is “love and death.”

CR: Love is essential, it's part of everyone's instinct. The philosophy of death is a way of living. In past times everyone knew death could come quickly; now it is different and this disconnects us from nature and does not allow us to accept the idea of death. Religion exploits death: if you're a martyr you go to heaven. For us love and death are in contradiction: when we discuss it, it's to search for a new military, communitarian and quotidian life. Women are not made to only have children. We want to reform and renew the community. We also talk a lot about sensuality.

GA: How is the YPJ received by male comrades?

CR: Some men don't accept that their commander may be a woman. If in this context the women are soldiers, it's not in vain. We have to fight against the concept that many male comrades have of women. When we talk about it with a YPG member, it often happens that he changes his mind and understands that the men's units exist because the YPJ exists and not vice versa. We are not a military adornment. Many of our female fighters have been blown skywards by mines; they are commanders (the majority of them) of male units. There is plenty of autonomy regarding this. We have mixed battalions; in almost all battalions there are co-commanders. For instance, if Kurdish fighters do not commit ethnic cleansing after the capture of a city, it is mainly because our influence stops errors from being committed. •

Interviews translated by Sam Putinja, who wishes to extend a special thanks to Ali Behran Ozcelik.

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Sentinel

8th July 2015, 09:02

Daesh has monday evening made the claim that they recaptured the important town of Ayn Issa/Bozani on the main road between Aleppo and Hasakah, 50 km north of Raqqa. It was liberated from them by the YPG about two weeks ago, during the Gire Spi/Tel Abyad campaign.

The YPG however denied this, while admitting that Daesh launched a large scale offensive and gained entry into the town. Fighting was Monday evening ongoing in the southern part of the town to expel Daesh, according to Redur Xelil, YPG spokesperson.

Link (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-syria-kurds-deny-claims-that-jihadis-have-recaptured-strategic-town-ayn-issa-1509604)

khad

8th July 2015, 17:58

Slightly unrelated, but an important update on all those women kidnapped in the Sinjar area last summer:

full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11723360/Islamic-State-Meet-the-man-who-helps-kidnapped-women-escape-horrors.html

After the attack, those who survived faced the seemingly impossible task of trying to rescue their women from Isil territory. No government has offered to infiltrate Isil and help free the women, and so it’s left to the Sinjar citizens to get their sisters, daughters, and mothers back.

One man, a lawyer named Khaleel al-Dakhi, is at the forefront of this improvised rescue mission. So far, his network has saved 530 women and children from the hands of Isil.

Today, Khaleel says that Isil is no longer the impenetrable force it once was, and a myriad of informants from inside the terrorists’ territory leak information on the power structure and its daily operations. But after the Sinjar siege, there was no information on where the girls might be imprisoned or even whether they were still alive.

Khaleel’s work began in September last year, when he started compiling details of all the women and children who had been kidnapped by Isil. After talking to every family from Sinjar, he had a list of more than 3,000 names. But the next stage – a rescue attempt – was far more difficult.

Isil has claimed the Syrian city Raqqa as their capital, but the terrorists’ territory is larger than Great Britain, spreading throughout Iraq and dividing Sinjar, which is home to the minority Yazidi community. The Isil border runs through Sinjar City, and the terrorist group controls 70 per cent of the city, the land to the south of the mountain and large areas to the west and east. The Sinjar women could have been taken anywhere within the Isil-controlled land.

“At the beginning, it was so difficult to rescue them,” says Khaleel. In fact, the very first girls who escaped Isil territory managed to do so without any outside help. “At the time, Isil was more focused on their weapons and weren't paying as much attention to the girls, which is why they managed to escape without anyone helping them,” says Khaleel. “Also, the borders between Isil and Sinjar were not as strong as they are now.”

Sentinel

8th July 2015, 18:56

According to the YPG on facebook a few hours ago, the assault on Ayn Issa was part of a major Daesh offensive on a front stretching from south of the Kobane canton all the way to Hasaka. It has however been repelled, and the group which gained entry to Ayn Issa and claimed to have 'conquered' it was surrounded and totally eliminated, according to the statement.

hexaune

9th July 2015, 00:05

Sentinel

9th July 2015, 08:25

Maps of the recent battles at Sarrin and Ayn Issa, respectively, from http://www.petercliffordonline.com/syria-iraq-news-5/:

http://i2.wp.com/www.petercliffordonline.com/wp-content/uploads/Syria-SW-Kobane-Canton-Situation-Map-08.07.15-.jpeg?zoom=1.5&resize=586%2C472 (http://www.petercliffordonline.com/syria-iraq-news-5/syria-sw-kobane-canton-situation-map-08-07-15/)
SW Kobane Canton Situation Map 07.07.15

http://i1.wp.com/www.petercliffordonline.com/wp-content/uploads/Syria-Situation-Map-for-Ain-Issa-07.07.15.jpeg?zoom=1.5&resize=585%2C573 (http://www.petercliffordonline.com/syria-iraq-news-5/syria-situation-map-for-ain-issa-07-07-15/)
Situation Map for Ain Issa 06.07.15

http://i0.wp.com/www.petercliffordonline.com/wp-content/uploads/Syria-YPG-Repel-IS-Attack-on-Ain-Issa.jpeg?zoom=1.5&resize=586%2C430 (http://www.petercliffordonline.com/syria-iraq-news-5/syria-ypg-repel-is-attack-on-ain-issa/)
YPG Repel IS Attack on Ain Issa

Sentinel

17th July 2015, 17:25

After Daesh recently routed Assads troops in Hasakah, the largest city in northeastern Syria - where the government so far had largely maintained control - the YPG instead launched a counterattack on Daesh there. YPG has now managed to besiege their forces there by cutting off the roads leading to the city.

Link (http://aranews.net/2015/07/hasakah-isis-under-kurdish-siege/)

The Feral Underclass

17th July 2015, 18:55

Any news on what the International Battalion are up to? Everything seems to have gone quiet with them.

Sasha

20th July 2015, 11:31

Heavy bomb attack on a Kobane solidarity fundraiser in the southern turkish city of Suruc, at least 20 reportedly dead, cant imagine the PKK will not retaliate...

http://www.rt.com/news/310242-suruc-blast-turkey-syria/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

khad

20th July 2015, 11:49

Information about explosion so far:

25 dead, near 100 wounded
There was a "Rojava Event" in the center yesterday. Some of the people who attended this event was staying in the center.
The culture center, which is run by the Suruç Municipality under the control of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), frequently hosts visiting journalists and volunteers who work with refugees from Kobane.
At least 300 members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF) were staying at the Amara Culture Center as part of a summer expedition to help rebuild Kobane, which lies directly across the border from Suruç.
There is speculation that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber from the ISIS.
"If it is Daesh, it will not stay in Suruç. Very soon we could end up like Syria," said Muhsin Kızılkaya, a deputy from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Nusra Front activists were apparently active in the days prior to this attack, calling for attacks on the meeting

https://twitter.com/k4veh/status/623073413066850304
http://www.yurtgazetesi.com.tr/gundem/cihatcilar-o-gencleri-hedef-gosterdi-h92586.html

So much for moderate Al-Qaeda...

Sasha

20th July 2015, 12:01

Turkish police reportedly teargassed the people trying to help the blast victims.

HDP called for a mass demonstration in Istanbul tonight.

Sentinel

20th July 2015, 15:38

There will be demonstrations in other countries as well tonight, for example in at least three cities in Sweden. The one in Stockholm is on Sergel square at 18:00 apparently.

Sasha

20th July 2015, 15:48

At this moment a solidarity gathering is taking place in The Hague, sadly I wasn't able to make it.
Later this evening many demonstrations all over Germany are taking place.

Sasha

21st July 2015, 00:44

Istanbul demo attacked with teargas, watercanons and rubberbullets

also;

Statement on the Recent Massacre in Suruc, Turkey

Posted on July 20, 2015 - Federation (http://www.blackrosefed.org/category/federation/) Tags: Kobane (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/kobane/), Rojava (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/rojava/), Suruc (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/suruc/), Turkey (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/turkey/), ‪‎SuruçtaKatliamVar‬ (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/%e2%80%aa%e2%80%8esuructakatliamvar%e2%80%ac/), ‬ ‪‎SurucBomb‬ (http://www.blackrosefed.org/tag/%e2%80%ac-%e2%80%aa%e2%80%8esurucbomb%e2%80%ac/)
STATEMENT ON THE RECENT MASSACRE IN SURUC, TURKEY
BLACK ROSE ANARCHIST FEDERATION / FEDERACION ANARQUISTA ROSA NEGRA (USA)
http://www.blackrosefed.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/bombing.jpgAftermath of the explosion in Suruc, Turkey which targeted activists supporting the revolutionary process underway in Syrian Kurdistan.
July 20, 2015
#‎Rojava‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rojava?source=feed_text&story_id=1646470605572265) ‪#‎SurucBomb‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/surucbomb?source=feed_text&story_id=1646470605572265) ‪#‎SuruçtaKatliamVar‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/suru%C3%A7takatliamvar?source=feed_text&story_id=1646470605572265)
Today we mourn the loss of friends and comrades and renewing our commitment to an international revolutionary struggle in their memory.

At noon, in the border town of Suruç in Turkish Kurdistan, a bomb ripped through the bodies of communists, socialists, and anarchists who were on their way to assist in the rebuilding of Kobane. Tens of people were killed, many more injured. One Black Rose member was present assisting in preparations for a campaign to support the rebuilding of Kobane and Rojava, but was uninjured in the blast.
A half an hour after the bombing, the city of Suruc shook once more as a second massive bomb hit the border in Kobane. News reports indicate that this was a car bomb attack that was stopped by self-defense forces which minimized causalties.

The trip to Kobane was organized by the Marxist-Leninist organization Sosyalist Gençlik Dernekleri Federasyonunun (SGDF). They brought together youth–entire families–from across Turkey and beyond to give revolutionary support to the developing social revolution in Syrian Kurdistan. Up to 300 people were preparing to cross the embargoed border to help rebuild the city, learn about its political developments, and link the struggles of the Turkish left with the Kurdish movement.

After the bombing, the first to respond was armored military vehicles of the occupying Turkish state that rolled down the street in front of the Amara Cultural Center to block the street and point their guns at the recently injured and trauma-ridden revolutionaries. It took ambulances so long to arrive on the scene that private cars had to be organized to take the injured to the hospital. The military and police were on the scene in minutes, managing to form a line of riot police before the first ambulances arrived. Their alertness should come as no surprise since they had been actively harassing the bus loads of revolutionaries coming to Suruc that morning, monitoring many of them, and had made calls to their families telling them that their young relative was going to join terrorists in Rojava.

This demonstrates the attitude of the state and is indicative of a sad reality: Turkey is continuing its murderous policy towards the Kurds and this attack can be seen as a fulfillment of Erdogan’s promise to stop Rojava by any means necessary. In the coming months, Black Rose will continue to broaden the scope in organizing committees and networks in solidarity with Rojava. We hope for your support.

Biji Rojava! Rojava Lives!

-International Secertary, Black Rose Anarchist Federation / Federación Anarquista Rosa Negra (BRRN)

Sasha

21st July 2015, 00:47

video from istanbul demo and clashed; http://www.zie.nl/video/8ggzfhkfk2mk

Sentinel

22nd July 2015, 18:12

After Suruc, YPG and PKK vowed to retaliate on the fronts in Hasakah, Sarrin and Jarablus. According to the International Brigades of Rojava on fb, Hasakah will be "ISIS free within days, maybe hours".

Reportedly large parts of the besieged Daesh garrison in Hasakah have offered capitulation, but the YPG refused to accept it as to take revenge for Suruc.

Moreover according to the Brigades, a Daesh commander has been killed by kurdish youth in Istanbul, and the PKK have killed two turkish cops in Suruc for cooperating with the suicide bomber.

khad

23rd July 2015, 00:24

Bomber identified as ethnic Kurd linked to the Islamic State

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33619043

A 20-year-old Turkish student has been identified as the suicide bomber who killed 32 youth activists in the town of Suruc on Monday, officials say.

The attacker, named by local media (http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/identity-of-suruc-bomber-confirmed-report--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=85760&NewsCatID=509) as Seyh Abdurrahman Alagoz, was an ethnic Kurd from Turkey's south-eastern province of Adiyaman and reportedly had links to Islamic State (IS) militants.

Sasha

23rd July 2015, 15:20

Another two turkish cops shot in northern kurdistan, one died.

Sasha

23rd July 2015, 20:21

Sentinel

23rd July 2015, 20:41

After a firefight this morning in which Daesh fighters reportedly killed an turkish soldier on the border Turkish tanks are suposedly shelling Daesh positions.

Must say this seems rather well timed with the huge criticism in turkey after the bomb attack but I guess its also possible this is an genuine result of escalating tensions.

Probably that as well, but if you ask me, the 'clashes' seem like a convenient pretext to actualize Erdogans plan to create their planned 'buffer zone' - formally to protect civilians and the border, but actually to permanently separate Afrin canton from the rest of Rojava. I guess the plan got criticism and was so transparent, so Erdogan needed a 'border incident' to justify it.

Old tactic. But we will see.

Sentinel

24th July 2015, 18:11

A picture can say more than a thousand words. The attachment here would clarify what I meant in the last post pretty well - except that they would be going in besides to attack Assad, to stop the Rojavan revolution from expanding as well.

Indeed, over 250 people including teenagers have been arrested in a crackdown on suspected PKK members today. Daesh bombs them, AKP arrests the survivors, said the Save Kobane page.

khad

24th July 2015, 18:25

Cahida Dêrsim ‏@dilkocer (https://twitter.com/dilkocer)
(https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)
#Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)'s so called '#ISIS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISIS?src=hash) operations' targeted mostly Kurdish and leftists activists: 182 members of #HDP (https://twitter.com/hashtag/HDP?src=hash) and #DBP (https://twitter.com/hashtag/DBP?src=hash) arrested #TwitterKurds (https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterKurds?src=hash)

Cahida Dêrsim ‏@dilkocer (https://twitter.com/dilkocer) 7h7 hours ago (https://twitter.com/dilkocer/status/624519009669660672)
#Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash): Operations and raids in 13 provinces, nearly 250 ppl have been taken into custody,among them also 182 HDP and DBP members

Sentinel

24th July 2015, 18:25

Meanwhile the International Brigades report that the city of Sarrin is again under full siege by the YPG, and the Daesh has resorted to using civilians as human shields to prevent it from falling.

The Feral Underclass

24th July 2015, 23:16

International Brigades now reporting that the Turkish air force has started bombing PKK positions. I wonder if this was the price the US paid for use of Incirlik airbase...?

Sentinel

24th July 2015, 23:24

I just saw that too. :mad: The airstrikes have targeted PKK bases in northern Iraq, same forces who for example broke the siege of the Sinjar mountain and are still very much combating Daesh in the region.

And this is of course where the focus will entirely be in this Turkish 'war on on ISIL' .

Sentinel

24th July 2015, 23:40

International Brigades of Rojava (fb): "KCK and DBP tells the Kurds to Revolt in Kurdistan!"

DBP being a Kurdish party in Turkey, Kurdistan in this context means Bakur, ie Northern Kurdistan.

Sentinel

24th July 2015, 23:48

Also breaking news from the brigades: Also Rojava has been attacked, and now the fucking Iranian airforce is bombing PKK too, in Qandil.

khad

25th July 2015, 01:04

Seems to be jumping the gun. Sources reporting this as bullshit, as the Iranian air force has not been officially activated for the Iraqi front. I assume this might be because the Iranian air forces have quite a bit of common inventory, leading to misidentification.

Many sources (including Turkish and KRG ones) are reporting the air raids in Qandil as Turkish.

Fer Gunay ‏@FGunay1 (https://twitter.com/FGunay1) 14m14 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/FGunay1/status/624727256250888192) Allright here we go again: News of Iranian jets bombing Kurdish positions in Qandil are complete rubbish. Not true, BS, etc

BOTAN ‏@KurdeBotan (https://twitter.com/KurdeBotan) 26m26 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/KurdeBotan/status/624725096050126849) BOTAN retweeted Ajansa Kurdî
Enze village in #Qandil (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qandil?src=hash) was bombed by Turkish air forces. #TurkeyAttackKurdsNotISIS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/TurkeyAttackKurdsNotISIS?src=hash)

Adam The Syrian ‏@adamactivist647 (https://twitter.com/adamactivist647) 38m38 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/adamactivist647/status/624722153661956096) 5 PKK militant camps Avasin, Metina, Basyan, Qandil and Amediye which are located in N. Iraq hit by Turkish F-16s.

jiyan öztürk ‏@jiyanozturk (https://twitter.com/jiyanozturk) 42m42 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/jiyanozturk/status/624721277685620736) Iraq (https://twitter.com/search?q=place%3Ab62cd77425868341)
Turkish air forces started to shell pkk guerilla bases of zap, metina, haftanin, avashin, qandil and gare at 22.55. Heavy shelling continues

Slemani Times ‏@SlemaniTimes (https://twitter.com/SlemaniTimes) 1h1 hour ago (https://twitter.com/SlemaniTimes/status/624711208650862592) #KDP (https://twitter.com/hashtag/KDP?src=hash) Parastin Intelligence Agency continues to monitor the success of Turkish air strikes on #PKK (https://twitter.com/hashtag/PKK?src=hash) positions in Qandil. #TwitterKurds (https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterKurds?src=hash)

khad

25th July 2015, 01:15

Elijah J. Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai (https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai) "To #ISIS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISIS?src=hash) from Lone wolf in Constantinopolis. We r waiting (2 strike) for an order from Baghdadi" v @TDecker75 (https://twitter.com/TDecker75)

http://i.imgur.com/EJdMSMM.jpg
(https://twitter.com/TDecker75)

khad

25th July 2015, 01:30

Also, it's important to note that the PUK, the PKK's primary political allies in KRG-land is on friendly terms with Iran. This could potentially unleash a proxy civil war in Kurdish lands much like what we saw in the 90s when Barzani basically begged Saddam to kill PUK Kurds for him.

A lot of scores waiting to be settled if this escalates.

PUK Peshmerga with General Solemani:
https://foreignpolicymag.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/suleimani.png

Sasha

25th July 2015, 13:29

"The Turkish military have carried out mass air bombings on PKK controlled areas inside Iraq in recent hours. Reports say that the Turkish government has censored over forty Kurdish and alternative news channels and websites in Turkey as it carries out attacks. There have also been reports of several hundred arrests inside Turkey of Kurdish and Left activists.
The media wing of the Kurdish Workers Party, the PKK has announced that this attack marks the end of the 2013 ceasefire between the Turkish government and the PKK."

Sentinel

26th July 2015, 10:44

According to sources on Twitter YPG/J forces stormed the town of Sarrin in southern Kobane canton yesterday, securing most streets while the battle is still ongoing. It had been under siege for a longer period, with Daesh reinforcements occasionally breaking or being smuggled in.

Sasha

26th July 2015, 12:45

At least 2 Turkish soldiers killed in a PKK ambush near the main Turkish-Kurdish city.

Sasha

26th July 2015, 12:49

Thread title expanded to include also events in the other Kurdish regions in Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq.

Sentinel

26th July 2015, 12:50

HPG/PKK also downed a Turkish army helicopter in Qandil yesterday, International Brigades posted pictures of the hit and the wreck.

Sasha

26th July 2015, 12:58

HPG/PKK also downed a Turkish army helicopter in Qandil yesterday, International Brigades posted pictures of the hit and the wreck.

As far as I could gather this where actually pics of an incident 4 years ago...

Sentinel

26th July 2015, 13:01

As far as I could gather this where actually pics of an incident 4 years ago...

Right, I had not followed the discussion after that post. Shame. Perhaps this Brigades fb page has to be taken with a grain of salt, seeing they posted that info about Iranian Air force earlier as well.. Hmm.

Not that they'd be dishonest but they perhaps aren't checking their sources properly.

khad

26th July 2015, 18:05

Dominoes falling. The "mentality" he's hinting at is probably the question of Kurdish autonomy in Northern Syria.

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha (https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha) #YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash) Saleh Muslim: We are willing to join #SAA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAA?src=hash) as long as they change their mentality, #KRG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/KRG?src=hash) supports us against #IS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IS?src=hash) https://rojavanews.com/arabic/index.php/ku/item/6229-rojavanews … (https://t.co/AEy2FbsLQY)

khad

27th July 2015, 00:21

German Journalist Inga Rogg now reporting a statement from YPG saying that Turkey has directly attacked them.

Inga Rogg ‏@ingarogg (https://twitter.com/ingarogg) 1h1 hour ago (https://twitter.com/ingarogg/status/625429158550720512)
Inga Rogg retweeted Amed Dicle
"#YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash) Kobane command: At 11 pm in Tell Findir, W of Tell Abyad, Turkish soldiers shot at one of our cars." #Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)

Inga Rogg ‏@ingarogg (https://twitter.com/ingarogg) 1h1 hour ago (https://twitter.com/ingarogg/status/625430262130847744)
Inga Rogg retweeted Amed Dicle
"#YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash) Kobane command: At 10 pm #Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)'s army attacked our positions in Zor Mixar village with seven tank shells."

Inga Rogg ‏@ingarogg (https://twitter.com/ingarogg) 49m49 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/ingarogg/status/625433180754046976)
Inga Rogg retweeted Amed Dicle
"#YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash) Kobane cmd: TR army has twice bombed our positions in Zor Mixar/Jarabulus, 2 injured. We're warning #Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)."

Cahit Storm ‏@cahitstorm (https://twitter.com/cahitstorm) Ypg commandment statement after turkish agression in Kobane canton: next time u hit us, we will retaliate.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CK3-_A_WIAATkVe.jpg:large

Sentinel

27th July 2015, 07:11

YPG confirms that Turkish troops have been firing at them from across the border:

Gen. Comm: Statement Regarding Attacks by Turkish Army Against YPG and FSA Positions Near Kobani (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/statements/777-gen-comm-statement-regarding-attacks-by-turkish-army-against-ypg-and-fsa-positions-near-kobani)

Created on Monday, 27 July 2015 05:48 | http://ypgrojava.com/en/templates/ypgku22/images/system/printButton.png (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/statements/777-gen-comm-statement-regarding-attacks-by-turkish-army-against-ypg-and-fsa-positions-near-kobani?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=) | http://ypgrojava.com/en/templates/ypgku22/images/system/emailButton.png (http://ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/component/mailto/?tmpl=component&template=ypgku22&link=e410cd65d4241fc426917becf09558b7be5e1ce1) | Hits: 151

http://ypgrojava.com/en/images/Library/2015/07/July_23_2015.jpg
For the Media and Public Opinion
KOBANI, Rojava (July 26, 2015) - At 4:30 July 24 in western Kobani, the Turkish Army shelled the People’s Defense Units and the Free Syria Army’s positions in the village of Zormikhar in front of the terrorist-occupied town Jarabulus – using heavy tank fire. In this attack four fighters of the FSA and several local villagers were injured.
Today at 22:00, the Turkish army again shelled the same village with 7 tank rounds.
At 23:00, one of our vehicles came under heavy fire from the Turkish military east of Kobani (west of Tel Abyad) in the village of Til Findire.
Instead of targeting IS terrorists’ occupied positions, Turkish forces attack our defenders positions. This is not the right attitude. We urge Turkish leadership to halt this aggression and to follow international guidelines. We are telling the Turkish Army to stop shooting at our fighters and their positions.

