Kurdish National Council's shift: A new era in Syrian politics?
Increasing diplomatic efforts in northern and eastern Syria, with American, French, and Iraqi Kurdish envoys engaging with local forces, could lead to major shifts in the political landscape. Learn more here.
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An illustration of an armed man raising a flag representative of the Kurdistan region. (Al Mayadeen)
Significant activity from American, French, and Iraqi Kurdish diplomats has been recorded in the northern and eastern regions of Syria, which fall under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The development follows leaks regarding the possible full withdrawal of United States forces from their bases in Syria, within a reported period of 30 to 90 days. The move would be viewed as an attempt to establish comprehensive dialogue with the new Syrian administration, in order to reach an agreement on the territory controlled by the SDF.
Several members of the Kurdish National Council held a meeting in the Syrian city of Qamishli, located in the al-Hassakeh Governorate, where participants reviewed the latest political and military developments in the country, following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. The council also congratulated transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa for assuming the role.
Moreover, the council stated that "the success of the transitional phase requires launching a comprehensive political process that ensures the participation of all components of the people," emphasizing the importance of "ending the historical injustice suffered by the Syrian people and acknowledging their national rights in the continuation, which solidifies national partnership and achieves justice and equality."
Kurdish sources informed on the matter also told Al Mayadeen Net that the council has officially withdrawn from the Syrian opposition coalition. The sources said that "the step aims to reorganize the Kurdish house in Syria and keep pace with the political and field developments following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime."
They underlined that "the council seeks to bridge the gap between members of the Autonomous Administration to agree on forming a unified delegation to negotiate with the new (Syrian) administration on the decisive issues relating to the Kurdish people and enshrine (the solutions) in the constitution."
The Kurdish National Council had previously aligned itself with the Syrian National Coalition, a bloc backed by Qatar and Turkey. This decision triggered a rift with the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), the dominant force within the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, which has long been at odds with Ankara. As a result, these developments sparked a protracted wave of disagreements and mutual accusations between the two sides over the past 12 years.
This latest decision is expected to reflect positively on the rapprochement efforts led by Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, who met with the Commander-in-Chief of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, in Erbil, Iraq. The meeting was set up in hopes of accelerating the pace of Kurdish-Kurdish unity and ending the political division.
Meanwhile, Kurdish sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that "there are American-French moves, coordinated with the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, aiming to hold a Kurdish national meeting that includes all Kurdish political parties active in northern and eastern Syria, as well as key Kurdish independents, to unify Kurdish ranks."
Sources pointed to "intensive diplomatic efforts" which aim "to find political solutions for the region to avoid any future attacks from the Turkish army or even the Syrian army."
The sources noted that "the new administration is under double and contradictory pressures from the US and Turkey."
"The former wants political reconciliation, while the latter seeks to organize military action to take advantage of the fall of the Assad regime," Kurdish sources revealed, suggesting that "diplomatic solutions will succeed after concessions from all parties."
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