Latest news with #YPG
Jordan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
The PKK's dissolution: A calculated move or a genuine path to peace?
In a development that caught many observers off guard, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has declared its formal dissolution, bringing an apparent end to its decades-long armed struggle against the Turkish state. While headlines portray this as a possible breakthrough for regional peace, the timing and conditions surrounding the announcement raise more questions than answers. Is this a genuine pivot toward reconciliation, or a strategic maneuver by a beleaguered movement under immense pressure? The PKK's announcement did not arise in a vacuum. Years of sustained Turkish military pressure, particularly through cross-border operations such as 'Claw-Lock' in northern Iraq, have considerably weakened the group's logistical capabilities and territorial presence. Moreover, Turkey's extensive surveillance and drone warfare have left the PKK with few safe havens. On the geopolitical front, the PKK finds itself increasingly isolated. Labeled a terrorist organisation by both the EU and the US, the group has lost international sympathy. Even within broader Kurdish political circles, especially in Syria and Iraq, competing factions like the PYD may be urging the PKK to scale down its militancy so as not to jeopardize hard-won political leverage. The PKK's retreat may create a vacuum in the Kurdish geopolitical landscape. In Iraq, Iran-backed militias could exploit this power shift to expand their influence. In Syria, the YPG, though organizationally distinct from the PKK, may face increased scrutiny from Turkey. Europe, meanwhile, is placed in a diplomatic dilemma. Should the EU reassess the PKK's designation if it truly disbands? This could significantly affect Kurdish diaspora activism across European capitals. The United States must also walk a tightrope, balancing its alliance with NATO-member Turkey against its reliance on Syrian Kurdish forces in the fight against the Daesh terror group. History cautions against premature optimism. Militant groups have often declared pauses not as a path to peace, but as opportunities to rearm or rebrand. The PKK might be rebranding, transitioning into a civilian political movement by leveraging legal Kurdish parties within Turkey's parliamentary system. Alternatively, it may be regrouping, using the ceasefire to restructure its fragmented ranks. A further risk is splintering, with hardline offshoots potentially rejecting the ceasefire and undermining any future negotiations. Several factors could enhance the prospects for a lasting peace between Turkey and the PKK. First, mutual exhaustion after four decades of conflict may prompt both sides to acknowledge the diminishing returns of continued warfare and seek compromise. Second, international mediation, particularly through a US, or EU-backed framework, could provide critical incentives for disarmament, offering political recognition or economic aid in exchange for credible steps toward peace. Beyond domestic resistance, external interference poses another risk. Regional actors like Iran and Syria, wary of a stable Turkish-Kurdish détente, may seek to undermine negotiations to preserve their own strategic leverage. Unless these challenges are directly addressed, even the most promising peace efforts risk unraveling. This announcement may be the closest the conflict has come to a peaceful resolution in decades. But let's be clear, disarmament is not peace. Real peace requires political courage, cultural recognition, and international accountability. Mahmoud Ali Abu-Rumman is a seasoned expert in financial oversight and environmental governance, with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in public service, international peacekeeping, and sustainability strategy. A former Colonel in Jordan's Public Security Directorate, he brings deep institutional insight and leadership experience. His background also includes contributions to United Nations missions and national policymaking in financial and environmental sectors. He currently serves as the Financial Controller at the Jordan Press Foundation (Al-Rai).
Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Erdogan tells Sharaa Turkey welcomes lifting of Syria sanctions
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, alongside Turkish and Syrian officials, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2025. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/PPO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2025. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/PPO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES ISTANBUL - President Tayyip Erdogan told Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during talks in Istanbul on Saturday that Turkey welcomed the U.S. and EU decisions to lift sanctions on Syria, the Turkish leader's office said. Sharaa's unscheduled visit came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration issued orders effectively lifting sanctions on Syria after its 14-year civil war. EU foreign ministers also agreed this week to lift sanctions on Syria. "Our President told Sharaa ... that Turkey welcomed the lifting of sanctions," his office said in a statement on X. Ankara has become one of the main foreign allies of Sharaa's government since rebels - some of them backed for years by Turkey - ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last year to end his five-decade rule. Earlier, Turkish broadcasters showed Erdogan shaking hands with Sharaa as he emerged from his car at the Dolmabahce Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey's largest city. Turkey's foreign and defence ministers attended the talks, along with the head of the Turkish MIT intelligence agency, the statement said. Their Syrian counterparts also attended, Syrian state news agency SANA said. Amid the moves to lift sanctions, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on Friday he had assumed the role of special envoy to Syria. Reuters reported earlier this week the U.S. planned to appoint him as special envoy. The move suggests U.S. acknowledgement that Turkey has emerged with key regional influence on Damascus. MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin and Sharaa held talks earlier this week on the Syrian Kurdish YPG militant group laying down its weapons and integrating into Syrian security forces, a Turkish security source said previously. Turkey, which still controls swathes of territory in Syria's north after cross-border operations against the YPG militia, has repeatedly demanded that the YPG disarm and disband. The YPG spearheads the U.S.-allied SDF forces in Syria, but Turkey regards its as a terrorist group, affiliated with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought an 40-year insurgency against Turkey. The PKK announced this month that it had decided to end its armed struggle and disband. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Arab News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Erdogan, Syria's Sharaa hold talks in Istanbul
ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was holding talks with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Istanbul on Saturday, news channel CNN Turk and state media said, broadcasting video of the two leaders greeting each other. The visit comes the day after US President Donald Trump's administration issued orders that it said would effectively lift sanctions on Syria. Trump had pledged to unwind the measures to help the country rebuild after its devastating civil war. Video footage on Turkish television showed Erdogan shaking hands with Sharaa as he emerged from his car at the Dolmabahce Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait in Turkiye's largest city. The two countries' foreign ministers also attended the talks, as well as Turkiye's defense minister and the head of the Turkish MIT intelligence agency, according to Turkiye's state-owned Anadolu news agency. The Syrian delegation also included Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin and Sharaa this week held talks in Syria on the Syrian Kurdish YPG militant group laying down its weapons and integrating into Syrian security forces, a Turkish security source said previously.
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Erdogan Urges Damascus to Follow Through on Agreement with SDF
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the Syrian government to stay focused on implementing the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regarding their integration into state institutions, emphasizing that Ankara is closely monitoring the issue. Erdogan revealed that Türkiye, Syria, Iraq, and the United States have formed a joint committee to discuss the fate of ISIS members and their families held in camps and detention centers in northeastern Syria. These areas are controlled by the SDF, which is led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group supported by the US but considered a terrorist organization by Ankara. He added: 'Iraq must focus on the camp issue, as most of the women and children in Al-Hol camp are Syrian and Iraqi, and they must be repatriated.' In remarks to Turkish journalists accompanying him on his return flight from Budapest on Thursday, Erdogan stated: 'We are closely following the issue of the Kurdish People's Protection Units in particular. We consider the coming days to be critically important. It is essential that the Damascus administration does not lose focus on this matter. Our institutions are closely monitoring the process of integrating all armed groups into the Syrian army.' The Agreement Between Damascus and the SDF Erdogan asked whether 'the Kurdish units will respond to the call issued in Türkiye to dissolve the PKK (by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan)? Or will they remain committed to the March 8 agreement, reached in Damascus (between interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi on integration into state institutions)? Or will they pursue both paths?' He further stressed that the process of dissolving the PKK and disarming it also includes its Syrian branch (the YPG). The Turkish president affirmed that lifting sanctions on Syria is a 'highly significant step' toward achieving regional stability, describing it as a sign of how 'constructive Turkish diplomacy yields results.' Kalin's Visit to Damascus Meanwhile, the head of the Turkish intelligence agency visited Damascus on Monday and held talks with al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and Syrian intelligence chief Hussein al-Salama. Kalin discussed with Syrian officials the integration of SDF fighters into the Syrian army, like other groups after disarmament, as well as border and customs security, and the transfer of prisons and camps holding ISIS members to the Syrian government. He expressed Türkiye's readiness to provide all necessary support to the Damascus government in this process. Talks with Israel In a related context, Turkish Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk highlighted ongoing efforts to establish stability in Syria and to ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of refugees. He stated: 'Our operations to uncover and destroy mines, explosive devices, and tunnels in Syrian operation zones continue uninterrupted. Our determined cooperation persists to ensure lasting security in Syria, a country whose sovereignty and territorial integrity we support, and to enhance its defense and security capabilities.'
Arab News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Turkiye's Erdogan says Damascus must keep focused on Kurdish SDF deal
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Syria's government must keep focused on its deal with the Kurdish, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under which it is to integrate into the Syrian armed forces, pressing Damascus for its implementation. Speaking to reporters on a flight from Budapest, he said Turkiye, Syria, Iraq and the United States had a committee to discuss the fate of Daesh militants in prison camps in northeast Syria, which have been run by the SDF for years. Ankara views the SDF and its factions as a terrorist group. 'We are especially following the YPG issue very, very closely. It is important for the Damascus administration not to take its attention away from this issue,' his office on Thursday cited him as saying. The YPG militia spearheads the SDF. He added that Iraq should focus on the issue of the camps, as most women and children at the Al-Hol camp there were from Iraq and Syria, and that Iraq should repatriate its nationals.