General Command People’s Defense Units (YPG)

Kobani Command - July 26, 2015

The first shot back will no doubt be used by Erdogan as an excuse for an invasion of Rojava, not that it probably won't happen soon anyway. However, officially PM Davutoglu claims Turkey has the best intentions (as quoted in Reuters):

It has no plans to send ground troops into Syria and the air strikes there are meant to give support to moderate Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet newspaper.

He said the Syrian Kurdish PYD, which has links to the PKK, could "have a place in the new Syria" if it did not disturb Turkey, cut all relations with President Bashar al-Assad's administration and cooperated with opposition forces.

But the relapse into serious conflict between Turkey and the PKK has raised doubts about the future of NATO member Turkey's peace efforts with its own Kurdish foes that started in 2012, after 28 years of bloodshed, but have recently stalled.

Sentinel

27th July 2015, 10:23

The Save Kobane fb page announced 20 minutes ago:

BREAKING: SARRIN/ZÊRÎN has been fully liberated by YPG/YPJ and Burkan al Firat forces! YPG commander Polat Can: Sarrin is back in the arms of Kurdistan.

:)

hexaune

27th July 2015, 15:00

Looks like the Americans have given Turkey the green light for their ''safe zone'' in northern Syria:

Turkey and the US have agreed on the outlines of a plan to drive Islamic State out of a strip of land along the Turkey-Syria border, according to reports (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/new-us-turkey-plan-amounts-to-a-safe-zone-in-northwest-syria/2015/07/26/0a533345-ff2e-4b40-858a-c1b36541e156_story.html?hpid=z1), in a landmark deal that will draw Turkey further into Syria’s civil war and looks likely to increase the intensity of the US air war against Isis.
The agreement to create an “Islamic State-free zone”, as officials are calling it, comes days after a wave of violence (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/24/turkish-jets-carry-out-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-reports) linked to the Syrian war prompted Turkey, a Nato member, to launch air strikes for the first time against Isis (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/24/turkish-jets-carry-out-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-reports) and to allow a coalition led by the US to use its air bases to bomb militant targets in Syria.

It is a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which has long demanded the creation of a safe haven in northern Syria, across the 500-mile (800km) border that links the two countries, as a precondition for joining the battle against Islamic State.

More info in the link including some pictures of the proposed zone:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/27/turkey-isis-free-zone-syrian-border-us

Sasha

27th July 2015, 22:23

From our comrades with the Workers Solidarity Movement in Ireland: The Turkish state, under a care take prime minister since the June 7 elections did not give the AKP a majority, unleashed significant repression against the Kurdish movement and the radical left over the weekend. Anarchists from several cities had gathered in the university town of Eskişehir in the northwest to commemorate the four anarchists among the 32 people murdered by ISIS at Suruc last week. As the report below details the police attacked the demonstration, attesting 17 people and also it appears attacking the lawyers who then tried to represent them.
There have been hundreds of arrests in Turkey over the weekend with most of those arrested coming from the left and Kurdish movements.
----
Eskişehir: Anarchists arrested in commemoration action for their comrades who were killed in Suruç last week
Today, about 70 anarchists from İstanbul, Ankara, Yalova and other cities (Eskişehir Anarşi İnisiyatifi, Ankara Anarşi İnisiyatifi, İstanbul Anarşi İnisiyatifi ve Devrimci Anarşist Faaliyet), gathered in Eskişehir in a commemoration action for their comrades (Alper Sapan, Evrim Deniz Erol, Medali Barutçu, Serhat Devrim) who were killed by suicide bomb in Suruç (Pirsus) last week. When anarchist gathered and started to march, police suddenly attack and arrested 17 anarchists.
It was the action of Anarchy Initiative which made an international call for solidarity action against Turkish fascist government. Also other groups, autonoms and individuals joined the action in Eskişehir.
Anarchists who gathered in front of Migros (Adalar) and started to march were attacked by police. And 17 anarchist arrested. Other activists dispersed to the streets and cafes. Then, fascgist groups appeared in the streets to annoy the protestors. Some fascists applauded police who were arresting some anarchists.
Meanwhile, police tried to criminalize the protestors and anarchists by a bomb warning in the city center. Already they blokaded roads, they increased the security in the center. Then they exploded the package with fuze on the street.
For now we don’t have more details about arrestees. 17 anarchist arrested and police doesn’t allow the arrestees to talk with their lawyers. Some police hit some lawyers of arrestees. We’ll give more updates soon.

Sasha

27th July 2015, 23:19

More than thousand people arested in the turkish police operations so far, the vast majority kurdish or alevi (dev-yol) leftists.

A DHKC-P militant got killed during clashes in istanbul, the cops are laying siege to the Alevi house of worship in Gazi (a dev-yol stronghold neighboorhood in istanbul) to prevent the burial.

ckaihatsu

28th July 2015, 04:39

It was the action of Anarchy Initiative which made an international call for solidarity action against Turkish fascist government. Also other groups, autonoms and individuals joined the action in Eskişehir.
Anarchists who gathered in front of Migros (Adalar) and started to march were attacked by police. And 17 anarchist arrested. Other activists dispersed to the streets and cafes. Then, fascgist groups appeared in the streets to annoy the protestors. Some fascists applauded police who were arresting some anarchists.

At the risk of stating the obvious, this anarchist action exposes the true politics of the Turkish state -- it's not going after the *fascists* as 'violent extremists' *at all*, in the way that it goes after the PKK (a workers' organization).

khad

28th July 2015, 17:20

To get this thread back on track, footage today from liberated Sarrin

lIC2HM3KrrU

Sentinel

28th July 2015, 17:33

Let's keep this a newswire. Debate posts split into new thread (http://www.revleft.com/vb/looking-rojava-latin-t193710/index.html?t=193710).

Sasha

29th July 2015, 14:24

Senior Western official: Links between Turkey and ISIS are now 'undeniable'; http://uk.businessinsider.com/links-between-turkey-and-isis-are-now-undeniable-2015-7?r?r=US&IR=T

Sasha

29th July 2015, 14:25

PKK has started to blow up natural gas pipelines between iran and turkey in retaliation for the airstrikes

khad

29th July 2015, 14:48

Sasha

29th July 2015, 15:23

a look at the pro-turkey lobby in US politics; https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/07/29/turkeys-american-lobbyists-work-defeat-military-aid-isis/

Sasha

29th July 2015, 15:26

the more strong worded article from The Guardian referenced in my above links; http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/isis-syria-turkey-us?CMP=share_btn_tw

Sasha

29th July 2015, 15:34

A discussion I caught earlier, in case anyone is interested in numbers. Yeah, yeah, rumors I know, but that's all we get with the secrecy around the recent events.

"May the dead rest in peace, but "reportedly killing four PKK guerrillas and injuring more than 10 others." means that the two sides are at the same number of martyrs. Can we now kindly keep this down to a slapfight, and get on with destroying Da3sh ?"

"Not always.
There were rumours that atleast ~60 bodies have been brought back to Turkey and only allowed in after HDP promised to keep the funerals on a downlow and not turn it in to mass protests..
But only rumours ofc."

"If that is true, and the PKK/HDP/etc are trying to keep funerals on the downlow, then that is a very good thing, as it means the peace process is back on.
Both sides slapped each other, reassured each other that, if neccessary, they could bring it on ... and then stopped."

lots of talk in turkey that this all a very deliberate ploy to reshuffle the cards for the upcoming snap election, if the AKP can push enough of the non-Kurdish voters away from the HDP that they drop below the 10percent threshold the AKP will get at least its majority back in parliament and might even get Erdoghan his true price, the 2/3th majority it needs to transform turkey in a presidential republic.

SocialRepublican

30th July 2015, 12:43

Hurriyet Daily is reporting that 190 PKK militants have so far been killed in Turkish air raids. Still no word about the supposed operations against Daesh by either the Turkish state or Daesh.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/190-pkk-militants-killed-in-turkish-military-airstrikes-sources.aspx?pageID=238&nID=86164&NewsCatID=341

Also, MHP and AKP have denied the proposal for an inquest into the Suruc massacre and subsequent 'terror attacks' put forward by the CHP and supported by the HDP; AKP motion to have HDP co-leader Demirtas stripped of his immunity from prosecution backfires as all HDP and CHP ministers apply to have theirs taken away and dare the right wing reactionaries to do the same and of the 1,060 arrested on the so called terror raids only 137 were Daesh, all others were Kurds and Alevis allegedly affiliated with the PKK, DHKP-C or members of the HDP.

Sasha

30th July 2015, 16:50

3 more turkish soldiers killed in an ambush in Sirnak province

Sasha

31st July 2015, 11:23

4 people died in a attack on a police station in the Turkish city of Adana, 2 cops and 2 militants

Sasha

2nd August 2015, 08:39

24 turkish soldiers injured, 2 killed in a suicide attack with a mother fucking explosive laden tractor...

240 pkk fighters dead so far in airs strikes according to regime loyal media

Sentinel

2nd August 2015, 13:06

The military successes of the YPG/J and allies continue despite the new indirect turkish air support for Daesh. Hasakah was declared totally liberated yesterday.

ckaihatsu

2nd August 2015, 18:05

[LaborTech] We won’t accept oppression, and we won’t bow to censorship: Sendika.Org will not be silenced!

We won’t accept oppression, and we won’t bow to censorship: Sendika.Org will not be silenced!

http://www.sendika1.org/2015/07/we-wont-accept-oppression-and-we-wont-bow-to-censorship-sendika-org-will-not-be-silenced/

25 Temmuz 2015

The censorship against the free press is an attack against the people’s right to news by a fascist government that has stooped to launching a war and exploding bombs, all with the goal of staying in power. It is not simply a question of obstructing access to a few oppositional news sites; it is an attempt to obstruct access to democracy. In short, it is fascism. Against this fascist attack, we will not retreat; we will do what is necessary to battle fascism. During this battle, Sendika.Org will continue; it has not been silenced, and it will not be silenced!

http://www.sendika.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/sendikaorgsusmayacak-manset.jpg

To the attention of friend and foe alike:

Amid its murder of socialist youth via the jihadist gangs that it has fed at the cost of many lives in the Middle East, its call to war amid the bombing of Kandil, as well as its operations against socialists and the Kurdistan Freedom Movement under the pretext of fighting ISIL, the AKP has not hesitated to also impose draconian censorship measures.

While giving the order for war, war criminals Tayyip Erdoğan and Ahmet Davutoğlu have also moved to silence the free press. On the morning of 25 July, access to Sendika.Org, ANF, ANHA, DİHA, Rojnews, Yüksekova Haber, Özgür Gündem and BestaNuçe was all blocked.

The Telecommunications Directorate (TİB) justified its action by invoking technical and legal reasons. But what has occurred is nothing to do with technical and legal requirements; it is overt fascism.

The censorship against the free press is an attack against the people’s right to news by a fascist government that has stooped to launching a war and exploding bombs, all with the goal of staying in power. It is not simply a question of obstructing access to a few oppositional news sites; it is an attempt to obstruct access to democracy. In short, it is fascism. It is an attempt to pull the wool over our eyes as the AKP, which is staying on its feet only as its stutters and lashes out, attempts to avoid collapse. This aggression, however, will not save it!

This country has experienced numerous episodes of censorship in which there were attempts to silence the free press – all without success. Today, too, the free press will not be silenced.

Sendika.Org will not be silenced!

Sendika.Org began its life, saluting the proletariat as it paddled against the current in an age when the capitalist world loudly proclaimed that “the working class is dead,” as well as the “end of history.”

In its 14 years, Sendika.Org has stood next to the working class, oppressed people, the poor, women, youth, the LGBTI community and those struggling for their towns as well as nature on the street, at school, in factories, in the country and in cities.

Throughout the AKP’s time in power,Sendika.Org has reported on the party’s attempts to silence journalists, the Kurdish politicians who have filled the country’s jails, dissidents, university students and the censored free press, all while focusing on solidarity and struggle.

During the June Revolt, Sendika.Org provided minute-by-minute blows from the Gezi Park resistance, as well as from the barricades and town squares in the four corners of the country, becoming one of the prime sources for news against the penguin media.

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We have accomplished all of this with completely volunteer labor, from the technical infrastructure to the writing process, and with a budget of next to nothing that relies on donations, mobilizing innumerable volunteer writers, translators, reporters and collective editors. Our friends include everyone from professors to university students and from union experts to unorganized workers who are simply chasing a paycheque, to unify our destiny with that of the working class and oppressed peoples. We engaged in none of the sophistry of impartiality; instead we took the side of the oppressed against the oppressor, and the truth against lies.

Based on all these examples, it is clear why the AKP government wishes to silence Sendika.Org; likewise, the same examples show why Sendika.Org will not be silenced! We will not become afraid of reporting on the Kurdish people’s resistance just because we have seen the weapon of censorship in the hand of the AKP – just like how we will continue to be the news site of the worker, the poor, women, the LGBTI community, the youth and all those who are oppressed. We will engage in solidarity with all elements of the free press. Against this fascist attack, we will not retreat; we will do what is necessary to battle fascism. During this battle, Sendika.Org will continue; it has not been silenced, and it will not be silenced!

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ckaihatsu

2nd August 2015, 18:09

Anti-war leader denounces the U.S./Turkey attempts to create ‘no fly zone’ in Syria

Anti-war leader denounces the U.S./Turkey attempts to create ‘no fly zone’ in Syria

Turkey redoubles war on Syria, Kurds and the left

By staff

Chicago, IL – Chicago-based anti-war leader Joe Iosbaker is speaking out against the latest U.S./Turkey attacks on Syria and the Kurds. “What does it mean that the U.S. and its NATO junior partner, Turkey, are creating a ‘Safe Zone’ along the Turkey-Syria border? The first result is that dozens of Turkish fighter planes are engaging in attacks against the Kurdistan Workers Party in Syria as well as in Iraq. In Turkey, they’re cracking down on Kurds and the left, with hundreds of arrests.”

“And what of U.S. aims in Syria with this so-called Safe Zone? U.S. air strikes against the ‘Islamic State’ will increase, no doubt. They’ll drive them out of this area, and then turn it over to a more compliant puppet army,” continued Iosbaker.

Speaking on the aims of this widening war, Iosbaker stated, “The real purpose to the U.S. attacks on the so called Islamic State is the overthrow of the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. The plan for this Safe Zone is to turn it into the first ‘No Fly Zone’ over Syria. No Fly Zones are a tool in the imperialist arsenal, as we saw when the U.S. and NATO imposed the No Fly Zone on Libya in 2011. U.S. objectives haven’t changed in the Middle East: it wants to impose the Wall Street agenda on the people there.”

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

khad

2nd August 2015, 18:58

A 2-ton PKK SVBIED just detonated in the eastern Turkish town of Dogubeyazit, right along the Iranian border, killing 2 Turkish soldiers and wounding 24.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/03/world/europe/turkey-kurdish-suicide-attack.html?_r=0

Sasha

2nd August 2015, 19:40

dutch national news tonight suddenly made a huge turn around on the sympathy slant towards the turkish state. while yesterday it was still mostly even handed or even critical of the turkish state "sinking the peace process" tonight is was all "justified retaliations against continuing terror attacks". it was so obvious they got new marching orders it was almost obscene. wondering now whether turkey demanded that the upcoming "buffer zone" invasion will happen under NATO flag

Sasha

10th August 2015, 13:42

lots of violence in turkey today;

4 cops killed, 1 critically injured in a IED attack on a police APV near the turkish/kurdish town of Silopi

1 soldier killed, 7 injured on a attack on a military helicopter that was taking off, not specified where but somehwere in turkish kurdistan

3 killed, 10 injured in a car bomb attack on a police station in istanbul, after it caught fire most of the cop station collapsed. the remains got attacked again a few hours later...

1 man, 1 woman opened fire on the US consulate in istanbul and got into a firefight with the cops. 1 woman later arrested as a suspect.

the northern-kurdistan attacks are all expected to be PKK attacks, the istanbul attacks are unclear, could be PKK but DHKC-P, MLKP or maybe even Daesh seems more likely.

Sentinel

10th August 2015, 17:53

ChangeAndChance

10th August 2015, 18:32

Heavy shelling of the city of Jarablus by the YPG reported. Should this be a prelude to a ground assault, it could have major consequences.

Jarablus is the last major city controlled by the Daesh along the border and is part of the 'buffer zone' Turkey wants to create in order to isolate Afrin canton from the rest of Rojava.

http://waarmedia.com/english/ypg-launch-heavy-assault-on-is-in-jarabulus/

Interesting, I was wondering when/if they were going to open up a western front in addition to the southern push to Raqqah. A potential bid to finally unite all three cantons together? Tricky considering the high anti-ISIS Islamist/rebel collaboration occurring in the gulf between.

Sasha

10th August 2015, 18:54

Al-nusra cedind all their frontline positions against Daesh near the Turkish border and retreats from the area ahead of the planned bufferzone, their statement seems rather strongworded against the Turkish plans, maybe they just downt want to lose anymore fighters deserting to Daesh but maybe relations with the Turks are really souring, http://waarmedia.com/english/nusra-front-withdraws-from-frontline-against-is/

Sentinel

10th August 2015, 19:44

It would seem like Turkeys 'Operation Buffer Zone' has been initiated. From Save Kobane 30 minutes ago:

The first step of the occupation plan: Turkish proxies enter Syria.*

Occupying forces organized by MİT (Turkish intelligence service) and affiliated to the Turkish state have entered the Azaz city today afternoon. The Turkish proxy forces, Turkmen FSA groups Sultan Selim and Fatih Sultan Mehmet entered Syria from Bab al Salam border crossing. The convoy was heading towards the villages of Kefferan and Delhan in buses covered with Turkish flags and banners of both brigades, and in vehicles armed with heavy weapons.

Sasha

10th August 2015, 19:53

so at the minimum al-nusra where informed of the timing and given the choice to leave or come under turkish proxy control. if they would have its probable most of their fighters would have deserted to Daesh. so they decided to concede their positions and retreat further down in syria.

so now the intresting bit is going to be if, when and how the turkish proxy forces enter Daesh held area's. We know that the YPG will probably rather fight than give one inch of their territory to the Turks but how Daesh wil react, put up a serious fight or just bugger up and leave, will give the final answer on how relations are on this moment between Daesh and the MIT.

Sasha

10th August 2015, 19:56

also i'm curious whether any other rebel faction besides the Turkmen groups will actually want to set up camp in the turkish bufferzone. If non-turkmen islamist or FSA groups accept the no-fly zone as a safe heaven it could be a important point of opperations, if not it would only be a keep the kurds at bay ploy and huge open air refugee camp the kurds can deport their current refugees to.

Marinaleda

10th August 2015, 20:04

before they used ıraq turkmen front and now trying to create an area against rojava revolution.in tel abyad (gre spi) kurds,arabs,turkmens and other nations created peoples assembly to develop self goverment and self defence structure.But in jerablus and the west part of country,turkmens brigades are fighitng with FSA.Turkiey trying to create a "gang army" against syrian people.

Sasha

12th August 2015, 11:28

Nice article in the Guardian on the atmosphere on the kurdish streets; http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/11/turkish-kurds-who-want-peace-but-not-at-any-price?CMP=share_btn_tw

Sasha

12th August 2015, 13:48

129935570

Sentinel

12th August 2015, 16:52

Sentinel

12th August 2015, 17:03

According to Rudaw, Mark Toner of the US state department has declared the US will not allow Turkey to attack PYD forces in the Buffer zone. PKK however can be attacked, as per the agreement between Turkey and the US.

Probably remains to be seen if the turkish pilots will be 'able' to 'see the difference'..

http://rudaw.net/NewsDetails.aspx?pageid=150777

Sasha

12th August 2015, 20:36

SocialRepublican

13th August 2015, 04:38

Sasha

13th August 2015, 11:50

amnesty report on one of the targets of turkish bombings, no miltary target in surroundings, none of the victims where PKK; https://www.amnesty.nl/nieuwsportaal/pers/fresh-evidence-casualties-underscores-need-impartial-investigation-turkish-airstr

Sentinel

13th August 2015, 22:07

According to Business Insider there is at least some tension with the US over Turkeys priorities..

Senior US military official: Turkey 'needed a hook' and tricked us on ISIS

A senior US official has accused Turkey of pulling a bait-and-switch by using a recent anti-Islamic State agreement with the US as a "hook" to attack the Kurdish PKK in northern Iraq, The Wall Street Journal reports.

"It's clear that ISIL was a hook," the senior military official told The Journal, referring to the Islamic State (aka ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh).

"Turkey wanted to move against the PKK, but it needed a hook."

On Tuesday, an American military source told Fox News that US military leaders were "outraged" when Turkey began its bombing campaign, giving US special forces stationed in northern Iraq virtually no warning before Turkish jets started striking the mountains.

"A Turkish officer entered the allied headquarters in the air war against ISIS and announced that the strike would begin in 10 minutes and he needed all allied jets flying above Iraq to move south of Mosul immediately," the source said. "We were outraged."

The confrontation highlights the tension growing between the US and Turkey, which became a reluctant ally in the fight against ISIS after years of turning a blind eye to the militants' illicit activity on its southern border during the Syrian civil war.

[...]

But Turkey has conducted 300 strikes against the PKK and three against ISIS since July 24, according to data (http://newirin.irinnews.org/fact-check-turkey-isis-pkk) compiled by IRIN news. All three ISIS strikes occurred on the first day of the campaign.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/us-and-turkey-anti-isis-campaign-and-pkk-2015-8?r=US&IR=T

Sasha

15th August 2015, 13:55

Reports are today floating around about a declaration of autonomy by a peoples assembly in the kurdish-inhabited province of Sirnak, which borders kurdish-held areas in both Iraq and Syria. I have only seen it on smaller and alternative news sources though, such as Revolution News.

A confirmation of these news would be welcome.

http://revolution-news.com/sirnak-autonomy-in-turkey

Also in Bulanik;

http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/self-governance-declared-in-bulanik

lf-governance declared in Bulanık

People’s Assembly and representatives of political parties and institutions declared self-governance in Bulanık district of Muş.

Friday, August 14, 2015 at 10:45 AM
MUŞ - ANF

People’s Assembly and representatives of political parties and institutions declared self-governance in Bulanık district of Muş.

HDP, DBP, Neighborhood Assemblies, and MEYADER administrators as well as district co-mayors declared self-governance in a public meeting in front of the DBP District building.

DBP Co-President Zeynep Topcu spoke on behalf of the crowd and said that they no longer saw legitimacy in state institutions run by administrators appointed by AKP.

'WE WILL NOT TAKE ORDERS FROM AKP'

Topcu stated that the City Council decided to implement self-governance as a stance against the destructive regime that is targeting civilians, and that they would not accept the authoritarianism of the state and the illegitimate AKP. Topcu said that they did not have to accept everything that is enforced from Ankara upon the people, and did not want to be governed by city and district governors appointed by the state. As Kurdish people, Topcu said that they wanted to be governed by administrations that they elect through democratic and legitimate means, and therefore would like to govern themselves through self-governance. Topcu noted that the monist nation state mentality of the 20th century did not satisfy people’s demands, and the developments of the last one and a half month summarized the historical period of the previous 100 years.

Topcu emphasized that the illegitimate AKP government declared an all-out war and threatened an entire society to pay heavy prices because of their decision to adopt democratic self-governance. Topcu noted that the recent arrests of thousands of people, street executions, village burnings and evacuations, forest burnings, and torture of dead bodies were clear indications of what the monist mentality was planning to do with its all-out war.

