Latest news with #intra-Kurdish
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
KDP criticizes Baghdad over budget, Praises Kurdish unity
Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Central Committee met to discuss key issues, including the Kurdistan Region's relationship with the federal government and intra-Kurdish political relations. In a statement, the party accused 'some in Baghdad' of abandoning federalism in favor of centralization, disregarding the constitution and political agreements made to form the government. The committee reaffirmed support for the KDP's stance on Kurdistan Region salaries, condemned 'the use of salaries and the budget as political pressure tools,' and urged resolving disputes through constitutional means. It also praised the unified Kurdish position expressed on May 31, 2025. The KDP recognized its ongoing efforts to unify Kurdish parties ahead of Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections. The party noted that 'a broadly attended joint meeting—convened to coordinate positions on federal financial decisions—was successful and productive despite some parties declining to participate.' Regarding Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's recent visit to the United States, the committee affirmed that it 'strengthened ties with the US, supporting both the Region's and Iraq's economy.' The meeting further addressed efforts to form the tenth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraq's upcoming legislative elections on November 11, where a detailed strategy and committee action plan were reviewed and formally approved.
Asharq Al-Awsat
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Kurdistan Region Blames ‘Terrorist Group' for Peshmerga Attack
Five members of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces were wounded in two separate drone attacks targeting military positions in northern Iraq's Duhok province, the Kurdistan Region Security Council said on Tuesday. The council said the strikes occurred on Monday and Tuesday in the town of Amadiya, where surveillance posts were being set up. The attacks were carried out using drones, it added. Kurdish intelligence sources suspect a splinter faction of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was behind the strikes, suggesting the group aimed to disrupt ongoing peace efforts in both Türkiye and Syria. 'These are terrorist attacks,' the Security Council said in a statement, vowing to take 'all necessary measures' against groups that threaten the region's security and stability. The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state and maintains bases in northern Iraq. The Kurdistan Region Security Council said Tuesday that the recent drone attacks on Peshmerga forces may have been intended to derail ongoing peace efforts among Kurdish groups across the region, as well as political developments within the Kurdistan Regional Government. The council suggested the twin strikes in Duhok province were connected to peace negotiations between Türkiye and the PKK, as well as intra-Kurdish talks in northeast Syria, where Kurdish factions are seeking unity under what is known as the 'Kurdish Unity Conference.' It also linked the attacks to the final stages of forming the Kurdistan Region's new government, warning that 'certain groups and factions are working to obstruct peace and stability in the region.' The comments came days after Syrian Kurdish factions held what was described as a 'historic conference' in the northeastern city of Qamishli, calling for a decentralized democratic state. The event brought together Kurdish delegations from Syria, Iraq, and Türkiye, and was attended by a US delegation. Kurdish expert Kifah Mahmoud has suggested that factions within the PKK were likely behind the recent drone attacks on Peshmerga positions in northern Iraq. Mahmoud told Asharq Al-Awsat that the attacks were linked to the ongoing peace initiatives in the region, both within Kurdish territories and at a broader geopolitical level. 'These developments are related to the peace processes, whether in the Kurdish regions or at the regional level,' Mahmoud said. 'We have positive negotiations between Türkiye and the PKK, as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) moving toward a peaceful stance with Türkiye. Most importantly, there's a positive trajectory in relations between Baghdad and Erbil, along with ongoing regional negotiations between Washington and Tehran.' Mahmoud believes that these efforts are not well-received by more hardline factions within the PKK. He pointed out that the PKK has long been divided into parallel wings operating under different names in various active regions, with some factions opposed to peace initiatives in Kurdish territories. While some Kurdish officials have speculated that Türkiye may be indirectly involved in the attacks, Mahmoud dismissed this theory, instead attributing responsibility to the more radical PKK factions based in areas such as the Qandil Mountains and Sinjar, as well as near Amadiya. He also rejected suggestions that the strikes were aimed at disrupting the formation of the Kurdistan Region's new government, asserting that the main objective was to undermine the ongoing peace processes within Kurdish areas.
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.
