Latest news with #KurdishNationalCouncil
Rudaw Net
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Over 200 Kurds jailed in Afrin for ethnic, political reasons: Local official
Also in Syria US envoy says Kurds 'slow' in talks with Damascus Syrians battle devastating western forest fires Syrian firefighters face challenges as wildfires rage UK re-establishes ties with Syria A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than 200 Kurds are currently being held in prisons across Afrin, northwestern Syria, due to their ethnicity and perceived ties to the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava), a local official told Rudaw on Monday, warning of continuing rights violations in the Kurdish-majority enclave. Ahmed Hassan, head of the local council for the Kurdish National Council (KNC/ENKS), stated, 'At least 200 Kurds are imprisoned in Afrin. Being Kurdish is the main reason, and most of the accusations relate to supposed connections with the [Democratic] Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).' He emphasized that these individuals are being detained because of 'politicization and their Kurdish identity.' Hassan noted that although the situation in Afrin is 'gradually improving,' it has not yet returned to normal. He said the region is currently controlled by authorities and factions affiliated with the new Syrian leadership. 'Alongside the Damascus government, several armed groups also maintain control and make independent decisions,' he added. He also noted that armed groups have seized more than 50 homes belonging to Kurds in a predominantly Shiite district near Afrin. These groups are refusing to return the properties and, in some cases, are demanding payments ranging from $1,000 to over $2,000, Hassan claimed, adding that 'the houses have been emptied, but the groups refuse to give them back to their Kurdish owners.' Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in northwestern Syria, was taken over by Turkey and its allied Syrian armed groups in 2018. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds were displaced, with many relocating to the nearby Shahba region. Meanwhile, families displaced from other parts of Syria were resettled in Afrin. Since the takeover, international organizations have documented numerous human rights violations against Afrin's Kurdish population, including kidnappings, killings, looting of agricultural land, destruction of olive groves, and the imposition of arbitrary taxes on farmers. Regarding the return of Arab settlers, Hassan said the process is 'underway,' but noted that 'more than 20 percent of the settlers have yet to return' to their original hometowns. He added that while the return of displaced Kurdish residents is also ongoing, 'significant obstacles remain.' Soran Hussein contributed to this article.
Shafaq News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Seeking recognition: Syrian Kurds ready for Damascus talks
Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Kurdish National Council (KNC) in Syria confirmed its readiness to engage in direct talks with the Syrian government. Faissal Youssef, KNC spokesperson, told Shafaq News that Kurds have long endured marginalization under successive Syrian governments and seek recognition of their identity and rights. 'This is not a new issue—our demands go back to the establishment of the modern Syrian state." Youssef stressed that the KNC remains committed to unity and political resolution. 'Our delegation represents the broad majority of Kurdish political and social actors, and is fully prepared to travel to Damascus once the appropriate opportunity arises.' Negotiations are expected to focus on securing national-level recognition of the Kurds as Syria's second-largest ethnic group and ensuring their representation in all state institutions. A separate delegation from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is also reportedly set to meet with government officials to discuss administrative and military arrangements in the northeast, due to conflicts between the two parties. The talks follow a March 10 agreement between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi, outlining the integration of all military and civil bodies— including border crossings and oil fields—into the state framework by the end of 2025, and rejecting any calls for division. It also commits both parties to a nationwide ceasefire and affirms equal representation in political and public institutions, based on merit rather than ethnicity or religion. 'The Kurdish movement has reached consensus on the vision for Syria's future and the framework for dialogue,' Youssef said. 'The international support for the Kurdish Unity Conference, including from the US and France, reflects recognition of our legitimacy.' The renewed dialogue efforts come as Western powers, including the European Union and the United States, reengage diplomatically in Syria to "stabilize areas outside regime control and prevent further fragmentation."
Shafaq News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Syria's KNC rejects government criticism: Division UNACCEPTABLE
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Kurdish National Council (KNC) dismissed the Syrian government's criticism of a recent political initiative, affirming that the joint Kurdish vision supports unity, not separation. Suleiman Oso, a member of the Council's Presidential Body, told Shafaq News the strategy adopted at the Kurdish Unity Conference in Qamishli is 'a collective expression of Kurdish aspirations and does not advocate for federalism or autonomy without national consensus.' 'Any attempt to impose a de facto division or create separate entities without a comprehensive agreement is unacceptable,' he said, responding to a Syrian Presidency statement that opposed any efforts to establish federalism or self-administration. The Kurdish official urged the Syrian interim government to avoid repeating 'past mistakes' and adopt new approaches that prevent division and destruction, stressing that Kurdish unity efforts are not directed against other Syrian communities or neighboring countries. 'Syria's strength comes from the strength of its components.' 'Our vision calls for a decentralized political system that ensures pluralism and constitutionally guarantees the Kurdish people's rights, in line with international conventions,' he explained. 'Lasting stability in Syria requires respect for diversity, genuine dialogue, and inclusive negotiation based on the will of all Syrians.' The April 26 conference brought together Kurdish political parties, independent figures, and delegations from the Kurdistan Region and Turkiye. It adopted a unified Kurdish platform as a basis for dialogue among Kurdish actors, as well as with Damascus and other Syrian forces. During the event, Hameed Darbandi, head of the Syrian dossier at Iraq's Kurdistan Region Presidency, read a letter from Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, expressing full support for any effort to bridge Kurdish political divides in Syria.
Rudaw Net
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
President Barzani praises Rojava's Kurdish conference
Also in Syria Kurds unite behind vision for decentralized Syria SDF chief says division of Syria not goal of pan-Kurdish conference Rojava's Kurdish conference begins US welcomes intra-Kurdish dialogue in Rojava A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani praised officials in northeast Syria (Rojava) for holding the first pan-Kurdish conference that took place on Saturday, saying he hopes it will strengthen Kurdish unity and solidarity. 'Praise and appreciation to Mr. Mazloum Abdi, ENKS [Kurdish National Council], and all the brothers and sisters who worked on conducting the Kurdish Unity and Solidarity Conference in Syria. I congratulate everyone on the success of the conference, which is a source of great joy and has pleased the Kurdish people everywhere,' a statement from the Presidency said. The conference brought together more than 400 Kurds from Syria, Kurdistan Region and Turkey at a time when Kurds are navigating their future in the new Syria. It resulted in an agreement between Kurdish political groups in Syria on a joint vision for a decentralized, democratic state that guarantees Kurdish rights and called for a national dialogue to reshape the country's future. 'I hope it will lead to strengthening Kurdish unity and solidarity, which is the only way to secure Kurdish rights in Syria,' Barzani said. Kurds, like other minorities in Syria, are concerned about the centralization of power and reliance on Islamic jurisprudence in the transitional constitution that has been adopted by the interim government in Damascus. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to form an 'inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity,' but has faced domestic and international criticism that he has marginalized minority communities.
Shafaq News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
President Barzani hails Kurdish solidarity effort in Syria
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani praised the organizers of the Kurdish Unity and Solidarity Conference in Syria, calling it a key step toward strengthening Kurdish rights and solidarity. In a statement, Barzani congratulated Mazloum Abdi, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), and other contributors, expressing hope that the initiative would reinforce Kurdish unity and protect Kurdish rights in Syria. The conference opened in Qamishli, Syria, with more than 400 participants from Kurdish parties in Syria, Iraq's Kurdistan Region, and Turkiye, as well as independent political and religious figures. Participants announced the formation of a joint Kurdish delegation to implement the agreed vision through dialogue with Damascus and other Syrian political groups.