'WE WILL GOVERN OURSELVES FROM NOW ON'

The Democratic City Council stated that the army, the police and the constitution ignore differences and aim to dissolve them at the same time, and that the council would no longer see this regime and its institutions as legitimate. The council declared that they would govern themselves from now on against the illegitimate regime that is carrying an all-out war.

Sentinel

15th August 2015, 19:15

Maps depicting the expansion of the territory of Rojava (yellow in the lower maps) since early 2014, excluding the developments during the siege of Kobane between September 2014 and January 2015:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Rojava_february2014_2.png/280px-Rojava_february2014_2.png (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rojava_february2014_2.png)
Map showing de facto cantons held by PYD forces in February 2014

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Northern_Syria_offensive_%282015%29.png/320px-Northern_Syria_offensive_%282015%29.png (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Syria_offensive_(2015).png)
Map of the territory changes during the YPG-led Northern Syria offensive (2015)

Sasha

15th August 2015, 19:23

so whats in that upper right corner that is still held by the Assad regime that is so important to hang onto even now there is no Daesh near anymore? anyone knows?

Sentinel

15th August 2015, 19:34

so whats in that upper right corner that is still held by the Assad regime that is so important to hang onto even now there is no Daesh near anymore? anyone knows?

It seems their strategy generally is to hold onto the major cities in the lost provinces, while giving up the countryside and smaller towns. In the Cizire canton (Hasakah province) they thus kept control of parts of Hasakah and Qamishlo, the former of which Daesh conquered almost completely, and were then subsequently kicked out from by the YPG themselves. As a result Assad only retains small parts of it.

Qamishlo is the de jure capital of Rojava, but I've read that as it is largely Assad-controlled, Amuda serves as the de facto capital in many ways. Assads troops are similarly holding on to parts of the city of Deir ez-Zor further south, where they are completely encircled by Daesh, and other places around Syria. I assume these are/were mean to be 'bridgeheads' once they reconquer the lost areas.

The Feral Underclass

15th August 2015, 22:32

Sasha

16th August 2015, 03:30

So what would be the partions, the economic importance shia and alawi/christian areas remain in regimes hand, the Kurds get the border with turkey in a tactical pact and the Sunnis can squabble among themselves for the dessert areas and allepo and raqqa? And Damascus becomes this weird twilight zone with the main city firmly in regime hands and the suburbs contested, going back and forth between regime and rebels?

Even this regime must know that sooner or later they are going to drop a barrel bomb or chlorine attack to many and they will be invaded, either by turkey alone or the whole NATO.
Or do they hope that Daesh by that time will have made them the lesser evil enough that they can come to a situation where they will at least escape war crime prosecutions and get a comfortable retirement in a 3th country.

Sentinel

16th August 2015, 08:15

John Nada

16th August 2015, 11:31

Assad's strategy seems to be retreat to and defend strategically important areas, such as the coastline and major cities, and attempt to regroup. There have been a lot of articles recently about the Regime's seeming acceptance at the possibility of the country's partition. One of the bigger problems the Regime is facing is mass-desertion. I think they basically just don't have the man-power to actually wage any sort of legitimate offensive to recapture large swathes of the country. So long as they control the 'important' bits, then I think it's a question of partitioning the country and then just waiting to see what happens. Seems like a sensible strategy to be honest.I remember Assad's interview on "60 Minutes", he said that the war was not over land, infrastructure or territory, but the hearts and minds of the people. Of course, I doubt that means he's trying to get everyone to like him. Both Assad and a lot of the rebels(including Daesh) idea of winning "hearts and minds" is alternating between charity and smiles for the camera, and scaring the fuck out of people with atrocities.

Losing much of Syria is not just a strategic retreat on part of the SAA. It's also a strategic attack in the lesser cities and countryside by many of the rebels. From there, launch mobile war in the desert from the bases towards attack zones cities. Then finish the defenders of the cites and bases with an offensive.

Losing territory is often no big lose. Even those maps of Syria, Iraq or Rojava don't necessarily reflect whether a faction has full control, local support, maneuverability or launch an attack. But it does seem that the YPG/YPJ, FSA, JAN, and Daesh are taking the less important areas, and the Syrian government has given up fighting outside vital area. The government forces likely don't want to go into a meat grinder for territory that's going to go back and forth anyway. Then groups like YPG/YPJ, JAN or Daesh move in, and are able to encircle the government or each other(though the government can and does this strategy too).

I think when this war end there will likely be a few extra countries(though it'd be awesome if democratic confederalism caught on instead). There's just no going back from this.

SocialRepublican

16th August 2015, 13:08

According to the Firat News agency the HPG celebrated the anniversary of the founding of the PKK yesterday by killing 21 Turkish soldiers and 4 cops. 4 armoured vehicles and a Cobra-type helicopter were also damaged during the operations.

The figures released by Firat, the Sabah, the HPG and the Turkish military all need to be taken with a pinch of salt. They all have a record of inflating and deflating numbers to suit their own propaganda purposes. E.g. the tractor laden with explosives suicide mission against that Turkish base the other week. Firat reported that at least 40 Turkish soldiers died, whilst the Turkish media reported that only 2 had died and 34 were injured. Generally, I interpret the number of deaths as being an indiscernible number in between the stats released by the opposing agencies.

Sasha

16th August 2015, 23:17

MUŞ - ANF
While the curfew continues in Varto district of Muş where the people have taken control since this morning, the district is witnessing an intense activity of Cobra type helicopters.
Amidst gunshots being heard from various locations in the district, the people remain stuck in houses due to the ongoing curfew declared by Muş Governorate in Varto at 08:30 this morning.
A local resident ANF reached via phone warned that a military intervention could have unfavorable consequences. The civilian by the name of Murat Güler stated that clashes in the district have been going on since yesterday, while no electricity was provided to the district all night long.
“There were trenches everywhere when we woke up in the morning. Clashes continue at some points at the moment. The entrance and exit of the city is also blocked with trenches. Both electricity and water has been cut off. A military intervention could have unfavorable consequences because the events are taking place amidst the local people themselves. We all are watching the happenings with concern. Smokes are rising in some places but we do not know why.”
Another local source told that Turkish soldiers sent from nearby provinces and districts have been deployed in the building of Rural Services located on Varto-Muş road, adding that gunshots were mainly heard from that area.
Besides the power and water cut, telephone network is also interrupted very often.

source: http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/latest-situation-in-varto

Sasha

16th August 2015, 23:18

more

An armed clash broke out in Silvan (Farqin) district of Amed as soldiers attempted to enter the Tekel neighborhood controlled by units of self-defense protecting the area.
Turkish soldiers have attacked the Tekel neighborhood, one of the four areas where people have started carrying out self-defense after digging trenches to hinder attacks and repression by police.
As youths responded to the attack of soldiers with arms and blast bombs, the people around also protested the attack by security forces.
Slogans "Biji berxwedana Farqinê" [Long Live Farqin Resistance], "PKK is people, and the people are here" resonate in the neighborhood.
Following an armed clash with the units of self-defense, soldiers retreated from where they were deployed at a point close to the neighborhood.

Sasha

16th August 2015, 23:21

from this morning

After the attack on District Police Headquarters and Gendarme Command yesterday evening, HPG guerillas took control of the entrances and exits of Varto.
Armed groups took control of all main and side streets in the district where trenches are widespread and police and soldiers cannot leave their bases. HPG dug trenches and took control of the roads that lead to Muş, Erzurum and Karlıova.
Muş Governorate declared a curfew in Varto at 08:30 this morning.

Sasha

19th August 2015, 18:37

8 turkish soldiers killed in a PKK bomb attack in turkish kurdistan.

2 men arrested after a failed hand grenade and machinegun attack on the police guarding the Dolmabah palace next to the office of the Turkish PM in Istanbul, this was probably a DHKC/P or maybe an Daesh attack

Sasha

19th August 2015, 18:54

serious turkish military operations, shelling and airplane bombings now not only on PKK positions in the iraqi mountains but also on kurdish villages on turkish territory near Siirt and even north of Diyarbakir, this is nowhere near the syrian or iraqi border, if northern kurdistan is turkish soil and those that live there are turks as the turkish regime likes to claim the full power of the turkish military is being unleashed on their own citizens.
more and more area's are declaring autonomy, more and more local DBP and HDP elected officials are being rounded up and arrested. Seems the civil war is back full-on in Turkey.

Sasha

19th August 2015, 20:11

URGENT: State Terror in Kurdistan: The Turkish State Recommences Burning of Kurdish Villages

18 August 2015

http://www.kurdishinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/map.pngThe villages of Kocakoy in the district of Lice-Hani, in Amed (Diyarbakir) and other surrounding villages are under heavy shelling by the Turkish army. Many of these villages are currently burning, with many injured, and an unknown number killed. After heavy shelling of civilian locations, the Turkish soldiers entered the village of Kocakoy. They then proceeded to target homes by shooting and burning houses with families still inside.

Local sources have reported that many people in these houses are killed and seriously injured. The Turkish army then proceeded to violently force an evacuation of these villages.
Yesterday, a similar disturbing situation occurred in Şapatan (Altınsu) village in Hakkari’s Şemdinli district. In this village, over 10 houses were demolished and ruined. Smoke is still rising from the homes and the forest areas around as well as several other villages.
The Turkish regime engaged in a similar campaign in the 1990s. During this period, the regime burned 4,000 Kurdish villages and displaced 3,000, 000 people. The regime is repeating the same policy and practice again.
In the previous press release presented earlier today, we informed that the Turkish military forces have attacked the districts of Varto, Semdinli, Farqin, Yuksekova, Nusaybin and Lice, targeting civilians, bombing businesses and houses deliberately and explicitly. Several people are already killed in these attacks.
HDP representatives and deputies have reported that they are witnessing the same strategy as when ISIS attacked Kobane and engaged in a deliberate policy of destruction of the city. Turkey is now adopting the same policy as ISIS in many Kurdish districts and villages in Kurdish parts of Turkey.
The use of military power against civilians is a war crime. The direct bombing, shelling and burning of homes, villages, businesses, streets, farms and the surrounding environment is a terror tactic used by the Turkish regime against innocent civilians.
We call again on all the international community, NGOs, Press and human rights organisations to condemn the dirty war that the Turkish state is engaging in towards the Kurds. The crimes being committed against the Kurds are human rights violations that the Turkish regime needs to be held responsible for by the relevant international bodies and organisations.
KNK Kurdistan National Congress

source; http://www.kurdishinfo.com/urgent-state-terror-in-kurdistan-the-turkish-state-recommences-burning-of-kurdish-villages

John Nada

24th August 2015, 11:31

Armed struggle in Turkey/Kurdistan 22/8/2015

Armed struggle in Turkey/Kurdistan 22/8/2015
Police forces launched operations against three neighbourhoods in Yüksekova district of Hakkari this morning to close the trenches dug by the local people. Following the clashes between self-defense units and the police forces, the police were repelled from the neighbourhoods. Police special operations teams attacked, opened indiscriminate fire in Sur district of Amed, one was person killed. The KCK issued a press statement noting:

“Should these attacks not be responded with resistance, all democracy forces in Turkey, the Freedom Struggle of the Kurdish people in the first place, will be suppressed, and no obstacle will be left before the AKP’s intention of establishing an authoritarian order. In this regard, our resistance continues as a democracy struggle against this intention of the AKP, just like the struggle our movement waged against the 12 September fascism in 1980′s. There exists no power but this resistance that can stop the AKP now. From this aspect, the peoples of Turkey should also take action, just like was the case in Gezi process, and upset the plans of the AKP together with the Kurdish people.”<br /><br />

A HPG press release yesterday itemized the following actions:

“VAN

Guerrillas conducted a sabotage action against a convoy of police and special operation teams on the road between Van and its Başkale district on August 19, which left 10 police wounded, including two heavily. Following the removal of the casualties from the scene, Turkish troops backed by village guards started an operation in the area with the support of reconnaissance flights by helicopters.

Five units affiliated to the Turkish army launched another operation in Sersilo, Asıngra and Dırejkê villages of Başkale at 04:00 on August 18, but retreated from the area at 16:00 the same day. Another operation was started in Çiyaniş and Exalê villages of Başkale on August 20 afternoon, and was unconclusively retreated at 17:00. An action by guerrillas targeted a group of special operation teams in Yeni neighborhood of Van at 20:00 on August 15. Four members of special operation teams were killed.

ŞIRNAK

Guerrillas hit three Sikorsky and Cobra type helicopters after they took off from the Kato Jirka area in Şırnak’s Beytüşşebap district at 07:30 on August 21. One of the helicopters was severely damaged and forced to retreat from the area. Guerrillas burnt down and destroyed a total of 25 vehicles belonging to a private company, including 10 lorries involved in tunnel construction on Şırnak-Cizre road at 12:00 on August 20. In another action targeting a police checkpoint on Şırnak-Uludere road on August 20, guerrillas failed to detonate an explosive-laden vehicle parked near the checkpoint. In a following action with arms, guerrillas targeted an armored vehicle on its way to the scene for an intervention after the action.

While the casualties couldn’t be clarified, helicopters shelled the scene and Turkish troops launched an operation in the area. Three police were wounded as a result of an action by guerrillas who targeted a police guard box in Silopi town center on August 18.

AMED

In another action, guerrillas targeted the hydroelectric power plant in Pasur (Kulp) district of Amed at 16:00 on August 20. While the action caused material damaged, number of casualties couldn’t be verified. Following a bombardment in the triangle area of Amed, Farqin (Silvan) ve Karas (Kocaköy), Turkish army airdropped troops on Hill Zerge with 30 Sikorsky helicopters. The operation was later retreated inconclusively. HPG refuted Turkish army’s reports that 14 guerrillas lost their lives here, saying that guerrillas suffered no losses of life in this area.

SİİRT

Soldiers and village guards have laid ambushed around the İskanbu village in Şirvan district of Siirt.

IĞDIR

Guerrillas conducted a large-scale action against the Horgov guard post in Iğdır at 15:30 on August 20. An explosive-laden truck was detonated at a distance of 500 meters to the guard post after was noticed by the soldiers here. After blocking the road between Iğdır and Bazid district of Kars, guerrillas destroyed two trucks of the state and informed the people about the current process. The road leading to Korxan guard post in Iğdır remains under the control of guerrillas since August 14. As the road remains blocked by guerrillas, supplies to the guard post were delivered by helicopters at 22:30 on August 20.

DERSİM

Dersim-Erzincan and Dersim-Ovacık roads also remain under the control of guerrillas since August 17.

HAKKARİ Two Cobra helicopters of the Turkish army shelled the Tılora area in Hakkari’s Yüksekova district at 12:00 on August 20, after which soldiers were airdropped into the area and launched an operation. Soldiers participating the operation opened random fire around and wounded three civilians. The operation was retreated inconclusively at 17:30 the same day.

ŞEMZİNAN

Following a clash between soldiers and guerrillas, Turkish troops fired random bullets on a house of civilians in Nêrduşa village of Hakkari’s Şemzinan (Şemdinli) district on August 19. Guerrillas hit the Grana and Rubarok guard posts at the border to Avashin area of Medya Defense Zones at 09:00 and 12:00 on August 20. A vehicle in Rubarok guard post was damaged in the action after which troops in both posts bombed surrounding areas with howitzer and mortar fire.

HEFTANİN

Turkish troops have been deployed on three hills between Martyr Kendal and Kêlik areas at the border to Heftanin area of Medya Defense Zones on August 20 afternoon. Interrupted clashes are taking place between guerrillas and soldiers that have taken up positions here.”

Dozens of people were detained in house raids across the country yesterday.

The Basque nationalist organization Komite Internazionalistak has issued a statement in support of the national democratic struggle of the Kurdish people. It notes:
“Turkey, a NATO member, and located geographically in the heart of the Middle East, has been during these years, the patrons of the Islamic State, an instrument of Imperialism in the region, subjecting the people that live here to the most appalling and abominable actions of war, highlighting the rape, abduction and sale of women, and grabbing territories with the consequent slavery of people. But the people have not lost the time, and they built self-managed spaces on the basis of self-organisation and self-defense in communities in different neighborhoods in Hakkari, Silvan, Van, Ağrı, Muş etc, and shouted out ‘Edi Bese’ [Enough Already].”

Solders killed an elderly civilian on the Rojava border yesterday. The HPG Press Office issued a statement on the 20th itemizing the following actions in the previous days

“Guerrillas carried out a sabotage action in memory of the recently martyred YJA Star guerrilla Ekin Van on the road between Şirvan and Pervari districts of Siirt at 14:10 on August 19. Guerrillas destroyed a large military vehicle, which left 12 soldiers dead and three others heavily wounded. While Cobra helicopters shelled the scene after the action, troops launched an operation in Şirvan and Deleman areas with the participation of village guards. In an attempt for another action in memory of Ekin Van, YJA Star guerrillas were engaged in clashes with Turkish soldiers on Arıcak-Elazığ road at 05:00 on August 17. One specialist sergeant was killed and one village guard was wounded in the short-lasting clash.

Guerrillas conducted another action targeting the Verkalıt guard post in Baykan district of Siirt at 07:20 on August 20. One soldier was killed in an assassination action, and one other died after guerrillas destroyed an emplacement of heavy weapons in the post. Guerrillas destroyed a base station located between the villages of Sevanê and Hawrê in Batman’s Kozluk district at 00:45 on August 20. In another action against Simer guard post in Kozluk at 16:15 on August 19, guerrillas killed a soldier in an assassination attack and destroyed an emplacement here. The number of soldiers’ casualties couldn’t be clarified. Guerrillas infiltrated into a unit of Turkish soldiers preparing for an operation near Amed’s Hani district at 13:00 on August 19. One soldier was killed here. Turkish troops conducted an operation in Nêrduşa area between Yüksekova and Şemdinli districts of Hakkari at 15:00 on August 19.

Guerrillas responded to the troops as they opened random fire on the area with heavy weapons. As part of the Martyr Reşit Serdar Initiative, guerrillas conducted a sabotage action against two armored vehicles patrolling in Yeşildere neighborhood of Hakkari’s Yüksekova district at 01:30 on August 19. One of the armored vehicles was completely destroyed but the number of casualties couldn’t be made clear. Three ambulances came to the scene after the action and transported the casualties. In another action as part of the Martyr Reşit Serdar Initiative, guerrillas targeted the Eriş and Bilican guard posts at the border to Zap region of Medya Defense Zones between 07.30–09.30 on August 19. One emplacement in Bilican guard post was completely destroyed in the action which was conducted with mortars. Troops at both posts shelled the surrounding areas after the action. Guerrillas also targeted the Rubarok guard posts at the border to Avashin area and damaged the vehicles outside the main entrance gate at 12:00 on August 20.

A base station of two private GSM operators in Türkmen village of Ağrı’s Bazid (Doğubayazıt) district was completely destroyed by guerrillas at 19:45 on August 19. A short clash erupted between a group of guerrillas and a special operation team laying ambushes aroundn Şehidan hill in Ağrı’s Tendürek area between 18:00 and 19:00 on August 19. One soldier was killed in an assassination action by guerrillas who targeted the Dızê guard post in Hakkari at 21:45 on August 19. A base station of three private GSM operators was destroyed by guerrillas in Bêkendê village of Siirt’s Kurtalan district at 23:00 on August 19. Dersim-Erzincan and Dersim-Ovacık roads remain under the control of guerrillas since August 17. Besides ID checks, guerrillas are also informing the people about the process.”

Hizan Democratic People’s Assembly Co-chair Kader Sönmez was arrested during house raids on the 20th.The co-mayors of Hakkari Municipality Dilek Hatipoğlu and Nurullah Çiftçi were detained on the same day. HDP and DBP activists launched human shield actions in the Feraşin Highland area yesterday. The Turkish state rejected an application by fifteen bar associations for a meeting with Öcalan filed on the 13th. Police attacked a protest demo in Adana on the evening of the 19th.

DBP Batman branch executive Afif Filiz was detained in a house raid on the morning of the 20th. At least 16 people were detained in Alanya house raids on the morning of the 20th targeting people involved in defending the HDP offices in street clashes with fascists on the 19th. Mass demonstration for Kevser Eltürk in Şırnak with banner “Ekin Wan’s naked body is our honor” on the 20th.Two people killed by police in Mardin and Şırnak on the evening of the 19th. The apartment of journalist Gülşen İşeri was raided in Istanbul this morning. 15 residential addresses raided in Sarıyer district of Istanbul. 39 people detained in Mersin. Police attacked a KJA demo in Elazığ yesterday arresting at least ten people.Source: http://www.signalfire.org/2015/08/22/armed-struggle-in-turkeykurdistan-2282015/

Sasha

27th August 2015, 11:05

seems Daesh took up the Turkish gauntlet, they conquered 5 Syrian villages in the proposed "buffer zone" that where held by the Turkmen militia's after being seceded by Al-Nusra.

Sasha

27th August 2015, 12:14

HPG (People's Defense Forces) Press Office has released the balance sheet of war in Kurdistan for the last one month.
HPG remarked that Erdoğan and the AKP government started a war against the Kurdistan people revolutionary democratic forces after suspending the negotiation process in the face of the success achieved by the people of North Kurdistan in June 7 election.
HPG said this war concept, which had already begun with the aggravated isolation on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, reached a further dimension with the comprehensive attacks launched against the Kurdish movement as of July 24.
The statement pointed out that the airstrikes and operations against guerrilla forces in Medya Defense Zones have been conducted as part of the most intense annihilation war of recent years.
Recalling that the Turkish airstrikes have also targeted many civilian settlements, as a result of which eight local people were killed in Qandil's Zergelê village, HPG said Turkish security forces on the other hand attacked and murdered youths resisting to the attacks in Silvan, Varto, Silopi and Cizre in Northern Kurdistan.
HPG stated that guerrillas responded with effective actions to these massacres and attacks which targeted the democratic will of Kurdistan and Turkey peoples in Northern Kurdistan and the annihilation strikes against guerrilla areas in South Kurdistan.
HPG listed the following figures of the balance sheet of the war since July 24;
Reconnaissance flights by unmanned aerial vehicles: 44
Operations by Turkish army and clashes: 62
Strikes by Cobra type helicopters: 25
Tank, mortar and howitzer attacks: 217
Airstrikes by jets: 87, 15 of which were conducted in Northern Kurdistan and 72 in Medya Defense Zones
Actions by guerrilla forces: 191
Soldiers killed in actions and clashes: 394
Soldiers wounded in actions and clashes: 142
Police officers killed: 16
Police officers wounded: 36
Special operation members killed: 61
Special operation members wounded: 33
Vehicles damaged: 63, including 10 helicopters and 3 tanks
Vehicles destroyed: 50, including 2 tanks
Vehicles burnt down: 74
Road closure actions: 50
HPG said guerrillas also seized a large quantity of ammunition belonging to Turkish forces.
While the results of 54 actions conducted by guerrillas couldn't be verified, the actions of self-sacrifice in Van, Adana, Ağrı-Bazid and Istanbul are not included in the figures announced in the balance sheet.
HPG said 42 guerrillas lost their lives during the past one month, among whom 18 were martyred in operations and clashes, 16 in airstrikes and 8 in actions of self-sacrifice.
The statement reported that 32 civilians lost their lives in the attacks of the Turkish army in Northern Kurdistan and Zergelê massacre in South Kurdistan since July 24.

http://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/hpg-releases-balance-sheet-of-war-for-one-month

Sasha

7th September 2015, 10:32

wikipedia map which shows which area's in turkey/north kurdistan are under insurgent control; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Turkish_Insurgency_Detailed_Map

SocialRepublican

8th September 2015, 10:25

Two big attacks from the PKK in the last couple of days. Sixteen Turkish soldiers killed on an attack in daglica, two policemen had been killed earlier in the day.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/16-soldiers-killed-in-pkk-attack-in-turkeys-southeast-army-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=88135&NewsCatID=341
Then earlier today 12 policemen killed.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/at-least-12-policemen-killed-in-pkk-attack-in-eastern-turkey-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=88143&NewsCatID=341
If the Turkish state is releasing these figures must be kicking off. Meanwhile, human rights groups, NGOs and Kurdish media are reporting widescale human rights abuses against kurdish civillians and growing number of murders committed by occupying Turkish forces

khad

8th September 2015, 10:29

In response to the recent attack that killed 16 Turkish troops, PM Davutoglu has vowed to clear out the PKK, no matter the cost

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34181528

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Mr Davutoglu said: "You cannot discourage us from our war on terror. Those mountains will be cleared of these terrorists. Whatever it takes, they will be cleared."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said he was saddened by the attack and promised a "decisive" response.
"The pain of our security forces who were martyred in the treacherous attack by the separatist terrorist organisation sears our hearts," he said.