Rudaw Net
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurds unite behind vision for decentralized Syria
Also in Syria President Barzani praises Rojava's Kurdish conference 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 - Kurdish political groups in Syria have agreed on a joint vision for a decentralized, democratic state that guarantees Kurdish rights and calls for a national dialogue to reshape the country's future, according to the final statement issued by a conference held on Saturday in northeast Syria (Rojava). 'Based on historical responsibility and in response to the requirements of the current stage, a joint Kurdish political vision has been formulated that expresses a collective will and its project for a just solution to the Kurdish issue in Syria as a decentralized democratic state,' read the statement. The vision safeguards Kurdish ethnic rights, upholds international human rights principles and treaties, and promotes women's rights and participation across political, social, and military spheres. 'It contributes to building a new Syria that accommodates all its people without exclusion or marginalization of any of its components, away from unilateral domination in thought and practice,' the statement read. The Kurdish Unity and Consensus in Western Kurdistan Conference, gathering over 400 Kurds from Syria, Kurdistan Region and Turkey, took place as Kurds are navigating their future in the new Syria. The conference's final statement recommended its vision be adopted as a foundation for national dialogue among Kurdish political groups, the new administration in Damascus, and all Syrian forces. It said the goal is to create an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of all communities and strengthens the country's role as a stabilizing force in the region. At the conference, it was also agreed to form a joint Kurdish delegation to promote and implement this vision through dialogue with relevant parties. Kurds in Rojava, 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. An advisor to the Kurdish-led administration in Rojava issued a warning if Kurdish rights are ignored. 'Failure to resolve the Kurdish issue in Syria will lead to instability, and rights, democracy, and justice will be rendered meaningless in Syria's future. Rather, oppression and tyranny will be the defining characteristic of that future,' Bedran Chiya wrote on X on Saturday.
Rudaw Net
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
SDF chief says division of Syria not goal of pan-Kurdish conference
Also in Syria President Barzani praises Rojava's Kurdish conference Kurds unite behind vision for decentralized Syria Rojava's Kurdish conference begins US welcomes intra-Kurdish dialogue in Rojava A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Saturday that the goal of the first Kurdish unity conference in northeast Syria (Rojava) is to strengthen Syria, not divide it, addressing concerns among some Syrians. 'My message for all components of Syria and the Damascus government is that this conference is not, as some claim, to divide. Conversely, it is for the unity of Syria. We reiterate that we support the territorial integrity of Syria, and we state that the unity of Kurds is the unity of Syria, and the strengthening of Kurds means the strengthening of Syria,' he said. The conference, gathering over 400 Kurds from Syria, Kurdistan Region and Turkey, comes as Kurds are navigating their future in the new Syria. 'Many ethnicities live in Syria and there are many cultures and religions. Therefore, the new Syria needs a constitution that provides decentralization and includes all components. Therefore, we endorse all components to achieve their rights and a Syria that embraces all,' Abdi added. Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, spearheaded a coalition of jihadist rebel groups that toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad on December 8. The country is now in a transitional phase. Sharaa was named interim president in January. He vowed at the time to form an 'inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity.' He has, however, faced domestic and international criticism that he has marginalized minority communities. The SDF on March 10 signed a landmark deal with Sharaa to integrate into national institutions and both sides are working on implementing it. The SDF is the de facto army of Rojava and controls around one third of Syria. Despite the agreement, Kurds, like other minority communities in Syria, are concerned about the centralization of power and prominence of Islamic law in the transitional constitution adopted by Sharaa and his interim government. The Kurdish Unity and Consensus in Western Kurdistan Conference, the official name of the conference, was put together in order to create a unified front to strengthen the Kurdish position in discussions with Damascus. It brings together Rojava's two main feuding political groups - the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the main opposition Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) - after over a decade of on-and-off talks between them. Abdi said that the conference did not emerge out of blue but was the result of intense efforts of Kurdish political parties and meetings. 'This is the completion of them. Many Kurdistani forces have supported Rojava in unity efforts. Above all, we remember the support of President [Masoud] Barzani and thank him,' he said. Hamid Darbandi, head of the Syria dossier at the office of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani, attended the conference and read out a letter from Barzani that said the conference serves as a platform to find a "just" solution for Kurdish issues in Syria. He stressed that the developments in Syria have created "excellent chances" for Kurds to seize their rights. A "political and diplomatic solution" for Kurdish issues in Syria is the best option, the KDP leader added.