Sasha

8th September 2015, 14:50

mob attacks on kurdish neighborhoods and HDP offices; http://www.kurdishinfo.com/racist-attacks-on-hdp-offices-and-kurds-across-turkish-cities

hexaune

8th September 2015, 15:35

hexaune

8th September 2015, 15:42

A few questions for those that are in tune with what is going on in Turkey at the moment:

I take it the AKP are hoping this unrest will hurt the HDP in the new elections that have been called. Is this working or are HDP likely to get above the 10% threshold again? If HDP do manage to get >10% thus leading to a repeat of AKP not having an overall majority, how do you think they will play it out, seeing as they seem unable to form a working coalition?

Sasha

8th September 2015, 19:18

I think it will be very likely that the AKP will use the current unrest as a pretex to try and ban the HDP/DPD just before the elections. If they don't do it all polls point at that the ellection results will be more or less the exact same...

Sasha

10th September 2015, 15:05

Turkey's government have now authorised the use of live ammunition to quell protests, so they are now sending out snipers! They've already hit civilians:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/08/kurdish-civilians-killed-snipers-turkey-cracks-down-militants

sniper attacks and aerial/mortar bombings on the city of Cizre continue, thousands of kurds are trying to reach the town to function as a human shield.
the KCK called for a general kurdish uprising to "defend Cizre like Kobane"

Sentinel

26th September 2015, 11:15

I've seen some indications on social media today that the YPG is currently pushing to capture the city and border crossing of Jarabulus; the war map on Wikipedia would seem to confirm that there is a partial siege on the city. A quick search also confirms that such an assault has been openly planned for the last few days.

It was news to me, and is a bit surprising as it goes against the will of Turkey, being situated in the so called 'Buffer zone' Erdogan wishes to create in order to isolate the canton of Afrin from the rest of Rojava and to ensure that Daesh retains a supply route to the Turkish border.

Losing Jarabulus would be a huge blow to Daesh. Any good articles and news on this battle would be most welcome.

Syrian Kurdish leaders plan to capture the last border crossing point between Syria and Turkey held by Isis, making it impossible for jihadist volunteers from Europe and elsewhere to reach Isis-held territories.
The seizure of the frontier town of Jarabulus on the Euphrates River is certain to anger Turkey, which is already alarmed by the rise of a Syrian-Kurdish state-let in northern Syria, aided by US air strikes and fielding strong military forces.
The loss of Jarabulus would isolate Isis, bringing to an end its ability to bring in thousands of fanatical Islamic fighters who have been crossing from Turkey into Syria without significant hindrance over the last four years. Isis has frequently used these foreign volunteers as suicide bombers driving vehicles packed with explosives as an essential element in its military strategy.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syrian-kurdish-leaders-planning-to-capture-last-border-crossing-with-turkey-held-by-isis-10511666.html

Sentinel

26th September 2015, 13:40

YPG bombs ISIS headquarters in Syria’s Jarabulus
ARA News

ALEPPO*– Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) launched an attack on headquarters of the Islamic State radical group (ISIS) in Jarabulus city north of Aleppo, near the border with Turkey, Kurdish sources reported on Friday.*

The YPG forces have targeted*several*ISIS positions in Jarabulus with mortars*and heavy artillery.*

YPG fighter*Nuraddin Gaban told ARA News on the phone that the Kurdish forces launched the attack from its bases in the villages of Zor Maghar, Nasiriya and Atto east of Jarabulus.

“Our shelling hit at least five ISIS targets in Jarabulus city on Friday, killing and injuring dozens of terrorists,” he said.*

The YPG leadership*has deployed hundreds of fighters*alongside the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Jarabulus in preparation for storming ISIS strongholds in the area.*

“Our forces have made a remarkable advance towards Jarabulus city after liberating the western countryside of Kobane. The anti-ISIS operations will continue until reassuring our people’s safety from this terrorist group,” Gaban added.*

“We are ready to storm the city of Jarabulus and liberate it from ISIS terrorists. We are waiting for orders from our leadership,” the YPG member said. *

The source revealed a “high level of coordination” between the Kurdish forces and the U.S.-led coalition, which has*been bombing ISIS positions in the region for more than a year. *

Reporting by: Sarbaz Yousef and Muhammad Ali

http://aranews.net/2015/09/ypg-bombs-isis-headquarters-in-syrias-jarabulus/

Sasha

26th September 2015, 15:38

khad

5th October 2015, 07:58

http://national.bgnnews.com/erdogan-criticizes-russias-syria-exploits-and-us-on-kurdish-fighters-haberi/9964

The shoe dropped

“I do not view the situation as Kurds are being armed. I believe these actions are arming terrorist groups… There is no difference between the PKK and the PYD,” said Erdoğan, condemning the Western notion that the PYD should be supported because they are effective at fighting ISIL. “To say that one terror group is better than the other is an unjust assessment.”

The Feral Underclass

19th October 2015, 11:04

Emmett Till

19th October 2015, 20:42

The YPG have published a response to Amnesty International's report accusing the Kurds of ethnic cleansing.

Gen. Comm. of the People’s Defense Units in Response to Amnesty International's Oct. 8 Report (http://www.ypgrojava.com/en/index.php/statements/809-statement-by-the-gen-comm-of-the-people-s-defense-units-in-response-to-amnesty-international-s-october-8th-report)

Hey, being as the US is backing the Kurds vs. ISIS, and Amnesty International insofar as its reports are distorted it's always in the interests of US imperialism, I think it'd be smarter to assume that Amnesty is more likely to be telling the truth than the YPG.

And there's some dubious stuff right at the beginning. I quote:

"The use of the term “forced displacement” is arbitrary without considering the cases in which this terms should be used according to Article 7 (d) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which clearly states that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population’ means forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law.”[1] Comparing and contrasting the Amnesty report with YPG’s statements, it is clear that the use of the term “forced displacement” is in sharp contrast to Article 7 of the Statute. Accordingly, the report’s claim of a “war crime” committed by the YPG is a false accusation."

In other words, the YPG is saying that the ethnic cleansing they engaged in was legit 'cuz the Sunni refugees who fled to the Kobane region were there "unlawfully." Like all those unlawful refugees flocking into Europe.

Even better, the following:

"The Amnesty report is based on testimonies obtained from local villagers, who were allegedly subjected to “forced displacement” and their houses were “demolished”, and on evidence gathered from satellite images. However, the report contains fallacies since the testimonies of the individuals interviewed by Amnesty International were incorrect and contradictory to the facts and evidence, widely available and easily accessible to everyone."

i.e., who should you believe, the victims or us the persecutors? As for those satellite pictures, who should you believe, us or your lying eyes?

To really investigate incident by incident what took place, you'd need some sort of neutral outside body with full access. That won't happen at any time in the near future, but the Amnesty International report is about as close to that as one is likely to see.

Emmett Till

19th October 2015, 20:51

I've seen some indications on social media today that the YPG is currently pushing to capture the city and border crossing of Jarabulus; the war map on Wikipedia would seem to confirm that there is a partial siege on the city. A quick search also confirms that such an assault has been openly planned for the last few days.

It was news to me, and is a bit surprising as it goes against the will of Turkey, being situated in the so called 'Buffer zone' Erdogan wishes to create in order to isolate the canton of Afrin from the rest of Rojava and to ensure that Daesh retains a supply route to the Turkish border.

Losing Jarabulus would be a huge blow to Daesh. Any good articles and news on this battle would be most welcome.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syrian-kurdish-leaders-planning-to-capture-last-border-crossing-with-turkey-held-by-isis-10511666.html

Be it noted that this article in the Independent should confirm to anyone who still doubts it that the YPG is totally hand in glove with US imperialism, if anything more so that Israel, as Netanyahu and Obama have some pretty serious conflicts lately.

Of course, Turkish mass murder against the Kurds may persuade the YPG to change its policy, as now they have the possibility of a cleaner and, more importantly, stronger ally in the Syrian civil war, namely Putin. I hope the YPG takes advantage.

The Feral Underclass

19th October 2015, 22:10

Hey, being as the US is backing the Kurds vs. ISIS, and Amnesty International insofar as its reports are distorted it's always in the interests of US imperialism, I think it'd be smarter to assume that Amnesty is more likely to be telling the truth than the YPG.

I don't know what that means.

And there's some dubious stuff right at the beginning. I quote:

"The use of the term “forced displacement” is arbitrary without considering the cases in which this terms should be used according to Article 7 (d) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which clearly states that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population’ means forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law.”[1] Comparing and contrasting the Amnesty report with YPG’s statements, it is clear that the use of the term “forced displacement” is in sharp contrast to Article 7 of the Statute. Accordingly, the report’s claim of a “war crime” committed by the YPG is a false accusation."

In other words, the YPG is saying that the ethnic cleansing they engaged in was legit 'cuz the Sunni refugees who fled to the Kobane region were there "unlawfully." Like all those unlawful refugees flocking into Europe.

Over the last year, YPG statements from Redur Khalil and others, have consistently been made telling Arabs that they do not need to leave their homes and that those Arabs who have left voluntarily should return. These statements therefore conflict with the AI report and their use of the term "forced displacement" under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.

"The Amnesty report is based on testimonies obtained from local villagers, who were allegedly subjected to “forced displacement” and their houses were “demolished”, and on evidence gathered from satellite images. However, the report contains fallacies since the testimonies of the individuals interviewed by Amnesty International were incorrect and contradictory to the facts and evidence, widely available and easily accessible to everyone."

i.e., who should you believe, the victims or us the persecutors? As for those satellite pictures, who should you believe, us or your lying eyes?

This is taken from the preamble. It's the premise on which the document is founded. The remaining document substantiates the premise. The paragraph you quoted should be taken in context of the entire report, not just on its own.

To really investigate incident by incident what took place, you'd need some sort of neutral outside body with full access. That won't happen at any time in the near future, but the Amnesty International report is about as close to that as one is likely to see.

My suggestion to you would be to actually read the entire document and not just the first two paragraphs. The AI report is fallacious and it is founded on a liberal narrative and interpretation of conflict. Their mission is to ensure armed conflicts are operating in accordance with international humanitarian law. Are the YPG conducting their conflicts in accordance with the laws of war? No of course not, and why would we want them to be? Daesh and their supporters deserve to be dealt with in the ruthless of manners. That does not mean, however, that the 37 people AI interviewed are the sum of the YPG's entire strategy and policy towards Sunni Arabs.

Emmett Till

19th October 2015, 22:38

I don't know what that means.

You don't? Why not?

Over the last year, YPG statements from Redur Khalil and others, have consistently been made telling Arabs that they do not need to leave their homes and that those Arabs who have left voluntarily should return. These statements therefore conflict with the AI report and their use of the term "forced displacement" under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.

Who cares what the YPG says? What matters is what it does, and according to Amnesty International, what it has been doing is ethnic cleansing.

BTW, for decades the Zionists in Palestine liked to claim exactly the same thing, and even produced all sorts of formal proclamations they issued to prove it. Somehow, the Palestinians did not believe them, I don't know whey.

This is taken from the preamble. It's the premise on which the document is founded. The remaining document substantiates the premise. The paragraph you quoted should be taken in context of the entire report, not just on its own.

Not really. The rest of the document consists of arguments about the facts on the ground for many of the incidents Amnesty International reports. Well, AI has one version of what happened, the YPG a different, and unless you're on the spot, you have no way of telling which is more accurate. For the reason that you somehow find incomprehensible, it is foolish for anyone to think that the YPG version is more accurate than AI's.

My suggestion to you would be to actually read the entire document and not just the first two paragraphs. The AI report is fallacious and it is founded on a liberal narrative and interpretation of conflict. Their mission is to ensure armed conflicts are operating in accordance with international humanitarian law. Are the YPG conducting their conflicts in accordance with the laws of war? No of course not, and why would we want them to be? Daesh and their supporters deserve to be dealt with in the ruthless of manners. That does not mean, however, that the 37 people AI interviewed are the sum of the YPG's entire strategy and policy towards Sunni Arabs.

So in other words, any Sunni Arabs in the Rojava region, the majority population by the way, who are on the side of ISIS should be "dealt with in the most ruthless of manners." That's probably most of them. What do you have in mind? Torture? Genocide? Your attitude is worse than that of the YPG.

The Feral Underclass

19th October 2015, 23:48

You don't? Why not?

Because it literally doesn't make any sense.

Who cares what the YPG says? What matters is what it does, and according to Amnesty International, what it has been doing is ethnic cleansing.

Well, I do and so should any revolutionary communist. It's fine if you wish to believe Amnesty International, but they are a pro-capitalist, liberal organisation that attempts to defend bourgeois rules of law. To assume they are not going to have a bias against a revolutionary socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-state militia participating in a wide-ranging revolutionary conflict is naive. The YPG do not operate within the rules of law that AI are accustomed to. As far as they are concerned the YPG is no better than Daesh or the al-Nusra Front.

BTW, for decades the Zionists in Palestine liked to claim exactly the same thing, and even produced all sorts of formal proclamations they issued to prove it. Somehow, the Palestinians did not believe them, I don't know whey.

You're employing an ad hominem logical fallacy. The YPG aren't liars because the things they say are similar to what other people who are liars have said. That's just a ridiculous argument. If you're going to participate in debate, at least do it honestly.

Not really. The rest of the document consists of arguments about the facts on the ground for many of the incidents Amnesty International reports. Well, AI has one version of what happened, the YPG a different, and unless you're on the spot, you have no way of telling which is more accurate. For the reason that you somehow find incomprehensible, it is foolish for anyone to think that the YPG version is more accurate than AI's.

Employ the English language better and I might be able to find it less incomprehensible.

AI's version of events is not supported by actual facts. While it may be the case that there are isolated incidences of officials of the PYD and maybe even soldiers from the YPG committing random acts of violence or intimidation against Arabs, it is not and never has been a policy of the YPG to "forcibly displace" Arabs. Arabs make up a population within the YPG and have been part of rebuilding efforts in Kobane. Coupled with the fact the YPG have insisted that Arabs return to their homes, what evidence is there of widespread or even narrowspread ethnic cleansing other than the 37 people AI interviewed. 37 people are not a representation of Arabic life in Rojava. It's not even a sample by which to extrapolate. If what these 37 people have said is true, then yeah, it's a shitty thing to have happened, but they're going to have to do better than that if we are to believe some large scale, comprehensive policy of ethnic cleansing.

I want to also reiterate that AI have a specific agenda of reporting on whether armed forces are adhering to international laws of war, not on the political and social mission of an armed conflict. They operate within a very specific understanding of the world and of conflict, and are routinely biased against non-state based military forces. Let's also not forget that this is an organisation that does not support universal access to abortion and voted down a motion at its conference this year to support discrimination against anti-Semitism. Their motivations and their values for doing things are dubious to say the least.

And this is what Professor Frank Boyle (of Palestinian solidarity fame) said about them, "Amnesty International is primarily motivated not by human rights but by publicity. Second comes money. Third comes getting more members. Fourth, internal turf battles. And then finally, human rights, genuine human rights concerns. To be sure, if you are dealing with a human rights situation in a country that is at odds with the United States or Britain, it gets an awful lot of attention, resources, man and womanpower, publicity, you name it, they can throw whatever they want at that. But if it's dealing with violations of human rights by the United States, Britain, Israel, then it's like pulling teeth to get them to really do something on the situation. They might, very reluctantly and after an enormous amount of internal fightings and battles and pressures, you name it. But you know, it's not like the official enemies list."

Source (http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/articles/article0004573.html)

So in other words, any Sunni Arabs in the Rojava region, the majority population by the way, who are on the side of ISIS should be "dealt with in the most ruthless of manners." That's probably most of them. What do you have in mind? Torture? Genocide? Your attitude is worse than that of the YPG.

Well, they could take a leaf out of Trotsky's book.

Unlike you, I don't shroud my politics in liberal sentimentality. This is war. Any one who aides-and-abets the enemy is clearly a strategic problem. It is incompetent to have your enemy's supporters and followers operating unhindered in your theatre of conflict. That's just basic common sense.

Sasha

20th October 2015, 00:29

Be it noted that this article in the Independent should confirm to anyone who still doubts it that the YPG is totally hand in glove with US imperialism, if anything more so that Israel, as Netanyahu and Obama have some pretty serious conflicts lately.

Of course, Turkish mass murder against the Kurds may persuade the YPG to change its policy, as now they have the possibility of a cleaner and, more importantly, stronger ally in the Syrian civil war, namely Putin. I hope the YPG takes advantage.

A. Why would putins imperialism be preferential over obamas imperialism?
B. Putin has way to much invested in his clientele in Syria, Iran and Iraq to support the separatist ambitions of the kurds. Esp radical kurds.
The only reason why Putin atm makes some nominal avances towards the ypg/pkk kurds is to piss off erdogan.

Sasha

20th October 2015, 00:31

Also, lol at tankies sudden love for amnesty while they normally are evil imperialist stooges...

Emmett Till

20th October 2015, 09:26

A. Why would putins imperialism be preferential over obamas imperialism?
B. Putin has way to much invested in his clientele in Syria, Iran and Iraq to support the separatist ambitions of the kurds. Esp radical kurds.
The only reason why Putin atm makes some nominal avances towards the ypg/pkk kurds is to piss off erdogan.

Because the Hew Hess Hay is an imperial power, the dominant one of this era. Not in some metaphysical naughty, naughty marching troops across other people's borders fashion, but honest to Lenin capitalist imperialism, defending the profits of US corporations exploiting the workers of the world with force and violence.

Putin's Russia is just another capitalist power, not different from Iran or Egypt or Syria or the "Islamic state." It doesn't send troops into Syria to protect Russian investments in Syria's nonexistent oil resources, it's just part of the usual power games, no better or worse than anything else. Russia is in there because Assad is Russia's best ally in the Middle East, what with the Latakia naval base, that's all.

Russia just doesn't play the imperial game of investing overseas to extract surplus profits from workers in the Third World, because Russia's form of capitalism, constructed on the ruins of the Soviet workers state, just isn't designed that way. The financial sector, the heart as everyone knows of imperialism, is much less significant in Russia than anywhere else, and invests by and large within Russia itself, not even very much in other former Soviet republics. And it's not "state capitalism," in fact the state sector is quite a bit smaller under Putin than it was under Yeltsin, as he's been steadily privatising.

Could Putin support separatist ambitions of Kurds in Syria? Why not?

The USA, whose relations with Turkey and certainly with the not-so-former US puppet regime in Iraq are still a lot stronger than Russia's, has no problem with supporting Kurdish separatism in Iraq, and even less with respect to Kurdish separatism in Syria, to say nothing of Iran. There is absolutely no reason why Putin couldn't play the same game, and in fact at the moment he is doing so.

Emmett Till

20th October 2015, 09:38

Your tortured special pleadings for the YPG, those wonderful revolutionaries who, by the way, have repeatedly stated that as long as they are in charge nobody will be allowed to lay a hand on private property, remind me of the bleatings I used to hear way back when from all sorts of leftists about how the Khmer Rouge could not possibly be doing all those evil things, must all be imperialist propaganda. Almost not worth answering. But a couple of revealing comments.

And this is what Professor Frank Boyle (of Palestinian solidarity fame) said about them, "Amnesty International is primarily motivated not by human rights but by publicity. Second comes money. Third comes getting more members. Fourth, internal turf battles. And then finally, human rights, genuine human rights concerns. To be sure, if you are dealing with a human rights situation in a country that is at odds with the United States or Britain, it gets an awful lot of attention, resources, man and womanpower, publicity, you name it, they can throw whatever they want at that. But if it's dealing with violations of human rights by the United States, Britain, Israel, then it's like pulling teeth to get them to really do something on the situation. They might, very reluctantly and after an enormous amount of internal fightings and battles and pressures, you name it. But you know, it's not like the official enemies list."

Source (http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/articles/article0004573.html)

Uh huh. Yeah, Amnesty International does not like to expose the crimes of American allies.... like the Israelis, or the Kurds. That they feel compelled to in this case should make any intelligent person suspect that the reality is actually much worse than the AI report makes it sound.

But then, taking the cake, I ask you, are you in favor of torture and genocide to deal with ISIS's Sunni supporters which is by now as everyone knows most of the Sunni population of the area. And what is your answer?

Well, they could take a leaf out of Trotsky's book.

Unlike you, I don't shroud my politics in liberal sentimentality. This is war. Any one who aides-and-abets the enemy is clearly a strategic problem. It is incompetent to have your enemy's supporters and followers operating unhindered in your theatre of conflict. That's just basic common sense.

Translating your rhetoric into plain English, your answer is yes, I am.

So that is how Revleft will remember you from now on, as Revleft's advocate of torture and genocide. You should really add that to your sig.

As for your claim that Trotsky did that sort of thing, well, I suppose that kind of lie can be expected from a torture & genocide fan.

The Feral Underclass

20th October 2015, 10:02

Your tortured special pleadings for the YPG, those wonderful revolutionaries who, by the way, have repeatedly stated that as long as they are in charge nobody will be allowed to lay a hand on private property, remind me of the bleatings I used to hear way back when from all sorts of leftists about how the Khmer Rouge could not possibly be doing all those evil things, must all be imperialist propaganda. Almost not worth answering. But a couple of revealing comments.

Where have they said that? Show me all these repeated statements where the YPG have said no one will "touch private property"...

Uh huh. Yeah, Amnesty International does not like to expose the crimes of American allies.... like the Israelis, or the Kurds. That they feel compelled to in this case should make any intelligent person suspect that the reality is actually much worse than the AI report makes it sound.

The Kurds in Rojava aren't allies with the Americans. That's just a lie. They could of course stand on principle and not have American air support, but that seems like a recipe for their defeat. Although, I'm beginning to suspect you'd rather the Kurds fail than succeed. Perhaps you'd prefer Daesh instead?

But then, taking the cake, I ask you, are you in favor of torture and genocide to deal with ISIS's Sunni supporters which is by now as everyone knows most of the Sunni population of the area. And what is your answer?

Translating your rhetoric into plain English, your answer is yes, I am.

Your appeals to emotion are a perfect reminder of the bankruptcy of some who attempt to participate in discussions about the YPG. Your devious attempt to force me into having to deny I support genocide is a neat little rhetorical trick to try and evade actually addressing the substance of my argument. It is predicated entirely on dishonesty and I'm not going to fall for it.

I could easily take what you're saying as some kind of tacit support for Daesh. You seem to be having a problem with the idea that those assisting Daesh should be dealt with as strategic problems. Should we infer from this that you are a supporter of Daesh? Or is it just that you don't think the Kurds should have the right to defend themselves from Daesh? Is that because you support the Turkish state, which would make you a de facto supporter of Daesh anyway?...You see how easy it is to twist things?

In any case, what you're saying is just nonsense. Not all Sunni Arabs support Daesh at all. Many Sunni Arabs do of course, but that's not the same as what I said, which was: those Sunni Arabs that are aiding-and-abetting Daesh, should be dealt with as a strategic problem -- Not every single Sunni Arab that supports Daesh. Pay attention.

So that is how Revleft will remember you from now on, as Revleft's advocate of torture and genocide. You should really add that to your sig.

Nice try, but I'm afraid people on RevLeft just aren't as stupid as you think they are.

As for your claim that Trotsky did that sort of thing, well, I suppose that kind of lie can be expected from a torture & genocide fan.

When someone's only response to a debate is to accuse the person they're debating with as being a "fan" of torture and genocide, you know they've lost the argument. If you have no substance to add to debates, don't participate in them.

khad

20th October 2015, 10:36

Actually, I think the Russians have a greater chance of answering YPG ambitions than the Americans, due to the latter's allegiance to Turkey. In fact, Chairman Salih Muslim has pretty much said that it trusts Russia to prevent Turkey from crossing the Syrian border, which is a long-term geostrategic card more valuable than anything NATO can offer at the present time.

Furthermore, they've had extensive diplomatic contacts - actual physical contacts, in sending envoys to Russia for the past 3 years.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/turkey-syria-russia-pyd-leader-muslim-moscow-prevent-ankara.html

Turkey’s Syrian policy is totally bankrupt. Two years ago I was talking to a Russian official and he asked me, “What do the Kurds most fear?” “Possible Turkish intervention,” I replied. He laughed and said, “That is not Turkey’s border [with Syria], but NATO’s,” to which I responded, “In that case you have given me relief, thank you.” Turkey cannot intervene in Syria without the blessings of the big powers.

Russia and the United States seem to have established their own zones of influence within Syria. The US is active in the north. The Russians will not meddle in the north. But should Turkey attempt to intervene, then they will. Russia has a joint defense agreement with Syria. They will prevent Turkish intervention not to defend us [Kurds] but to defend Syria’s border.

What we really want is to fight IS together with Turkey, America and the other coalition forces. Moreover, we are not opposed to a security zone. What we are opposed to is a Turkish-controlled security zone. The no-fly zones that were established in Iraq in 1992 could be applied in Syria as well. If the whole of northern Syria were under United Nations protection, we would feel more secure.

These contacts are bearing enough fruit to the point now where they are considering opening a mission in Moscow:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/World/2015/Oct-20/319507-syrian-kurdish-group-may-open-mission-in-russia-report.ashx?

Yes, they are playing both sides, Americans for weapons and Russia to counterbalance Turkey, but let's not forget what the obligations of NATO membership actually entail.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-to-treat-pyd-as-pkk-in-case-of-a-threat-former-us-ambassador.aspx?pageID=238&nID=90082&NewsCatID=510

Francis Ricciardone, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and current deputy head of the Atlantic Council, said the PYD has shown its difference by declaring they would not engage in clashes with the Turkish state, highlighting that to preserve such a line was important.

However, Ricciardone vowed the U.S. would respond the same way it does to the PKK in case of a threat from the PYD.

“If the PYD cooperates with the PKK against Turkey and becomes a threat for the country, we would treat them the same way we do to the PKK,” Ricciardone said, vowing that the U.S.’ distinction of the PYD would be lifted in such an occasion.

bricolage

21st October 2015, 00:37

it is not and never has been a policy of the YPG to "forcibly displace" Arabs.
Isn't this what Salih Muslim said back in 2013 though?
"One day those Arabs who have been brought to the Kurdish areas will have to be expelled"
http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/24112013

khad

21st October 2015, 02:51

Isn't this what Salih Muslim said back in 2013 though?
"One day those Arabs who have been brought to the Kurdish areas will have to be expelled"
http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/24112013
Well, Jordan Matson, the YPG's western celebrity himself has said they purposefully let ISIS overrun Arab areas so that the Kurdish militias can swoop in to retake and HOLD those territories, but this is the issue with these non-state armed groups - it is very difficult to disaggregate actions undertaken by theoretically subordinate actors from broader, comprehensive initiatives. Just recently, the YPG even came out to apparently repudiate the PYD for speaking on their behalf, suggesting a possibility of contradictory forces in the Rojavan project itself. Many of the contradictions of the Kurdish militias are dictated by their survival strategy, which has them in collaboration with various FSA spinters but also with the Syrian Army depending on location. They've learned to say different things to everyone, their western leftist fans included. (Nothing new, even the PIRA had their special magazine just for the Irish American audience that left out all mention of their support of the Palestinian struggle)

Now I'm not going to play that sectarian game of accusing your Rudaw source of propagandizing. Rudaw is a notorious outlet that serves as the mouthpiece of the Barzani clan, but that Salih Muslim said this is somewhat unremarkable, as the attitude expressed is fairly pervasive in the Kurdish territories. A lot of Kurds view Arabs there as settlers and invaders, much like how the Palestinians view the Israelis. Statements such as these are the bread and butter of any Kurdish politician that wishes to retain a Kurdish constituency.

How deeply committed the chairman is to carrying out the implications of such sentiments (along with other PYD/YPG actors) is an open question. He too, like many others, can be wildly contradictory. While he bashes the Syrian government/Arabs/etc out of one side of his mouth, the YPG is letting Qamishli airport operate as a Syrian Army and Russian Air Force base.

What's important to remember is that this whole situation is a very fluid one, driven by local exigencies and partnerships of convenience. Never take words to reflect the accuracy of what is happening in the field.

To give you an idea of how much unreliable statements are in a civil conflict driven by unregulated militias, all this apparently happened in a 24 hour span last month:

https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3muipn/muqawamat_alsuriyah_and_saa_republican_guard/
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3mul6y/ypg_sheikh_masoud_statement_we_do_not_want_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3mvi4s/agreement_reached_between_ypg_in_sheikh_maqsood/
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3mykxc/ypg_opens_the_road_connecting_sheikh_maqsoud_with/
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3mzazu/jabhat_alnusra_is_shelling_district_sheikh/
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3mzh0g/ypgs_top_general_sipan_hemo_in_efrin_told_sputnik/

khad

21st October 2015, 03:17

More from the grapevine, but obviously take with a huge grain of salt, like all news out of these parts.

Rojava ‏@AzadiRojava (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava) 4h4 hours ago (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava/status/656592398101913600)
@Sarbarzi (https://twitter.com/Sarbarzi) @KyleWOrton (https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton) YPG made statement they have great relationship with USA who supported from start. YPG clearly prefers USA over Russia

Rojava ‏@AzadiRojava (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava) 4h4 hours ago (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava/status/656592700221870080)
@Sarbarzi (https://twitter.com/Sarbarzi) @KyleWOrton (https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton) Statement said too Russia supported Assad &YPG wasn't happy with that. Seems there's tension between PYD & YPG.

Rojava ‏@AzadiRojava (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava) 4h4 hours ago (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava/status/656593548087816192)
@KyleWOrton (https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton) @Sarbarzi (https://twitter.com/Sarbarzi) USA under Obama is what's opaque not Kurds.Obama is so afraid to enrage Erdogan or Saudi King he's paralized in action

Rojava ‏@AzadiRojava (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava) 4h4 hours ago (https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava/status/656593821862596608)
@KyleWOrton (https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton) @Sarbarzi (https://twitter.com/Sarbarzi) All of them condone from Erdogan/S-A what they condemn in Assad

The Feral Underclass

21st October 2015, 06:47

Isn't this what Salih Muslim said back in 2013 though?
"One day those Arabs who have been brought to the Kurdish areas will have to be expelled"
http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/24112013

I think also we have to remember that the PYD and the YPG are not the same organisation. People have to be careful not to conflate them. In my view, the PYD should be opposed for a number of reasons. The fact Muslim made these comments is actually only part of a wider problem with him and the PYD. I'm not a Kurdish nationalist and I'm critical of national liberation struggles, but the YPG present an alternative to both nationalism and the bourgeois politics of the PYD. That's not to say the YPG are not above criticism sometime, but those criticisms should be made by communists active in the YPG, not opportunistic commentators detached from the reality of Rojava.

khad

21st October 2015, 07:06

bricolage

21st October 2015, 16:19

How big are the actual on the ground organizational differences between the YPG and PYD? So in terms of personnel, funding, alliances, etc.

khad

21st October 2015, 16:31

How big are the actual on the ground organizational differences between the YPG and PYD? So in terms of personnel, funding, alliances, etc.
The YPG is typically considered the armed wing of the PYD, as the PIRA was to Sinn Fein. Theoretically subordinate, but that doesn't mean individual officers don't have their own designs and that factional maneuvering isn't an issue.

All this is very fluid, as many of these organizations blend into one another with alliances or even cross membership due to family or community connections, similar to how Af-Pak militants operate along the Durand Line. As one fighter put it, "Sometimes I'm a PKK, sometimes I'm a PJAK [the Iranian branch of the PKK], sometimes I'm a YPG. It doesn't really matter."

Old photo of Polat Can and Ciwan Abrahim in PKK uniform (YPG representative and head of Asayish, respectively)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRoCurXXAAA6HHF.jpg

Polat Can and Ciwan Abrahim now

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B1V0U-8IEAAqcYh.jpghttp://adarpress.net/en/images/News/2014/06/ciwan.jpg

The Feral Underclass

21st October 2015, 18:03

Letting ISIS overrun non-Kurdish areas so that they can be "liberated" and annexed is the very definition of opportunism. All the theory in the world doesn't change the fact on the ground that these conflicts are employing the same methodology of interest-driven politics that humanity had nurtured since time immemorial.

These armed movements are an alternative to ISIS, that much is clear, but to deny observers the right to question the tailored and sometimes outright contradictory communiques coming out of these groups is to ask people to shut off their brains entirely.

I don't really understand the point you're getting at. Of course it's opportunism. When you're engaged in an armed conflict to liberate territory and defeat your enemy, opportunity is vital, surely? I don't see why this is a problem? It seems like a fairly sensible, pragmatic approach to winning.

People can question whatever they want, but I would argue that if you're going to do that then you cannot do it as an uninformed outsider. There are clearly issues with the YPG and PKK; I have never denied that. But a revolutionary insurgence is happening in Rojava and if we have criticisms we have to make them in a sensitive, nuanced and productive way. A communist intervention has to be more substantial and more practical than "nationalist, ethnic cleansing thugs," because that's just not the reality of the situation.

khad

21st October 2015, 22:35

I don't really understand the point you're getting at. Of course it's opportunism. When you're engaged in an armed conflict to liberate territory and defeat your enemy, opportunity is vital, surely? I don't see why this is a problem? It seems like a fairly sensible, pragmatic approach to winning.
And I'll be the last to begrudge anyone for doing it. War is hell, and it should be pursued as such. However, when someone like Jordan Matson comes out and says that they (the YPG or perhaps the local ground units he's involved with) sit and wait for ISIS to overrun non-Kurdish neighborhoods so that they can annex them upon retaking them, it's more or less a tacit confirmation of what was said in that Amnesty report, the only difference being that they are indirectly employing ISIS as a tool of ethnic reshuffling.

To suggest that any conflict in a place so historically fraught with repression and colonization will not involve some kind of purging or expulsion (whether by official or local sanction) is utter naivite. The point is that people should understand all the complexities of making a "nation" or "revolution" that are conveniently left out of the official communiques.

It is perhaps a state of affairs that came about all too easily, but one that observers should be free to debate or criticize. One can still support, overall, the Rojava project while recognizing its flaws and contradictions.

The Feral Underclass

22nd October 2015, 15:35

And I'll be the last to begrudge anyone for doing it. War is hell, and it should be pursued as such. However, when someone like Jordan Matson comes out and says that they (the YPG or perhaps the local ground units he's involved with) sit and wait for ISIS to overrun non-Kurdish neighborhoods so that they can annex them upon retaking them, it's more or less a tacit confirmation of what was said in that Amnesty report, the only difference being that they are indirectly employing ISIS as a tool of ethnic reshuffling.

I'd be interested to see where/when he said this and in what context. Do you have links to any of this? To be honest it seems rather a convoluted way of taking control of territory. I mean, if they are as premeditated as this implies, why don't they just go there anyway? What is the strategic point of waiting for Daesh to come there first? They don't need Daesh to go there before annexing them...

To suggest that any conflict in a place so historically fraught with repression and colonization will not involve some kind of purging or expulsion (whether by official or local sanction) is utter naivite. The point is that people should understand all the complexities of making a "nation" or "revolution" that are conveniently left out of the official communiques.

I definitely wouldn't want to make that suggestion nor do I think the YPG are some kind of utopian dream-come-true. I readily accept that things have and will probably got messy. Of course it's complex; of course there will be concerns. It is also entirely possible that the 37 people AI interviewed all suffered repression from the YPG. I'm not so deluded that I've created some kind of idealised fantasy. The specific issues I have are 1. these incidences, if they are true, do not prove a widespread, comprehensive and orchestrated policy of ethnic cleansing against Arabs and 2. if criticisms are going to be made of the YPG then they have to be accompanied with on-the-ground practical solutions to these issues. It's simply not good enough to sit on the sidelines making sectarian proclamations and half-arsed accusations. Especially when ultimately all they do is serve the agents of reaction. If people think it is good enough or that they can just "say what they want", then all this demonstrates is the bankruptcy of those who pass themselves off as the left.

And until someone shows me some well-reasoned, well-referenced, well-documented, irrefutable evidence that the YPG are engaged in an orchestrated policy of ethnic cleansing or that the revolution there does not, and will never, have the potential to escalate towards communising measures, then I have absolutely no reason to change my point-of-view. Amnesty International and sectarian dogmatism is not going to convince me of anything but the turgid, biased, privileged and completely inept nature of Western socialists.

It is perhaps a state of affairs that came about all too easily, but one that observers should be free to debate or criticize. One can still support, overall, the Rojava project while recognizing its flaws and contradictions.

I'm not proposing that any one stop debating or criticising; people should go right ahead. I encourage and embrace it! But that doesn't mean their arguments or critiques shouldn't be ruthlessly examined and rejected if need be, especially when they are predicated on unsubstantiated accusation, half-formed theories and sectarian sniping. If people don't think a revolution is happening there and lacks potential then they are simply wrong. If they do think some kind of revolution is happening but don't think it's good enough, then they need to provide some practical solutions and get involved to change it.

khad

22nd October 2015, 18:54

Somewhat ironic that democratic confederalism has to be installed hegemonically, but, as they say, you can't have a revolution without breaking a few eggs. Kurdish language instruction has been long overdue, and this is balancing the books, even if a bit overcompensating.

New PYD curricula in northern Syria reveal ideological, linguistic fault lines (http://syriadirect.org/news/new-pyd-curriculum-in-northern-syria-reveals-ideological-linguistic-fault-lines/)

Oct. 21, 2015

AMMAN: New Kurdish-language primary school curricula introduced by the PYD-led Kurdish authorities in northern Syria last month are generating controversy for being too ideological and “prioritizing a single view over all others.”

That single view is the democratic confederalist ideology of the PYD, or the Democratic Union Party, a Kurdish political party founded in 2003 by Syrian Kurdish activists, of which Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed head of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey currently serving the 16th year of a life sentence for treason, is the ideological leader.

The PYD is the strongest political party in the Kurdish self-administration, which currently controls a large swathe of de facto autonomous Kurdish territories running west to east along the Turkish border in northern Syria, which as of Wednesday also includes the new canton of Tal Abyad.

With the start of the 2015-2016 school year in September, Kurdish is now replacing Arabic as the sole language of instruction for the first three years of primary education in Kurdish schools in the autonomous territories.

Accompanied by newly printed books and teachers fresh out of a three-month PYD training course, the curriculum is the first step in a plan for an eventual Kurdish- language educational system.

“Just like the Syrian government’s textbooks,” Kadar Ahmad, a Kobani-based Kurdish activist told Syria Direct, the texts used in the new curricula “prioritize a single view over all others, the difference being that these curricula adopt Ocalan’s thought rather than Baathist ideas.”

Ocalan’s philosophy revolves around democratic confederalism, or what he termed “a non-state political administration” in a 2012 publication.

It is a vision of a grassroots governing system that rejects the structure of a traditional nation state and is “flexible, multi-cultural, anti-monopolistic, and consensus oriented.” Feminism and a socialist economic structure are key parts of what he calls a “democracy without a state.”

But the PYD is not ruling northeast Syria alone. Other parties within the Kurdish self-administration include the Kurdish National Council (KNC) coalition aligned with Masoud Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party in Iraq, who are criticizing alleged bias in the books, which include subjects such as “Ocalan philosophy” and “the Democratic nation,” Kurdish-owned Bas News reported late last month.

Cheerful images of Ocalan, juxtaposed with the Rojava flag and speaking with a young child, fill some of the pages of textbooks used as part of the new curricula, in pictures given to Syria Direct.

Opposition to the new curricula is not only partisan, however. Educators have also pointed to the content of the new texts as an attempt to embed a “totalitarian ideology” into school lessons by “sanctifying the leader and militarizing the schools,” Jian Zakaria, the secretary of the West Kurdistan Teachers’ Union said.

In an interview with the Kurdish Rihab news agency, Zakaria characterized the new curricula as “an educational disaster and a crime against future generations.”

Students and young people voice similar critiques. “Teaching in Kurdish is a fundamental part of the Kurdish movement,” the unaffiliated Students and Youth Union of Democratic West Kurdistan wrote in an announcement late last month, but the new curricula “consolidate PYD ideology at the expense of the rest, and sanctify a particular political thought and philosophy.”

Kurdish supporters of the new curricula describe them as the culmination of a decades-long struggle for the inclusion of the Kurdish language in public institutions after decades of restrictions and discrimination by multiple Syrian governments.

“The Kurdish dream of reading and learning in the mother tongue has become a reality,” Raman Yousef, a Kurdish activist based in Al-Hasakah and director of the Al-Hasakah is Being Slaughtered Silently media campaign told Syria Direct.

“Naturally, there will be difficulties, but today the Kurdish language has been liberated from the prison of Arabic once and for all,” said Muhammad Nabou, a Kurdish media activist in Kobani.

Regime backlash

In response to the Kurdish self-administration’s new curricula, the Syrian regime has closed primary schools teaching it in at least three al-Hasakah towns since the beginning of the school year, Kadar Ahmad told Syria Direct last week, while schools teaching regime materials have remained open.

The closures make good on threats made by the Syrian government’s Ministry of Education in a decision issued late last month “to withdraw educational personnel completely” from elementary schools teaching the new curricula and stop their salaries, a source from the regime’s educational directorate in Qamishli told ARA News.

PYD officials doubled down on the merits of the new self-administration curricula in response to the threats.

“We will not allow the regime or anybody else to close the schools in Rojava,” Muhammad Saleh Abdo, president of the governing body’s education commission pledged during a tour of Qamishli schools last month.

Those opposing the curricula, Abdo said, “Will not be allowed to keep Kurdish students from their mother tongue.”

Calling the regime response “an expected move” to the change in the educational status quo of Kurdish-administered territories, Kobani-based activist Nabou says the self-administration plans to step in and pay any lost salaries in order to continue the project.

Reported regime closures of schools teaching the new materials in the northern al-Hasakah town of Amouda sparked a demonstration by dozens of mostly Kurdish schoolchildren and their relatives last week, who also criticized the curricula for pro-PYD “ideological recruitment,” ARA News reported.

The Amouda residents also criticized the separation of Kurdish schoolchildren from their Arab peers and the loss of English and Arabic as part of the new program.

“We want to learn our Kurdish language, and we want to learn Arabic and English also,” a sign in the protest read, calling for a more inclusive educational program than the one offered by the PYD.

In Qamishli, 28 kilometers east of Amouda, administrators of a private Syriac Christian school sent Kurdish students home from class on Monday with a message asking their parents to “completely refrain from sending your children to the school.”

The school’s request came after the PYD-led self-administration asked multiple private Christian schools in Qamishli to teach Kurdish students the new materials, which they have refused, Evin Sheikhmous, an independent journalist in Qamishli told Syria Direct.

“Dozens” of Kurdish families had reportedly chosen to send their children to private schools at the beginning of the school year to avoid the PYD curricula, meaning that the decision could affect “approximately 500 [Kurdish] students” attending private schools in the city, Osama Ahmad, a Qamishli-based Kurdish activist told Syria Direct on Wednesday.

In last week’s Amouda demonstration, a boy held up a sign with a simple request: “Return me to my school, far from your politics!”

khad

22nd October 2015, 19:06

I'd be interested to see where/when he said this and in what context. Do you have links to any of this? To be honest it seems rather a convoluted way of taking control of territory. I mean, if they are as premeditated as this implies, why don't they just go there anyway? What is the strategic point of waiting for Daesh to come there first? They don't need Daesh to go there before annexing them...
Took this screenshot months ago when the Islamic State was attacking the city of Hasakah and its surrounding areas. Hasakah only has 3 groups, the YPG/PYD, the government, and the Islamic State, so when he says "regime," it's anywhere not controlled by the other two. The context came from people questioning why local YPG units were just sitting around doing nothing for the initial phases of the defense even as parts of the city were being overrun.

http://i.imgur.com/FIcKGZO.png

He never bothered answering questions of what happens to the civilians after IS takeover or the suspicious murders of Christian militia leaders. The response from reddit, as you see, was less than warm. Understandable in terms of strategy, but not good for PR.

The Feral Underclass

22nd October 2015, 19:47

Somewhat ironic that democratic confederalism has to be installed hegemonically, but, as they say, you can't have a revolution without breaking a few eggs.

I have no desire to install democratic confederalism. I want a genuine communist insurgency to spread across the region. There is opportunity and potential for that with the YPG.

Took this screenshot months ago when the Islamic State was attacking the city of Hasakah and its surrounding areas. Hasakah only has 3 groups, the YPG/PYD, the government, and the Islamic State, so when he says "regime," it's anywhere not controlled by the other two. The context came from people questioning why local YPG units were just sitting around doing nothing for the initial phases of the defense even as parts of the city were being overrun.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like a fairly decent strategy. I'm not sure Matson should be allowed to just discuss that on public forums though. It is bad PR. Also, I don't trust Matson anyway.

khad

22nd October 2015, 21:01

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like a fairly decent strategy. I'm not sure Matson should be allowed to just discuss that on public forums though. It is bad PR. Also, I don't trust Matson anyway.
Indeed, everyone does it. When the Islamic State slaughters Nusra or Ahrar ash-Sham, the Syrian state doesn't stop them from doing it. Likewise, Nusra, IS, Ahrar, etc, and all those armed groups capitalize when the government attacks, looking to poach land, arms, and fighters from each other. It just looked especially bad in the context of Hasakah due to a long-standing truce between the YPG and state forces there and the fact that YPG forces were literally just a few hundred meters from the front.

A further complication is that even the state's forces in Hasakah are not monolithic. A lot of the National Defense Force militiamen there are drawn from fighters with tribal loyalties, and these loyalties often carry the baggage of antagonisms with the Kurds. There've been a few instances where shootouts have occurred, requiring Syrian Army officers to drop in and scream at them until discipline had been imposed on the unruly NDF. Due to these tensions, one could even argue that even if an order to advance came in, it wouldn't have been necessarily followed by those at the front - too many people there are driven by old, tribalist mentalities and local grudges. So taken in further context, Matson could have been speaking of the need to have those *specific* neighborhoods liquidated, but we'll never know because he never elaborated.

John Nada

23rd October 2015, 03:09

It sounds like the YPG/YPJ is employing an elastic defense, a defense in depth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elastic_defence In the case of Hasakah, the SAA took the role of the first echelon of defense, YPG/YPJ the other echelons for the counterattack:grin:. Whether the Syrian state views it that way, or the YPG/YPJ is just sending in their first echelon before the SAA sends their second, I don't know. It's actually the smart way of going about it. Sending all their forces, all at once, to the front to get killed would be the stupid way of going about things, even if it looks better.

It's likely Daesh and other rebels do something similar. And why I don't think territory is necessarily the best way of looking at who's "winning"(this is basically like a protracted people's war), and why I was initially suspicious of the Battle of Tal Abyad. Nope, Daesh did get their asses kicked.:lol: Though it seems Daesh did leave a lot of IEDs behind.

IIRC that bullshit report by that stellar anti-imperialist organization Amnesty International claimed the YPG/YPJ destroyed or seized property, displaced civilians and collectively punished for political affiliation(with Daesh) without military justification, not ethnic cleansing since it wasn't just Arabs but Kurds too(which some do support Daesh). If this would confirm parts of AI's bullshit report, it'd be that those people, supposedly a few kilometers from the actual fighting, were in a guerrilla zone and could've possible gotten killed or wounded in the crossfire. It might actually be a war crime not to warn them before an attack to evacuate. Because the war is not along a nice straight frontline, but extends within various zones and lines sometimes reaching kilometers behind and ahead the front. I wouldn't expect innocent civilians to understand military strategy, tactics, the deep battle and people's war, coupled with prejudices and political biases, so this might all look like it's punitive for no reason(maybe sometimes it was, I don't know).

Sasha

23rd October 2015, 13:02

long piece by German anarchists who visited Bakur and Rojava; http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2015/10/22/from-germany-to-bakur

The Feral Underclass

24th October 2015, 09:57

An interesting article from the Financial Times of all places.

Power to the people: a Syrian experiment in democracy (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/50102294-77fd-11e5-a95a-27d368e1ddf7.html)

khad

25th October 2015, 21:49

Competing claims, huge if true.

AKP Party Claims Air Strikes on YPG near Jarablus

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSJnaTbWoAA1Qa-.jpghttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSJnaZzWUAAqlQC.jpg
http://welati.info/image/2012_1/10_25_13_08_.jpg

A Dunon ‏@4rj1n (https://twitter.com/4rj1n) 8h8 hours ago (https://twitter.com/4rj1n/status/658261732855578625) A Dunon Retweeted Baki GÜL mednuce.tv
AKP media says #Turkey (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash)|s jets targeted YPG boats crossing the Euphrates to attack ISIS in Jarablus. #TwitterKurds (https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterKurds?src=hash)

YPG Confirms:
Cahida Dêrsim ‏@dilkocer (https://twitter.com/dilkocer) 27m27 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/dilkocer/status/658377882155294720)
Statement by #YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash) General Command: Turkish army attacked our positions in the night of Oct 24 & in the morning of Oct 25 in Tal Abyad (ANHA)
36 retweets 10 favorites

"SDF" Spokesman Denies:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ar&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwelati.info%2Fnuce.php%3Fziman%3Dar %26id%3D25828%26niviskar%3D1%26cure%3D3%26kijan&edit-text=&act=url

""Shirvan Darwish, spokesman of the blessings of the Euphrates forces to network and Lahti "that such information untrue and come in the context of disinformation to discredit our forces after the formation of the democratic forces of Syria campaign."

Site "morning" by the Turkish and that Turkish aircraft of type F16 bombed two boats were carrying militants People's Protection Units to Carchemish, on Saturday night. ""

khad

27th October 2015, 20:34

Confirmed in Western media (NY Times): Turkey has been bombing PYD/YPG targets. Jarablus is seen as a red line to Turkey and by extension NATO.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/28/world/europe/turkey-syria-kurdish-militias.html?smid=tw-nytimesworld&smtyp=cur&_r=1

ISTANBUL — Turkey has confirmed that it struck positions in Syria (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/syria/index.html?inline=nyt-geo) held by Kurdish militias that over the last year have become the most important allies (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/15/world/middleeast/turkey-expresses-concern-to-us-and-russia-over-help-for-syrian-kurds.html) within Syria of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/05/world/middleeast/us-aims-to-put-more-pressure-on-isis-in-syria.html).
The confirmation of the strikes, which the Kurds said took place over the weekend, adds a new level of complexity to the United States’ struggle to put together a coherent strategy to fight the Islamic State in Syria. It also increases tensions between the United States and Turkey, which are nominally allies in the battle against the militant group, but whose interests diverge substantially.
In an interview on a Turkish news channel Monday night, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of Turkey did not specify when the strikes had taken place, but he said they came after Ankara warned Kurdish fighters not to move west of the Euphrates River.

Sasha

29th October 2015, 12:59

Very long article, and very liberal orientated, but pretty usefull if you want to understand the finer points of the relationship between the HDP, the PKK, the kurds in general and progresive turks in the run up to the new ellections this sunday; http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/29/selahattin-demirtas-kurdish-turkey

khad

29th October 2015, 13:33

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/28/us-mideast-crisis-turkey-kurds-idUSKCN0SM2V620151028

How's that NATO partnership working out?

NATO member Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, but it sees advances by autonomy-seeking Kurds, led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as a threat to its own national security, fearing they could stoke separatism among Turkish Kurds.

Turkish jets recently hit the Syrian Kurds' armed People's Protection Units (YPG) targets twice after they defied Ankara and crossed west of the Euphrates River.

"This was a warning. 'Pull yourself together. If you try to do this elsewhere - Turkey doesn't need permission from anyone - we will do what is necessary,'" Erdogan said, signaling he could defy Washington's demand that Ankara avoid hitting Syrian Kurds and focus its military might on Islamic State targets.

Emmett Till

31st October 2015, 20:16

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/28/us-mideast-crisis-turkey-kurds-idUSKCN0SM2V620151028

How's that NATO partnership working out?

Very poorly indeed, now that finally you have a few American "boots on the ground," settling I should think once and for all the question of whether you have a Kurdish/US imperial military alliance in Syriia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/world/obama-will-send-forces-to-syria-to-help-fight-the-islamic-state.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0

Not enough soldiers to make any military difference, but Obama has put his marker down, the Syrian Kurds are now officially a US client, just like Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds.

The purpose is evidently to make sure the Russians don't bomb chunks of Syria the US considers its property, like Rojava. (And discourage the Kurds from seeking new Russian partners.) Should work, Putin is no fool. But Erdogan is another matter. What happens if the Turks bomb and kill US soldiers?

After all, the Israelis blew up the US Liberty in the 1967 war and got away with it, in fact it persuaded the US to finally butt out of telling the Israelis what to do and look the other way as Israel went nuclear. Erdogan might well think he could do the same.

John Nada

2nd November 2015, 06:34

Very poorly indeed, now that finally you have a few American "boots on the ground," settling I should think once and for all the question of whether you have a Kurdish/US imperial military alliance in Syriia.Both hate Daesh. So fucking what. Damn near everyone's fighting Daesh too. I guess they should just sit back and get shot so internet leftists won't condemn them.
Not enough soldiers to make any military difference, but Obama has put his marker down, the Syrian Kurds are now officially a US client, just like Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds.Was everyone fighting the Anti-Comintern Alliance during WWII "US clients"? Are Russia, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah US clients? The US is fighting alongside Hezbollah and Iran in Iraq to an even greater degree. Russia and the US have an agreement on coordinating airstrikes, and there's possibly an unspoken one with Syria.
The purpose is evidently to make sure the Russians don't bomb chunks of Syria the US considers its property, like Rojava. (And discourage the Kurds from seeking new Russian partners.) Should work, Putin is no fool. But Erdogan is another matter. What happens if the Turks bomb and kill US soldiers?You don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about. The fraternal party the PKK has long lobbied for support in Russia going back from the USSR days to even after the counterrevolution in 1991. They've long had widespread sympathy in Russia, way more than the US(which, like you, can't tell any of the Kurdish parties apart). Just this time all the contradictions have aligned in the PYD/YPG/YPJ's favor.
After all, the Israelis blew up the US Liberty in the 1967 war and got away with it, in fact it persuaded the US to finally butt out of telling the Israelis what to do and look the other way as Israel went nuclear. Erdogan might well think he could do the same.Why do you keep trotting out Israel even if it has little to do with the main topic?

Sasha

5th November 2015, 12:51

Split of the bulk of the discussion on the PKK, Daesh and imperialism in syria to a seperate thread here; http://www.revleft.com/vb/pkk-daesh-and-t194496/index.html

Sasha

5th November 2015, 12:54

PKK officially ended their one sided cease fire this morning;
http://www.rferl.mobi/a/turkey-pkk-ends-ceasefire/27346963.html

The Feral Underclass

5th November 2015, 13:19

The Lions of Rojava page reported that the Iraqi Kurdish authorities are arresting and imprisoning foreign volunteers of the YPG when they return to their country of origins through Erbil.

There is an article about it a Canadian that was arrested among the volunteers: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/canadian-army-veteran-arrested-in-iraq-after-stint-with-kurds-fighting-isil-in-syria

The Feral Underclass

5th November 2015, 15:11

Split of the bulk of the discussion on the PKK, Daesh and imperialism in syria to a seperate thread.

Where, I can't find it?

Sasha

5th November 2015, 16:08

sorry, i was on my phone, was meant to add it later when i got home, here it is; http://www.revleft.com/vb/pkk-daesh-and-t194496/index.html

John Nada

12th November 2015, 16:23

Finally, they've launched the offensive to liberate Shengal.
YBŞ and guerrilla forces enter Shengal town centre

As the 'Operation to Liberate Shengal' continues successfully, HPG and YJA Star guerrillas alongside YBŞ and YPJ-Shengal forces, which are joining the offensive under Êzidxan Joint Command, have entered the town centre.

Thursday, November 12, 2015 1:30 PM SHENGAL - ANF

As the 'Operation to Liberate Shengal' continues successfully, HPG and YJA Star guerrillas alongside YBŞ and YPJ-Shengal forces, which are joining the offensive under Êzidxan Joint Command, have entered the town centre.

According to the reports coming through from the area, guerrillas deployed in the neighborhoods of Hayr Nasir, Berbi Roj and Sitî Zeynep in the town centre are engaged in heavy clashes with ISIS gangs. YBŞ and YPJ-Shengal units are also involved in the fighting.

There exist no further clear details regarding the fighting yet as a large part of ISIS gangs have started to flee the town centre, while the remaining groups are clashing with the forces joining the liberation offensive.

Forces affiliated to Êzidxan Joint Command, which have the control in the eastern part, have advanced through that direction and joined the encirclement of Shengal.

PESHMERGA FORCES AROUND SHENGAL

In the meantime, peshmerga forces affiliated to KDP remain around Shengal and have entered the Solak settlement in the east. Peshmergas also seized the cement plant in the eastern part of Shengal. Source: http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdistan/ybs-and-guerrilla-forces-enter-shengal-town-centre

Simultaneously, the YPG/YPJ and the Syrian Democratic Front are pressing onward with the Al-Hawl offensive, liberating dozens of villages: http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdistan/qsd-forces-take-control-of-the-strategic-hawl-xatuniye-road This is close along a main road from Raqqa, to Shaddadah(oil producing area), to Mosul, as shown by this map: http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/NE-Syria-NW-IRAQ-12112015.jpg

Sasha

13th November 2015, 11:08

Dutch news is reporting that Shengal is liberated, funny how they only talk about the KDP pershmerga while it seem that is was actually the pkk affiliated guerrilla's who liberated the town while the pershmerga did the surrounding area's and provided the heavier artillery etc

Sasha

13th November 2015, 13:39

Some background on the PKK(HDG)/YDF vs KDP pollitics going on around this operation:

Background to assault…

Last year, after capturing villages one by one on the way to Sinjar, ISIS deployed troops heavily within 200 yards of Sinjar’s fringes. It pounded the fringes with mortar fire, and on Aug. 3, 2014, ISIS attacked the town’s centre. Thousands of people were killed and thousands more had to flee. When the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) withdrew its troops, the town was left defenseless. The People’s Protection Units (YPG) — the Syrian extension of the PKK — rushed to help.

Taking advantage of Sinjar’s proximity to the Syrian border, the YPG opened a corridor through ISIS lines and evacuated the Yezidis. Some units of the PKK hurried from their main base at the Qandil Mountains, and the Kurdish peshmerga sent its special forces. Kurdish groups overcame their initial shock and deployed around Sinjar. ISIS reacted with counterattacks against the Kurds, but did not succeed. Since then, Kurdish groups have launched attacks to recover the town, but could not recapture more than a few neighbourhoods, while the main part of the town stayed in ISIS hands. Even with the air support provided by the coalition air force, Sinjar couldn’t be liberated.

Kurdish forces were constantly making plans to fully secure the town. A decision was made to launch the operation on Nov. 3, but that was postponed. What was holding back the operation?

It became evident that the delays were caused by a disagreement between the PKK and the KRG. The KRG said it had deployed more than 10,000 peshmerga to the area and was demanding that the PKK leave the area. The PKK did not agree.

What was behind the PKK’s deep interest in Sinjar? Yezidis, because of their Kurdish roots and religious beliefs, have been the most oppressed people of the region. They decided to get organized in the first years of the new century and were embraced by the PKK, which opened the way to PKK influence in the Sinjar area. But the PKK left, fearing the US attacks in the area. Meanwhile, many Yezidi youth had joined the PKK.

The ISIS offensive against Sinjar provided the PKK with another opportunity to return. Also, the Yezidis, who were upset with the KRG for withdrawing the Peshmerga, welcomed the PKK’s return. An armed group called the Shengal Resistance Units made up of Yezidis was formed.

Another reason for the PKK’s interest in Sinjar is its proximity to the Syrian border. The most practical route to pro-PKK groups in Syria goes through Sinjar, hence the PKK’s determination to stay.

Recently, the KRG and the PKK tried again to find a solution, but failed. According to reports, the PKK laid down two conditions to be met for it to leave the area: to take part in the operation to liberate Sinjar, and official recognition of the Shengal Resistance Units. Heval Agid, the PKK official in charge of Sinjar, said the PKK will fight any effort to remove it from the area. He added that the PKK had officially declared it would leave the town after it was liberated.

Serbest Lezgin, a Peshmerga commander at Sinjar, rejected the PKK conditions. Lezgin explained that KRG President Massoud Barzani did not want the Kurdish parties to clash and ordered that operational plans be altered if necessary. “Massoud Barzani told us not to fight with the PKK. We don’t want fratricide. Never. That is President Barzani’s red line. The PKK is in the area. They are visible. They see themselves as a permanent fixture. They set up outposts and hoisted their flags. This is not appropriate for this area”. He added, “South Kurdistan is an official territory [of the KRG] with its own administration and institutions. The PKK is not pleased with that. They are saying they will stay until the liberation of Sinjar and will then leave, but it doesn’t look that way. They are thinking of staying here and [becoming] sovereign.”

According to Siddik Hasan Sukru, a political analyst living in the KRG capital of Erbil, Sinjar is as important to Turkey as it is to the YPG and the PKK. Sukru told Al-Monitor that he believes Turkey has played a part in the disagreement between the Kurdish parties. He said, “If Sinjar stays in the hands of the PKK or its partisans, it will be a gate between Rojava [Syrian Kurdistan] and Iraq. It will provide Rojava with an outlet to the outside world. But if the KDP dominates Sinjar, with the Semelka [border] gate already in Peshmerga hands, the YPG and the PYD will be encircled.” (The PYD is the US-supported Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party.) “Turkey doesn’t mind Sinjar being controlled by the Kurds, as long as it is not the PKK, but rather the Peshmerga, in charge. There is also a national sentiment issue. Everybody was saying the KDP did not protect the Yezidis and fled. They were protected by the PKK and the YPG. This became a matter of political prestige.

The KDP is determined to preserve its prestige by staying firm in Sinjar,” Sukru said in an interview on November 11, the day before the massive offensive against ISIS was launched. However, Sukru doesn’t think there will be clashes between Kurdish parties. “The KDP can disrupt PKK activities in other areas and restrict their logistics. Disagreement will continue in the political arena, but there will be no clashes. If clashes break out, other groups will be drawn into it and this will be against the KDP’s interests,” he added

https://undercoverinfo.wordpress.com/2015/11/13/breaking-kurdishyezidi-forces-liberate-sinjar-from-isis-reportsphotosvideo/

khad

13th November 2015, 14:58

Now that the entire Aleppo front is collapsing under the Syrian government onslaught, Free Syrian terrorists are lamenting how they didn't finish off the Kurds when they had the chance.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTsEy3FVAAAIWOK.jpg

"Today we're paying the price for sticking to the red lines. And not attacking Safeira defense factories when we could. And not attacking Afrin and leaving it for the PKK. And also sticking to red lines all the way from Latakia to Hama. And paying the price for depending on outside help. Al-Hadher, Al-Eiss, Tall Al-Eiss, Banes, and Rasm Sahrej are lost. And now the enemy is clearing the Aleppo-Damascus road"

The Feral Underclass

22nd November 2015, 23:20

An interesting interview

Meet One of the French Volunteers Fighting Against the Islamic State in Syria (https://news.vice.com/article/meet-one-of-the-french-volunteers-fighting-against-the-islamic-state-in-syria)

Futility Personified

23rd November 2015, 01:39

John Nada

23rd November 2015, 04:20

One thing that surprises me is that it was that easy to get there. I have always assumed that facebook is a fishing net for the security services, and something as easy as just asking the lions of rojave for help in getting there would surely be bait. Where are the clandestine meets? Where are the hats and the jazz soundtrack? I don't buy the idea that he was allowed to go, because even if france has a nominally socialist government most people would find concern in communists being trained in combat techniques, in case RAF type actions were to begin again. I know the left is and is considered a joke, but you'd think the powers that be would be more concerned? Or are they just expecting people to fuck off and die?Unfortunately in most countries and basically all of the First-World, leftists just don't inspire fear like they used to:(. A small possibility of a RAF-style organization in the future is much, much lower on the threat scale than Jihadists or other right-wing extremists. In fact, some aren't leftist at all, but simply oppose Daesh. Think I read the US is more concerned about Daesh infiltrating the Lions of Rojava than a leftist version of the Afghan Mujahideen blow-back. AFAIK the YPG/YPJ, Lions of Rojava and the International Freedom Battalion aren't listed as designated terrorist organizations in most countries except maybe Turkey. I don't think there's laws banning volunteering for a foreign military in a lot of countries.

The Feral Underclass

23rd November 2015, 06:51

One thing that surprises me is that it was that easy to get there. I have always assumed that facebook is a fishing net for the security services, and something as easy as just asking the lions of rojave for help in getting there would surely be bait. Where are the clandestine meets? Where are the hats and the jazz soundtrack? I don't buy the idea that he was allowed to go, because even if france has a nominally socialist government most people would find concern in communists being trained in combat techniques, in case RAF type actions were to begin again. I know the left is and is considered a joke, but you'd think the powers that be would be more concerned? Or are they just expecting people to fuck off and die?

Well they'd have to be spying on them to know. Also the transit route to Sulaymaniyah is not direct from the country of origin and it's perfectly legitimate and not against the law to fly to Kurdish Iraq. The French authorities would have to suspect this person of going to fight in order stop them from travelling. If people are going to get into trouble, it's mostly likely going to be coming back. I wouldn't be surprised if intelligence agencies have operations going on inside the YPG though. No one returning from Rojava has had charges against them. There is one Australian guy who was arrested trying to get to Rojava and recently a British woman has been arrested and charged with terrorist offended for trying to get to Turkey to join the PKK, but the PKK are a prescribed organisation. The YPG are not.

The Feral Underclass

23rd November 2015, 06:53

Also there have been several Daesh attempts to imitate the Lions of Rojava. It was a bit of a problem a couple of months ago.

Vladimir Innit Lenin

25th November 2015, 22:57

Also there have been several Daesh attempts to imitate the Lions of Rojava. It was a bit of a problem a couple of months ago.

Do you mean on the ground, or in terms of infiltrating the facebook and website pages? Presumably the latter would be difficult to do as they have been a fixture on fb for quite a while...

The Feral Underclass

25th November 2015, 23:06

Do you mean on the ground, or in terms of infiltrating the facebook and website pages? Presumably the latter would be difficult to do as they have been a fixture on fb for quite a while...

They have posed as recruiters online.

Sasha

28th November 2015, 17:56

The most prominent turkish-kurdish lawyer (who was under prosecution for refusing to call the PKK an terrorist organisation) got assassinated today in Amed (dyinkabar), heavy police attacks on remembrance demostrations in istanbul and elsewhere...

John Nada

1st December 2015, 12:07

Here's an interesting article on Rojava: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/magazine/a-dream-of-utopia-in-hell.html?_r=0 It covers some of the applications of Democratic Confederalism, Bookchin's influence, the communes and councils, feminism, education, and touches on Ocalan's attempt to correspond with Bookchin before his death. Rojava has many Arabs and other national minorities converting to Democratic Confederalism. In education, the students are active participants and equals to the teachers, rather than than this autocratic model of making wage slaves obey like in the west.

Bookchin was demoralized and disappointed that no real serious revolutions were happening towards the end of his life. When Ocalan contacted Bookchin through his lawyers, he thought Ocalan was probably just another one of those many "Stalinist" third-world guerrillas of the 20th century. But by the time he realized Ocalan and the PKK were seriously interested in his theories and putting them into practice, he was too sick to make further contact. I wonder what he'd think of his theories becoming reality in what is IMO potentially one of the most important revolutions in the 21st century thus far? Not only that, but front and center in a major geopolitical crises, with the potential to alter the the whole region, more or less.

Sasha

4th December 2015, 23:24

Turkey has send hundreds of troups to iraqi-kurdistan on a "trainings mission" for the Barzani pershmerga, supposedly to train them for an assault on Daesh around Mosul. Hope they dont mannage to provoke inter kurdish conflict with the PUK and PKK.

ckaihatsu

4th December 2015, 23:44

Turkey has send hundreds of troups to iraqi-kurdistan on a "trainings mission" for the Barzani pershmerga, supposedly to train them for an assault on Daesh around Mosul.

-- Thanks --

Sasha

5th December 2015, 16:48

More on the turkish boots on the ground situation; http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/iraq-demands-withdrawal-turkish-troops-mosul-151205061510572.html

Vladimir Innit Lenin

7th December 2015, 19:26

A fund has been set up to donate money towards Kurdish projects in the UK and in addition towards reconstruction in Kobane, Rojava. See here: http://www.weareplanc.org/blog/3k31days/

For background information see here: http://www.weareplanc.org/blog/rojava-solidarity-cluster-opening-statement/

The Feral Underclass

12th December 2015, 15:07

Nice article.

We need to talk about Turkey -- Slavoj Žižek (http://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2015/12/slavoj-zizek-why-we-need-talk-about-turkey)

Vladimir Innit Lenin

13th December 2015, 23:33

Nice article.

We need to talk about Turkey -- Slavoj Žižek (http://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2015/12/slavoj-zizek-why-we-need-talk-about-turkey)

The article's a little odd. You'd expect that Zizek would analyse some possible policies or actions towards Turkey that would have a practical effect on Turkey's ability to support and protect IS. In actuality, all he does is froth at the mouth about the world's attitude to Turkey and end up in a confused muddle; I don't think that 'the west vs Russia' has really played out much in this conflict, since the 'Assad or not' argument seems to have quietly slipped away in recent months.

We should be doing much more to highlight the barbaric nature of Assad's regime, and ignoring 'realpolitik' and putting much more pressure on Turkey to stop protecting IS. The sooner IS is defeated and a political solution is found between Assad, the Kurds, and the FSA, the quicker Syrians stop having to risk their lives seeking refuge from the terrible war.

bricolage

14th December 2015, 02:21

It's also pretty odd seeing as Zizek was chucking around a clash of civilizations argument just last month. (http://inthesetimes.com/article/18605/breaking-the-taboos-in-the-wake-of-paris-attacks-the-left-must-embrace-its) But whatever, he says what he says I guess...

Sentinel

25th December 2015, 03:55

Since december 23rd the YPG-led alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias Syrian Democratic Forces are advancing in a new operation in southern Kobane canton, south of the town of Sarrin, towards the Tishrin dam which constitutes the northernmost Euphrates river crossing still controlled by Daesh. Besides this, it is a very important electricity provider.

If deprived of it, Daesh will be left merely with a very narrow corridor on the west bank of the Euphrates, to Jarablus and its other remaining territories at the Turkish border. This potentially last Daesh supply & trade route to Turkey is threatened also by Bashar Assads regime forces which recently made an outbreak through the Daesh lines east of Aleppo, where they broke the long siege of an airbase and advanced to the outskirts of key Daesh held town Deir Hafir.

The YPG is wary of crossing the Euphrates due to threats from Turkey, but with potential successful Regime-YPG coordination, the Turkey-Raqqa traffic could be finally severed in a joint operation. This could be the actual death blow to Daesh.

The villages of Sahareej, Obeidat and al Manseeh a few others have been liberated so far, total advance constitutes 12 km with another 19 km left to reach the dam. Due to it being an important military crossing for Daesh there were calls after the end of the siege of Kobane for opening and flooding the dam by bombraids but there were too many objections about it harming civilians down the river.

Hopefully it can be liberated without excessive destruction.

Links:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0U719520151224

http://ypgrojava.com/en/2015/12/24/effective-operations-carried-out-hours-after-enduring-qsd-campaign-aimed-at-confronting-daesh-in-southern-kobane/

http://aranews.net/2015/12/syrian-democratic-forces-launch-new-campaign-against-isis-south-kobane/

Map (attachement):

Sentinel

26th December 2015, 21:42

After a swift campaign the Tishrin dam, and a considerable chunk of land around it to the south and the east, has been secured by the Syrian Democratic Forces on the morning of december 26. This is their second successful operation to meet fast and decisive success against Daesh in a short period of time; in early november the long time Daesh stronghold in eastern Hasakah province Al-Hawl was liberated (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Hawl_offensive) in a 2 week offensive.

Tishrin Dam under control of QSD forces

Combatanfts of Syrian Democratic Forces (QSD) who are continuing the operation in southern Kobanê have reached Tishrim Dam early this morning.
Saturday, December 26, 2015 9:45 AM
KOBANÊ - ANF
Combatants of Syrian Democratic Forces (QSD) who are continuing the operation in southern Kobanê have reached Tishrim Dam early this morning.

After encircling the dam and its surroundings, QSD fighters took control of the dam following clashes with ISIS gangs in this area.

According to the reports from the region, QSD combatants have taken all the roads leading to the dam under their control since last night. In the wake of clashes throughout the night, QSD forces have taken control of the dam, while fighting in the area continues.

The Tishrin Dam, 110 km to the south of Kobanê, has a strategic importance as a main route connecting Jarablus and Raqqa road. Seizure of the dam from ISIS will give the QSD forces a strategic superiority

http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdistan/tishrin-dam-under-control-of-qsd-forces

Attachment: a map of the current situation in the Syrian northeast:

Sasha

26th December 2015, 23:19

Kurdish Freedom Hawks (TAK) a shadowy armed group, probably a split from the PKK urban guerilla movement claimed a heavy mortar attack on Istanbul airport, this could signal a return to "terror" as a weapon employed by (a faction off) kurdish militants; http://www.kurdishinfo.com/tak-claims-responsibility-for-the-attack-at-sabiha-gokcen-airport

Sasha

26th December 2015, 23:41

Second city in TURKISH kurdistan annouces to have formed a YPG styled civil defence militia beyond the pkk youth movement already fighting, if these get lead by experienced PKK cadre and will be heavier armed (anti aicraft sams and anti tank propelled grenades) shit is going to escalate to a full return to civil war soon; http://www.kurdishinfo.com/civil-defense-units-yps-established-in-nusaybin

Sentinel

28th December 2015, 22:27

The apartment complex of Tishrin as well as the village of Sakaniya, which are adjacent to the recently liberated dam on the western bank of the Euphrates are now under SDF/YPG control. SDF is reportedly (according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tishrin_Dam_offensive)) pushing towards the city of Manbij, being currently within 15 kilometers from the important Daesh stronghold.

This should constitute a provocation to Turkey in light of Erdogan stating the river as a 'red line' for YPG advance. I suppose it still, all rumours and claims aside, remains to see whether this is an attempt to merely establish a foothold, or a full blown assault to bisect Daesh territory by reaching the SAA lines outside Aleppo, to conquer the city of Jarablus etc.

Sentinel

29th December 2015, 20:07

Turkish PM Davutoglu has apparently commented on the new SDF advance west of the Euphrates, saying Turkey will tolerate it for now because it has so far been conducted by non-kurdish SDF troops..

Backed by the airstrikes of the US-led international coalition, the SDF fighters not only seized territory along the eastern bank of the Euphrates, they pushed across the dam into the western side of the river, challenging Turkey’s self-declared “red-lines” for Kurdish activity in northern Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday warned that Ankara would not look “positively” on any force hostile to Turkey moving westward past the Euphrates, a reference to the YPG.

However, Davutoglu said that only Arab, and not YPG, forces had crossed the Euphrates following the seizure of the Tishreen Dam, implying that Ankara would accept--for the time being--the Kurds’ Arab allies in the YPG operating in Turkey’s planned “safe zone.

https://mobile.mmedia.me/lb/en/newsreports/566425-isis-flees-ahead-of-advancing-us-backed-coalition-monitor

Sentinel

2nd January 2016, 09:03

After securing a considerable foothold on the western bank of the Euphrates, the SDF seems to also have begun an advance eastward from Afrin Canton, near the city of Azaz. Two villages previously under control of 'rebel groups including Al Nusra' have been seized.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/rebel-groups-clash-northern-syria-160101203700264.html

The Feral Underclass

5th January 2016, 18:52

Kurdish activists storm Tory Campaign HQ in London (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/05/kurdish-protesters-storm-tory-campaign-hq-london) -- The Guardian

Kurdish protestors occupy Conservative HQ (https://www.rt.com/uk/327987-kurdish-protesters-occupy-conservative/) -- Russia Today

ckaihatsu

5th January 2016, 22:47

Sasha

11th January 2016, 11:58

12 Kurdish youngsters executed by Turkish special forces in Van; http://www.kurdishinfo.com/12-youths-executed-in-a-house-raid-in-van

Sasha

12th January 2016, 19:15

Turkey using chemical warfare against PKK; http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/shocking-images-of-dead-kurdish-fighters-turkey-accused-of-using-chemical-weapons-against-pkk-a-711536.html

Бай Ганьо

12th January 2016, 21:53

August 12, 2010 – 04:27 PM

Sasha

13th January 2016, 10:40

August 12, 2010 – 04:27 PM

Whoops, thank you.. goddamned social media

John Nada

30th January 2016, 23:08

According to social media and wire service reports nine people affiliated with the Spanish Marxist-Leninist organization Reconstrucción Comunista including one individual with Turkish nationality have been arrested in dawn raids at eleven addresses in Madrid, Valencia and Bilbao.

The raids target international support for the anti-fascist armed struggle in Rojava. According to a statement of the Interior Ministry carried by Reuters (http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0V515F) “Those arrested, in collaboration with other residents in other European countries, supplied the necessary infrastructure to send people to join the ranks of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) or the armed wing of the organization,”. http://www.signalfire.org/2016/01/28/repression-against-internationalists-in-spain/
Rojava Azadi Madrid wants to show its total rejection to the recent detentions of activists who support the Kurdish cause within the Spanish State.

The detentions of at least 9 activists in Valencia, Bilbao and Madrid, who show solidarity with the oppressed and support the revolution in Rojava, is another dangerous example of the complicity of the Spanish State with the fascist Turkish government.

Through the repressive apparatus represented today by the figure of Judge Eloy Velasco, as well as the Central and Provincial Evidence Gathering Teams, these activists have been arrested under false charges of helping the PKK(Workers Party of Kurdistan). If we look at Velasco’s career, he is the promoter of the latest operations against anarchists and other grassroots social movements in the Spanish State, most of which have been proved to be false, with no evidence to sustain them. He represents one of the main pillars of repression in this country.

We want to highlight the role of the newspapers La Razón and El País, who divulge false information, constantly publishing that the YPG (People’s Defense Units) are part of PKK, who is considered a terrorist organization by many countries. We insist that the YPG / YPJ are not considered terrorists by any country, except for Turkey, and many organizations are struggling to remove the PKK from terrorist lists, as it is the main force fighting against the Islamic State in the region.

We strongly condemn the detentions of these activists who, through international solidarity, support the Kurdish people and the YPG / YPJ, leading proponents of the resistance on the ground against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

We strongly condemn the repressive state apparatus, which focuses its efforts on detaining activists and leaves politicians, bankers and other corrupt personalities who plunder the population unpunished and free.

We also condemn the media that publishes false information to confuse, deceive and manipulate reality, helping to create a misinformed society, subject to the manipulation of the state and its repressive institutions.

Our solidarity against repression!

Freedom for those who support the Kurdish cause!

#ApoyoDetenidos27E http://www.signalfire.org/2016/01/29/statement-from-rojava-azadi-madrid-about-the-9-people-detained-for-supporting-the-kurdish-struggle/

Sentinel

10th February 2016, 10:00

As most have no doubt heard, since about a week back the Syrian government forces of Bashar Assad are rapidly advancing in Aleppo province with the assistance of Hezbollah, Iranian forces, Iraqi and Afghan militiamen, and above all an immense show of Russian airpower. Having already severed the Turkey- and Saudi-backed rebels main supply line to the Turkish border and threatening a full siege of rebel-held eastern Aleppo city, the regime seems closer than in long time to turning the tide and winning a decisive victory at least in northwestern Syria, unless the conflict escalates further by more powers getting directly involved.

There has been less coverage however of the actions of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Afrin canton during these events. Taking advantage of the army offensive, and according to some sources in some cases apparently also coordinating their actions with it, the YPG/J and the SDF-aligned Jaish al Thuwar (Army of the Revolutionaries) have made significant advances eastward, closing in on the rebel held towns of Azaz and Tell Rifaat. According to the wikipedia article on the offensive, also the kurds seem to have benefited from Russian air support.

Several villages, and most recently the important Menagh airbase have been captured, opening the question if the YPG is going to make the long-anticipated attempt to unify the Rojavan territory by linking the canton of Afrin with that of Kobane. I have however as of now not heard of any recent advancements westward from the Euphrates and the Tishrin dam.

See thumbnail for map of the frontline changes:

khad

14th February 2016, 18:16

Don't look now, but Turkey is now attacking northern Syria, where the YPG is trying to seal the border and connect the cantons. SAA positions have also been shelled.

The general sentiment I've been getting from kurds on social media has been swinging hard pro-Russia, as the United States has called on the YPG to call off the offensive and go back to Afrin. The Turks now have a joint operations room with the Saudis (not NATO, trololol) and are threatening to launch a ground invasion.

http://eaworldview.com/2016/02/syria-daily-supporting-rebels-turkey-shells-kurdish-ypg-militia/#YPG
http://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2016/02/13/us-urges-ypg-to-avoid-taking-advantage-of-chaotic-situation-in-syria
https://www.rt.com/news/332414-turkey-continues-shell-kurdish/

When push comes to shove, the preservation NATO is the USA's most important strategic goal in the region. I can't believe people lost sight of that.

ChangeAndChance

20th February 2016, 14:36

A new SDF/Kurdish campaign appears to have been launched into the ISIS-held city of al-Shaddadi and its surrounding villages and oil fields with great success.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shaddadi_offensive_(2016)

There is also heavy fighting to defend the YPG exclave in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood just north of Aleppo.

khad

27th February 2016, 11:13

Right after the ceasefire went into effect, Islamic State forces entered Tel Abyad from the Turkish side of the border.

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha (https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha) 11h11 hours ago (https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/703374141483720705) #IS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IS?src=hash) have entered Tel Abyad from the Turkish side and is clashing with #SDF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDF?src=hash) elements inside the city

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha (https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha) 2h2 hours ago (https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/703510618326740992) Clashes continue between #IS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IS?src=hash) & #YPG (https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash)/#Asayish (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Asayish?src=hash) in Tel Abyad

J. Faraday ‏@CTstudies (https://twitter.com/CTstudies) 15m15 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/CTstudies/status/703534008681021440) currently under attack by Daesh (as claimed by Amaq): Tal Abyad, Bir Marwan, Suluk

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcN0bFNXIAAouoD.jpg

khad

3rd March 2016, 23:38

Salih Muslim's official account just tweeted this

Saleh Moslem ‏@serokepyd (https://twitter.com/serokepyd) Mar 2 (https://twitter.com/serokepyd/status/705137080129736704) How the U.S. Lost the Kurds http://t.usnews.com/Zibavm?src=usn_tw … (https://t.co/fawYUjQkFW) via @usnews (https://twitter.com/usnews)

khad

5th March 2016, 19:13

UlwxiKIsdDs

ANNA reporter says that despite the ceasefire the intensity of the clashes here hasn't decreased and that the Islamists are redeploying forces to the vicinity of Sheikh Maqsud which were freed up by their ceasefire with the Syrian Army. Seems like the rebels will storm Sheikh Maqsud soon.

At 0:50 - 2:50 they go to a street where 2 rebel shells from Ashrafiyeh landed(mostly Kurdish rebels there by the way, this is basically an inter-Kurdish conflict). 2 building were destroyed, and they recover a civilian casualty from the first one.

At 3:00, another shell lands nearby, but doesn't explode.

At 3:50, they find the unexploded shell. It's one of the "Hell Cannon" mortar rounds.

Then more UXOs are shown.

At 5:30 they go to the clinic where the casualties are treated.
Sheikh Maqsud is that Kurdish area in Aleppo

ckaihatsu

6th March 2016, 20:05

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/03/turkey-fears-of-zaman-newspaper-takeover/

Turkey: Zaman newspaper taken over as government steamrolls press freedom

4 March 2016, 13:11 UTC

Updated at 16:10 GMT.

Today’s government takeover of Zaman newspaper is the latest deeply troubling episode in the Turkish authorities’ ongoing onslaught on dissenting media, Amnesty International said today.

According to the state news agency Anadolu, at the request of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a court appointed trustees to take over the newspaper's management.

“By lashing out and seeking to rein in critical voices, President Erdogan’s government is steamrolling over human rights,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey expert.

By lashing out and seeking to rein in critical voices, President Erdogan’s government is steamrolling over human rights.
Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey expert
“A free and independent media, together with the rule of law and independent judiciary, are the cornerstones of internationally guaranteed freedoms which are the right of everyone in Turkey.”

Just last week, the TV channel IMCTV was taken off air, silencing the only national news channel reporting a counter view of the situation in south-eastern Turkey, where round-the-clock curfews were imposed as armed clashes devastated entire towns.

Last October, court-appointed administrators took over media outlets within the Koza İpek group. President Erdogan has even refused to recognize a Constitutional Court ruling releasing the prominent Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül. The two had been had been imprisoned since November 2015, awaiting trial on charges of assisting a terrorist organization, espionage and revealing confidential documents.

Last week Amnesty International documented a disturbing pattern of attacks on freedom of the press in Turkey in its Annual Report on the State of World’s Human Rights.

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John Nada

15th March 2016, 21:02

10 revolutionary organisations from Kurdistan and Turkey have announced the establishment of Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement as a unity of force and action formed in the wake of discussions ongoing since December.10 revolutionary organisations from Kurdistan and Turkey have announced the establishment of Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement as a unity of force and action formed in the wake of discussions ongoing since December.

Representatives of 10 revolutionary organisations attended a joint press meeting in guerrilla zones to announce their alliance with the purpose of stepping up the revolution in all areas including armed struggle against the “collaborative fascist AKP and TC (Turkish Republic) system of sovereignty”.

Speaking here before the press release, PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan listed the names of the following revolutionary organisations from Turkey and Kurdistan that got united to defeat fascism and become a glimmer of hope for peoples; TKP/ML, PKK, THKP-C/MLSPB, MKP, TKEP-LENİNİST, TİKB, DKP, DEVRÎMCÎ KARARGAH and MLKP.

While Proletarian Revolutionary Coordination also joins the United Revolutionary Movement, Resurrection Movement has voiced favorable opinion to join the association.

Kalkan said this unity of revolutionary forces has been formed to accomplish revolution against the AKP that is trying to establish a new fascist dictatorship by restoring the fascist military coups of 12 March and 12 September. He pointed out that the Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement has also been announced on 12 March at the 45th anniversary of 12 March 1971's fascist military coup, 21st anniversary of 12 March 1995 Gazi massacre, and 12th anniversary of 12 March 2004 Qamishlo massacre.

Kalkan continued, inviting all those revolutionary organisations and societal circles that want to fight fascism to join the joint struggle.

Kalkan's speech was followed by the read-out of the joint declaration in Turkish and Kurdish, which called attention to the ongoing crisis and war in the Middle East that threatens the whole humanity.

Stressing that the AKP government took part in one of the dirtiest alliances formed by regional and international powers in this bloody war, the joint declaration pointed to the all-out war the AKP is waging against all the peoples and opposition groups in the country today, with especially the Kurdish people suffering a massacre under tank and artillery fire targeting their ancient living areas.

"The Turkish Republic is trying hard to establish a one-party dictatorship and suppress the entire opposition by gathering behind itself all the traditional, modern, reactionary and fascist powers of the system of sovereignty. This bloody and fascist alliance is being sustained over enmity against Kurds today. The heavy destruction, pain and exploitation created by regional powers has brought the revolutionary state to maturity and paved the way for Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement. Defending and progressing the Rojava revolution, Kurdish resistance for self-rule and United Revolutionary Struggle of our peoples means defending the life safety and future of all the oppressed, laborers, intellectuals, democrats and all the people. No social circle in Turkey has a safe future within this system as all opposition powers are under attack. If the Kurdish resistance for self-rule gets broken, the AKP government will suppress the entire opposition in Turkey with blood in the same aggressiveness and cruelty. The future of progressive, revolutionary and pro-labor circles in Turkey is therefore intertwined with the future of the Kurdish resistance”, the declaration said.

The statement underlined that Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement aims to attain democracy and free future for peoples against imperialism, capitalism, chauvinism, fascism and racism, by considering the overthrow of the fascist AKP ruling with all its social bases through popular revolution as essential.

Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement called upon everyone harmed by fascism and reactionism, mainly women, youth and workers to get organised, united and fight for freedom, democracy and fraternity of peoples. https://anfenglish.com/news/peoples-united-revolutionary-movement-established-for-a-joint-struggle

John Nada

26th March 2016, 10:08

25 March 2016

Kurdish Question

Kurdistan Communities’ Union (KCK) Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayik has responded to the recent call for “national mobilisation” by Turkey President Erdogan and said, “Erdogan has called for national mobilisation against the Kurds, as if the PKK is trying to divide Turkey. By doing this he wants to legitimise his dirty war. This war has nothing to do with the historical wars in Malazgirt (1071), Çanakkale (1915) and the National War of Independence (1919); Erdogan has declared war on the Kurds, the biggest supporters of the Turks in these wars.”

In an article written for Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat, Cemil Bayik, leader of the Kurdish Movement’s umbrella organisation, the KCK, said, “[Erdogan] has a mentality, politics and practice that is antithetical to the historical relations between Turks and Kurds. The Kurds are not dividing anyone’s homeland; they want to live freely and democratically in their own homeland. The resistance to achieve self-governance is to make Turkey a joint-homeland. It is, for this reason, complete demagoguery when they say we are trying to divide the country and they are defending it. What is happening is that they want to enslave, eliminate and deny Kurds their rights and are using this rhetoric to hide this policy."

Erdogan is the real separatist

Bayik who recently told the British Times that they wanted to topple Erdogan and the AKP government because a resolution to the Kurdish question and peace would not be possible otherwise, went on to say, "The real separatist in Turkey is Erdogan; it is Erdogan and the AKP government who are preventing unity between the Kurdish people and the peoples of Turkey. Kurds want to live in a joint-homeland within a democratic nation. And they have declared this in no uncertain terms, both ideologically and politically. However Erdogan’s response has been to disregard a joint-homeland and co-existence, instead he has vowed to eliminate the Kurds. He is intent on destroying the co-existence of diverse groups and is insisting on Turkification. This is their policy and what they have agreed with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Mobilisation for democracy and peace

"It is Erdogan and the AKP’s policies that are dividing the country. To counter this and achieve democratic unity we need mass mobilisation. We need a democracy bloc against the AKP-MHP’s fascist bloc, which is eroding democracy. We need a peace and democracy bloc against the war being perpetrated on the Kurdish people and democracy forces. It is unacceptable that democracy forces are scattered and not uniting when there is such a great attack on democracy by Erdogan. The forces of democracy must unite around a programme for democracy and a just peace."Source: http://kurdishquestion.com/index.php/kurdistan/north-kurdistan/erdogan-is-the-separatist-not-the-pkk-says-kck-s-cemil-bayik.html

ckaihatsu

29th March 2016, 19:37

Congress: Don't Fund Groups Attacking Syrian Kurds

Just Foreign Policy

Dear Chris,

Urge Congress to cut off support for groups in Syria that attacked Syrian Kurds fighting ISIS.

Take Action (http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MhGf6od0Abr9e2MWRzXIYPhSH3EcG%2FVr)

CIA-backed armed groups in Syria have been attacking Syrian Kurdish forces that the Pentagon supports because they are fighting against ISIS. According (http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OaW54I%2Bf6n3SwcRIpl0op%2FhSH3EcG%2FVr) to the Los Angeles Times, CIA-backed groups that have attacked Syrian Kurds include Fursan al Haq and the Suqour Al-Jabal brigade.

Urge Congress to cut off all U.S. assistance to armed groups in Syria that have attacked Syrian Kurds. (http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=mRd4Zg8aeVuoFOgvoVCYCfhSH3EcG%2FVr)

U.S. policy towards the Syrian Kurds can move. Many Members of Congress of both parties were never jazzed about CIA backing of jihadist groups in Syria in the first place. And even the New York Times is now saying (http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BSSKNY%2FkP3aQ6lI4yDa1avhSH3EcG%2FVr) that the U.S. should be open to Kurdish proposals for self-rule in Syria.

Urge Congress to cut off all U.S. assistance to armed groups in Syria that have attacked Syrian Kurds by signing and sharing our petition now (http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BjsP5PtriMeI4EYr%2FFrAwfhSH3EcG%2FVr).

Thanks for all you do to help make U.S. foreign policy more just,

Robert Naiman, Avram Reisman, and Sarah Burns
Just Foreign Policy

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Sentinel

8th April 2016, 06:32

FSA together with Nusra and assorted islamists have begun an eastward offensive against Daesh along the border east of Afrin canton, reportedly supported by Turkish artillery. They have made large gains, capturing the town and border crossing of al-Ra'i and lots of adjacent villages. This area changing owners potentially complicates the chances of SDF/YPG to unify the Rojavan territories without provoking Turkey further; on the other hand Turkey hasn't been accepting of YPG gains against Daesh in this particular region either.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/rebels-make-huge-gains-along-turkish-syrian-border-map-update/

pastradamus

21st April 2016, 00:17

Irish YPG fighter arrested in Iraq:
http://www.thejournal.ie/joshua-molloy-iraq-2721604-Apr2016/

her biji kurdistan!

MarxSchmarx

16th July 2016, 03:26

PLEASE READ THIS STICKIED THREAD IN POLITICS BEFORE POSTING ABOUT THE COUP!!!!

http://www.revleft.com/vb/threads/195921-COUP-D-TURKEY-Ongoing-military-power-grab

A Revolutionary Tool

14th August 2016, 00:39

The first Arab Commune is being set up in a village south of Kobane:

The residents of the Girane village in the south of Kobanê have declared the formation of the first commune in an Arab village.The Democratic Autonomous Administration and Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) of Rojava are continuing their efforts to form communes in the villages of Kobanê. A meeting was held recently in Girane village in the south of Kobanê to form the first commune in an Arab village.
TEV-DEM member Amed Kobanê, Society Defence Forces (HPC) member Cemil Hemze and villagers were present at the meeting. Following a minute’s silence in memory of those killed in war, Cemil Hemze gave a seminar about the mentality behind a communal life and the work done in the village to form the commune.
After the seminar, the commune’s co-chairs and 17 executives were elected for the commune assembly. Committees for education, economy, defence, peace and public services were also formed.
As is the rule, a man and woman were elected to be the co-chairs of the commune. In their speeches co-chairs Mihemed El-Mestûr and Menal Hemûd promised to serve the people and take their roles seriously.

40 families live in Girane village with most of them belonging to the Ebûlas tribe. Girane is known for being the last village liberated from Islamic State (IS/ISIS) in the south of Kobanê.
http://www.kurdishquestion.com/article/3347-first-commune-in-an-arab-village-formed-in-kobane

Does anybody have any links talking about the economic situation in Rojava and how things like this Commune relate to the wider economy?

John Nada

21st August 2016, 15:18

The first Arab Commune is being set up in a village south of KobaneIIRC they've have Arabs and many other nationalities participate in all other organizations in Rojava. Seems Bedouin Arabs are more open to democratic confederalism for some reason. Maybe this is the first in an Arab village without Kurds? Ocalan did theorize that democratic confederalism could be applicable not just for Kurds, but all the nations in the Middle East, replacing the nation-states with a Democratic Nation(a post-nation). If it catches on among Arabs too, this could challenge the hegemony of capitalist modernity and provide a revolutionary alternative to both Baathist nationalism and semi-feudal Islamism.
Does anybody have any links talking about the economic situation in Rojava and how things like this Commune relate to the wider economy? https://roarmag.org/magazine/building-democracy-without-a-state/ http://kurdishquestion.com/oldsite/index.php/kurdistan/west-kurdistan/rojava-s-communes-and-councils/578-rojava-s-communes-and-councils.html http://kurdishquestion.com/oldsite/index.php/kurdistan/west-kurdistan/rojava-the-formation-of-an-economic-alternative/604-rojava-the-formation-of-an-economic-alternative.html There's not much industry. The economy is largely based on agriculture. Under the Syrian state, thought it did make some agrarian reforms, this largely excluded Kurds and more benefited bureaucratic capitalists. Wheat monoculture, climate change and state mismanagement has damaged what was a breadbasket(possible being a big contributing factor to the Syrian Civil War). The Syrian state largely neglected the Kurds and was often hostile to Bedouin Arab tribes too. Most of the economy seems to be ran by cooperatives now.

John Nada

25th August 2016, 02:14

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37171995 The Turkish military and its "moderate" child-beheading rebel allies are launching an offensive against Jarablus with US support. Daesh quickly retreated.

Turkey's offensive is to prevent the SDF from connecting the cantons. The US is demanding the SDF to retreat back east of the Euphrates, which was liberated after a blood battle with Daesh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manbij_offensive). YPG says no (https://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/ypg-we-will-not-retreat-from-west-of-euphrates), and reportedly there's clashes between Turkish-backed FSA and the SDF: http://www.kurdishquestion.com/article/3383-clashes-between-turkey-fsa-and-manbij-military-council

This is a big deal. There's a possibility of all-out war between Turkey and Rojava.:unsure:

ckaihatsu

25th August 2016, 15:53

reportedly there's clashes between Turkish-backed FSA and the SDF: http://www.kurdishquestion.com/article/3383-clashes-between-turkey-fsa-and-manbij-military-council

Turkish tanks and FSA militants had earlier entered Jarablus and taken the already evacuated city from Islamic State.

http://www.kurdishquestion.com/article/3383-clashes-between-turkey-fsa-and-manbij-military-council

From this I'm thinking that the weakening of the Islamic State would create a power vaccum that could be vied-for by the differing interests of Turkey (backing the *anti-Assad* FSA), and that of the Kurds (involved with the U.S. in the *pro-Syrian* SDF).

The SDF claims to be fighting to create a secular, democratic and federal Syria.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces

Even though Turkey recently distanced itself from the U.S. -- an act that most likely fed-into the precipitating of the anti-Erdoğan coup -- it looks very much like Turkey's *military* orientation hasn't budged *a bit*: it still is backing the FSA against Assad, which has been a Western / NATO / neocon objective all along.

---

Suleyman Soylu, Turkey’s labor minister, went so far as to charge that “The United States is behind the coup.” Erdoğan himself has attributed the entire affair to followers of his former ally and current enemy, the pro-American Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania and apparently enjoys protection from within the US state. When Erdoğan denounces Gülen, it is safe to say that he is really talking about Obama.

The attempted rapprochement with Russia reportedly involves discussions on a political settlement in Syria outside the control of the US government.

[O]n the eve of the coup, Turkey’s new prime minister even talked of reviving relations with Syria.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/07/18/pers-j18.html

John Nada

27th August 2016, 22:01

An HGP car bomb wiped out a police station in Cirze. 11 cops dead, 78 wounded(three civilians): http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/car-bomb-hits-police-headquarters-southeast-turkey-160826055329048.html

John Nada

27th August 2016, 22:19

ANKARA — One Turkish soldier was killed and three others wounded in a rocket attack on a tank close to the northern Syrian town of Jarablus on Saturday, Turkish military sources said, after Turkey launched a cross-border offensive this week.

The sources said the rocket was fired from territory held by the Kurdish YPG militia.

Rebels opposed to the Turkish intervention had earlier on Saturday denied there were Kurdish forces in the area. Turkey has said its campaign in Syria is targeting Islamic State and preventing Kurdish forces extending their territory in north Syria.

(Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Patrick Markey) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/08/27/world/middleeast/27reuters-mideast-crisis-syria-casualties.html?ref=world

ckaihatsu

28th August 2016, 15:42

Turkey expands invasion of Syria

By Jordan Shilton

26 August 2016

With support from the US Air Force and military “advisers,” Turkish soldiers expanded their invasion of northern Syria Thursday.

Operation Euphrates Shield is being justified by Ankara as necessary to seize the town of Jarablus from Islamic State forces and push back the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates River. In reality, the military operation marks a major escalation of the US-backed regime change operation in Syria aimed at overthrowing the government of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus which threatens to plunge the entire region into conflict and draw in the major powers.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/08/26/syri-a26.html

Tankie

20th October 2016, 07:54

It's actually hard not to think about flying over there and joining them in their revolutionary fight. Idk... Has anyone else thought about it?

(A)

20th October 2016, 08:02

I looked into it. You fly to a middle ground country where they teach you basic kurdish and how to shoot then fly you to Turkey.

Tankie

20th October 2016, 08:03

How easy is it to contact them? Do they have a recruitment website?

pastradamus

5th January 2017, 23:55

It's actually hard not to think about flying over there and joining them in their revolutionary fight. Idk... Has anyone else thought about it?

I have thought about it several times. In the end I come to the conclusion that I know little about the area, the culture or the fight itself. The limited military experience I have may help but in the end I don't want to risk my life on that basis. I do keep in contact with some lads out there though, and I regularly blog about the issue. There is a good interview with the IFB / Bob Crow brigades here on Stimulator's youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYdMCxyGP7k

John Nada

8th February 2017, 03:15

Revisionists are allergic to revolution—the very thought of liberation sends them into involuntary shivers. Our orientation toward them remains the same: if we cannot convince them we will out organize them and isolate them to the best of our limited ability in local conditions. When our positions paper was released in the middle of last year it caused right-revisionists to squirm with unfounded fears that they were under immediate violent threat from our small collective. As hysterical as this was we insist our position is the same. As revolution grows their allergy places them in direct and antagonistic contradiction with the revolutionary forces, history has shown this the world over. For a revolutionary situation to mount, revisionism of the unarmed legalist variety can no longer hold sway with the people. This is a universal law. Their tacit and surface level support for “armed struggle” is only the trap door which sits at the base of the gallows of electoral politics. They support reactionary states over revolutionary armed forces the world over.

Our recent fundraiser to send anti-fascists to Rojava (which was pulled down from youcaring’s website) generated enough backlash from these so-called leftists that it provides us a moment of political education which we would like to share with our supporters or those still confused by the political quagmire that is the Syrian situation. Without pause to even make an analysis, the reactionaries who call themselves socialists began crying out with farcical and laughable ideas that “RGA is invading Syria”, which is even funnier than when we were accused of hunting them down like dogs. We were called imperialists and our supporters were banned from online groups. These revisionists wasted no time using their petty social media capital to suppress any efforts on our part to support the struggle against Daesh. Their “support” is meaningless whether it is for the Assad government or for the PYD-led efforts in Rojava, it is the support of spectators, of flies on the wall.

So let’s unpack this a little bit—expecting no response from the revisionists. We won’t argue with them but we make our case to those yet to take a side. One of the fundamental reasons that the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) has inspired so many groups and armies in the region is their commitment to armed struggle; they do not fear the gun and have held fast to this throughout their many changes. While we are Maoists who do not share their Democratic Confederalist ideology, we too are inspired by their commitment to revolutionary armed struggle, especially by the groups who are fighting Daesh (ISIS/ISIL). As Maoists we believe in the right to self-determination for oppressed nations and unlike these revisionists we actually follow the teachings of comrade Stalin on this question. By all measures the Kurdish people are a divided and oppressed as well as occupied nation and all revolutionaries must support their right to self-determination. This means revolutionaries oppose not only Daesh but the Turkish state and the Islamist forces in the Free Syrian Army as well. The principle aspect in the fight against the black forces of reaction in the region is an anti-fascist characteristic that cannot be ignored. What Rojava represents to us and the world is irreplaceable—it represents revolutionary progress, internationalist solidarity, and the front line against fascism. Daesh and their supporters represent the most backward and sick ideology which praises feudalism, fundamentalism, rape slavery, torture, and worships death. US imperialism reluctantly “opposing” Daesh all while covertly seeing to it that aid reaches them through their reactionary puppets in the FSA is not a reason for us to denounce the comrades in Rojava that include both Maoist and Marxist-Leninist communist parties, armies, and organizations.

So why do the revisionists seethe with hatred for the liberators in Rojava? This is due to their mechanical, dogmatic, and delusional insistence that China is socialist and Russia is a progressive force in the world today. While centrists claim this is a matter that should be left aside when making revolution, that we should submit to unprincipled peace, we remain firm that this is a distinction of revolutionary importance.

As China, Russia, and Iran keep Assad on life support, it becomes the top task of these domestic revisionists to discourage support for those fighting fascism in the region, even for those who are not at war with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). They ignore the Kurdish nation’s right to self-determination and go so far as to claim we support “invading Syria”. Let us be clear: Rojava is no longer occupied by Syria. Rojava is Kurdish land. As the PYD allied forced do enter Syria it is in the fight against fascism and it is with the support of Arab Syrians. The city of Raqqa is a Daesh stronghold and Daesh poses the most immediate threat to the masses of people—Arab and Kurd alike. We are for the eradication of fascism, we are for the Americans who died fighting Franco, we are for the revolutionaries from all over the world who serve in the fight against Daesh fascism. As these comrades prepare to face death at the hands of this savage beast our hearts swell with pride for them.

Please donate to RGA at this link, we are still committed to our goal:
new **
https://www.youcaring.com/redguardsaustin-752699

Em hatin!

Death to Daesh!

Long live the International Freedom Battalion!

-Red Guards AustinSource: http://www.redspark.nu/en/national-liberation-struggle/red-guards-austin-internationalism-is-a-matter-of-life-and-death/

ckaihatsu

8th February 2017, 18:41

May 2017 in Iraq Kurdistan

http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/codepink/mailings/1430/attachments/original/unnamed-69.jpg?1486484081

Dear Chris,

This May 2017 join CODEPINK on a trip to Iraq Kurdistan led by the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) (http://www.codepink.org/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpt.org%2F&e=247b6f0c69174ee7dfa25e341c4eedfe&utm_source=codepink&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kurdistantrip&n=2).

Dates: May 5-20, 2017
Application: Click here to apply (http://www.codepink.org/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpt.org%2Fparticipate%2Fdeleg ation%2Fapply&e=247b6f0c69174ee7dfa25e341c4eedfe&utm_source=codepink&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kurdistantrip&n=3)
Price: $3200 US, which includes round-trip airfare from a designated U.S. or Canadian city. Those planning to travel from other countries, contact the CPT office ([email protected]) for more information.
May 5-20, 2017 join CODEPINK on a trip to Iraq Kurdistan led by the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT).

The Kurds of northern Iraq faced discrimination, terror, and death under the regime of Saddam Hussein. After the 1991 Gulf War, they gained a measure of autonomy and safety under U.S. protection. Therefore, as the security situation deteriorated in rest of Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, thousands of displaced persons fled to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) area in the north, where it seemed safer. However, northern border villages have recently been the site of military attacks by Turkey and Iran.

Click here to apply! (http://www.codepink.org/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcpt.org%2Fparticipate%2Fdelegatio n%2Fapply&e=247b6f0c69174ee7dfa25e341c4eedfe&utm_source=codepink&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kurdistantrip&n=4)

CPT's delegations will be based in Sulaimani, in the KRG. Delegates will meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, displaced persons, and government officials. They will gain a perspective on the challenges facing people in northern Iraq and the impact of the violence in other areas of Iraq and along the borders of the KRG. The delegation will participate in the work of CPT's longer-term project (http://www.codepink.org/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpt.org%2Fwork%2Firaq&e=247b6f0c69174ee7dfa25e341c4eedfe&utm_source=codepink&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kurdistantrip&n=5) of reporting on human rights abuses and supporting local reconciliation. Some physical rigors may be involved.

CPT has had a presence in Iraq since October 2002, first in Baghdad and since November 2006 in Iraqi Kurdistan.For more information, contact Rev. Winstong ([email protected]) at the CPT office.

**This is the current itinerary for the trip (as of January 2017), please note that it is subject to change!**

In peace,
Nancy and CODEPINK

Donate Now (http://www.codepink.org/donate_to_codepink?e=247b6f0c69174ee7dfa25e341c4ee dfe&utm_source=codepink&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kurdistantrip&n=6)

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badger2

13th February 2017, 22:25

Spectres of Ishtar

Apparently, Ishtar is the avatar-goddess of Rojava. Since Putin's daughter holds a degree in Japanese philology, it seems worth mentioning the contradiction:

In the Japanese system, the high proportion of borrowed logographic values, along with equivalent values from the language of the adopters, can be attributed in no small part to the powerful influence of writing as an instrument of prestige. In the Mesopotamian system, the same phenomena are at work. Not only has Akkadian borrowed a large number of phonetic, semantic, and logographic values (loanwords) from Sumerian, but also Sumerian itself would seem to have borrowed in its turn from a linguistically unrelated community, that of the Indo-European-speaking Euphrateans....Emesal as a women's language.'
(Whittaker G, The Case for Euphratic)

badger2

13th February 2017, 22:33

The anti-democratic contradiction is that the right to religious freedom is guaranteed in the Rojava Constitution, so the authoritarian Ishtar is somewhat compromised in confronting the religions of Christian-Pagan Europe, especially since Armenian pagans killed themselves and their children rather than confront the Christian advance. This is a replay of Native Americans being prevented from performing their religious ceremony at the Washington Monument.

badger2

13th February 2017, 22:42

Aligning the Chrons

5 Nov 2013 Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova transferred to prison IK-50

5 Nov 2014 RFE RL first mention of Rojava: "Meet the Wisconsin Vet Who's Fighting with the Kurds Against IS."

- - - Updated - - -

Aligning the Chrons

31 Aug 2016 Dublin Protest to Defend Rojava.

4 Sept 2016 Brian Rossell suicide.

John Nada

1st April 2017, 07:11

TAWILA, Syria — Late last year, two American Marxists traveled to northeastern Syria with the goal of experiencing firsthand the egalitarian utopia Syria’s Kurds are seeking to build.

Instead, they found themselves fighting on the front lines of a war, against the Islamic State and alongside the agents of imperialism their political convictions have taught them to despise.

For Brace Belden, 27, a florist from San Francisco, and Lucas Chapman, 21, a Georgetown University history graduate, a journey intended to deepen their understanding of how socialism works turned into much more of an adventure than they had anticipated. They fired guns, got shot at, and as they prepared to head home, have learned from news reports that a movie is going to be made based on their experiences, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Belden and Chapman are among hundreds of Westerners who have made the journey to northeastern Syria over the past two years to volunteer with the Kurds, which is not illegal in the United States. Many of them are U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who want to get into the fight.

Some, however, like Belden and Chapman, are idealists, intrigued by the new society the Syrian Kurds claim to be building. The two men, who did not know each other until they arrived in Syria, say they had intended to immerse themselves in the community structures being established by the People’s Democratic Union, the Marxist-inspired political party that controls northeastern Syria.More at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/how-two-us-marxists-wound-up-on-the-front-lines-against-isis/2017/03/30/3c722344-c79e-11e6-acda-59924caa2450_story.html

pastradamus

7th May 2017, 23:11

Cool video of some of the members of "Spanish section" of the IFB. Notice the Antifa lapels at 0.45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVyUaoyumY&feature=youtu.be

pastradamus

10th May 2017, 22:17

The SDY/YPG/YPJ have taken Tabqa and surrounding area's today -including the Tabqa dam. Its been a long time coming but its finally here. They are now moving to push on Ar-Raqqa as the Manbij military council move in to secure Tabqa along with its Police force. The town bakery is now handing out free bread subsidised by the SDF.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39877719

https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/16C5F/production/_95997239_44692b5a-bc57-41ff-9508-8674154a9dc0.jpg

pastradamus

15th May 2017, 22:31

Not Rojava but Iraqi Kurdistan:

From RUDAW:

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - After the state-backed Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi started its campaigns to control villages around the Yezidi town of Shingal over the weekend, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani opposed the group nearing Yezidi populated areas in a meeting with security and military officials of Shingal.

As soon as the Hashd al-Shaabi besieged the two Yezidi areas of Tal Qasab and Tal Banat, President of the Kurdistan Region and General Commander of the Peshmerga Armed Forces Barzani was informed of the Hashd move and therefore stressed in the meeting with the Shingal officials that “Hashd must not enter those [Yezidi] areas.”

A Peshmerga official who was an attendant of the Barzani meeting told Rudaw TV that the Peshmerga was aware of the plan in the first place. He accused the Hashd of changing their plans by attacking Yezidi populated areas and "breaching" an agreement between Erbil and Baghdad on the Shingal region which rejects Shiite presence in the region.

From the ISIS held Turkmen town of Tal Afar towards Qairawan in Shingal in northern Iraq, Hashd al-Shaabi has been fighting to clear ISIS out of the area for three days and until now it has captured nine Turkmen and Arab inhabited villages and besieged two Yezidi complexes.

“As soon as we realized they had changed their plan, we informed President Barzani and therefore he asked for an urgent meeting," said Sarbast Lazgin who is tasked with overseeing Peshmerga forces in Shingal.

Lazgin explained to Rudaw “before the attack started, an official with Hashd al-Shaabi informed us but he only talked about Qairawan and Baaj towns. We warned them not to enter Yezidi populated areas.”

Lazgin, who has been leading Peshmerga forces in Shingal since day one revealed that there is an existing agreement between Erbil and Baghdad which rejects military presence of the Hashd in Yezidi inhabited areas.

"After Shingal was liberated by the Peshmerga, some areas around it were left under ISIS control. We had coordination with the Iraqi government, awaiting them to control Baaj and Qairawan areas, then we would control the remaining areas.”

But he accused the Hashd of “breaching the agreement.”

Haji Jawdat, media officer to the Badr organization, an armed group within the Hashd al-Shaabi told Rudaw Friday that “there is full cooperation with the Peshmerga especially in areas which have close proximities with Peshmerga.”

The Hashd forces launched their operation to recapture areas west of Mosul in the early hours on Friday, as the Iraqi forces have been engaged in fierce fighting in western Mosul.

The main objective for the paramilitary force is Qairawan and Baa’j located west of Mosul and close to the Syrian border, the Hashd al-Shaabi media office reported senior commander Mahdi al-Muhandis as saying on Friday.

Accusing Iran of leading the Shiite offensive, Lazgin claimed Tehran has long been trying to open a corridor from northern Iraq into Syria.

Therefore, he noted, Iranian and Iraqi Shiites’ support for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) “falls within this context.”

In the wake of an ISIS brutal march into Shingal in August 2014 and a military offensive by the Peshmerga to drive the group out of the city in November 2015, the PKK has placed a military foothold in the region since.

He suggested that the US, Turkey and Saudi will oppose Hashd’s presence in the region if they make further advances.

“Iran has started the plan through the Hashd al-Shaabi and they are just 60 kilometers now from Syria’s border. But I do not believe Iran’s dream will become a reality because if the Hashd makes further advances, Turkey, Saudi and America,” will respond to it.

About Peshmerga’s own plan in the region, he explained whenever the Peshmerga were ordered by the superiors, “Peshmerga will control all of the Yezidi Kurdish areas which include 13 villages and complexes.”