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INSTITUT KURD E DE PARIS Information and liaison bulletin N° 389 AUGUST 2017 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Culture This bulletin is issued in French and English Price per issue : France: 6 € — Abroad : 7,5 € Annual subscribtion (12 issues) France : 60 € — Elsewhere : 75 € Monthly review Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Misen en page et maquette : Ṣerefettin ISBN 0761 1285 INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tel. : 01-48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01-48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail: bulletin@fikp.org Information and liaison bulletin Kurdish Institute of Paris Bulletin N° 389 August 2017 • ROJAVA: LOCAL ELECTIONS AGAINST A BACK - GROUND OF TURKISH THREATS TO AFRÎN. • TURKEY: ERDOĞAN IS SEEKING REGIONAL ALLIANCES AGAINST THE KURDS. • IRAQI KURDISTAN: THE REFERENDUM ON SELF-DETERMINATION IS BEING PREPARED. • YÉZIDIS: ISIS’S GENOCIDE IS CONTINUING. ROJAVA: LOCAL ELECTIONS AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF TURKISH THREATS TO AFRÎN espite the doubts The Raqqa operation by the YPG commander leading the about the “deconflic - Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), assault, announced that, while tion zones” agreement the Arab-Kurdish alliance his fighters now held half the D between the Russia, backed by the US-run ant-ISIS city, its complete recapture in the Turkey and Iran, Alliance has continued all this face of jihadist snipers, particu - Russia announced on 4 August month. On 27 th July the SCHR larly the Chechens (described as the setting up of the 3 rd of the 4 announced that the SDF fighters “excellent”) could take as long zones planned to the North of had captured half of Raqqa. On as four months. Another factor Homs. Although the UK-based 1st August the coalition slowing down the advance, Syrian Centre for Human Rights announced that the SDF fighters according to UNO, is that 50,000 (SCHR ) reported dozens of who advanced from the Western civilians could be trapped in the breaches of the cease-fire in the and Southern quarters of Raqqa city, probably being used as hours following the official were now less than 300 m apart human shields in the Jihadists’ announcement of their having – only a few streets – which usual fashion… On the 13 th , been set up, the Russian Military made observers think that the very fierce fighting was taking Police was deployed. The US South of the city would fall fairly place in the old city. Finally on Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, rapidly. However this hope was the 29 th Newroz Ahmed, a YPG stated that he wished to work shown to be premature. The two Major and member of the SDF with the Russians to stabilise SDF columns only linked up on Military Council, declared that it Syria in the post-ISIS period. the 10 th , and Heval Gabar, the was not possible to indicate • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 389 • August 2017 when the city would be taken particular to Killis Province. This These various meeting held in even if she thought that the bat - faces Afrin, one of the areas Ankara with Senior Iranian, tle “ should not take more that where clashes regularly occur Russian and US Army Officers another two months …” between Turkish troops and visiting the city could be aimed at Estimating the number of their Syrian back-ups and the clearing the way for more impor - Jihadists still in the city at 700, YPG. On the same day the tant action against Afrin. she stated that she expected the Turkish President, in a speech However, after Erdoğan had also fighting to intensify, pointing out for the inauguration of the mentioned Qandil and Sinjar as that the SDF did not plan to Malatya football stadium, again possible areas for Turkish-Iranian remain in Raqqa once ISIS was criticised the American line of operations, the Iranian driven out. supporting “ terrorists ” and Revolutionary Guards denied, on announced new Turkish Army the 23 rd , that they had any project This last statement was doubtless operations in Syria, before for operations against Kurdish an attempt to reduce the tension repeating his criticisms and rebels outside Iran’s borders. On with Turkey, which has been expressing his “ embarrassment ” the evening of the 29 th Turkish exerting pressure on the coalition on the 24 th in Ankara to the US rockets were fired, followed by (and especially on the US) all Secretary of State James Mattis. mortar shells, that wounded sev - through the month to demand All these Turkish pressures eral civilians in Afrin, including a that the SDF be kept out of the failed to prevent a meeting in woman and a child. operation. On the 2 nd two Czechs Rojava in the 17 th between a US accused by Turkey of having Army delegation, accompanied While American military sup - come to fight alongside the YPG by Brett McGurk, the special port for the SDF seems likely to were sentenced to prison sen - Presidential envoy to the anti- continue as long as ISIS remains tences. On the 3 rd the US ISIS coalition, and the Raqqa a threat, what is likely to happen Embassy in Ankara was obliged Civilian Council. According afterwards? Rojava’s leaders and to refute a report in the Turkish some people who had taken part beyond them the North Syrian media that the US had supplied in this meeting, the topic of the Federal Region proclaimed on 17 the YPG with tanks, via Iraq, as meeting was the Coalition’s aid March 2016, have good reasons well as substantial quantities of to the Civilian Council by sup - to doubt how US attitudes will arms. The Embassy replied that plying water and electricity, city change towards them once ISIS the overwhelming majority of the cleaning and help for schools. is eliminated from the areas it trucks going from Iraq to Syria McGurk also stated that the now controls in the country. carried humanitarian aid — food Coalition would protect the Recent Kurdish history is sprin - and medicines… region’s civilians against the kled with tragic examples of regime, whose planes have been such “ abandonment ”, including However, so long as ISIS still forbidden to over-fly the area. American in Iraq in 1975… On holds strongholds in the region, He recalled that Syrian planes the 18 th the SDF spokesman, there is little chance that the had been shot down in the past Telal Selo, stated to Reuters that Pentagon would give way to after striking the SDF. Faced he thought the United States had Turkish demands that it “drop” with repeated attacks on Afrin a “strategic interest” in remain - the SDF. Since 4 th August, by Turkey’s Syrian auxiliaries, ing in Rojava once ISIS was elim - President Trump put an end to a the SDF, who described these as inated — the Americans have set programme of military aid by “mercenaries ”, has not remained up seven military bases in areas the CIA to the Syrian opposition, inactive: on the 8 th they shelled controlled by the SDF, including initiated in 2013 by his predeces - these rebel groups with artillery an important one near Kobanê. sor (but even then with some in the North of Aleppo Province. Nevertheless, the State hesitation). The Americans now Department spokeswoman, have as sole partners in the On the 22 nd Erdoğan repeated Heather Nauert, indirectly field… the SDF. that Turkey would never autho - answered Selo by saying that the rise Syrian Kurdish militia to plan was (only) to defeat ISIS, Turkey is visibly trying to take “create a Kurdish state” in the and that US wanted Syria to be the matters in its own hands. North of the country. This state - governed “ by Syrians and not by The semi-official News agency ment arrived a few days after a the US ”. Regarding relations Anatolia announced on the 5 th visit to Ankara of the Iranian with Russia, the YPG made an that new troops were concentrat - Chief of Staff and the day before a agreement with the Russian ing very near the Rojava border, visit to Iraq of the Turkish Foreign Army for the stationing of with the sending of artillery in Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Russian observation forces in n° 389 • August 2017 Information and liaison bulletin • 3• Afrin and Sheba, the recently nance, Hadiya Youssef, co- 4 years. “ Each region ” added created Rojava Canton directly Speaker of the Constituent Youssef, “ will have its own legisla - in contact with the areas held by Assembly of the North Syrian tive Council, that can pass laws for the Turks and their auxiliaries. Federal Region told AFP on 27 its region on condition that they August that according to the were not in contradiction with the In parallel to this the institutions organisation plan of a system of social contract ”. These elections of the Federal Region are taking Federal Government approved would be held despite the hostil - shape. Regarding Defence, of on 29 th August December ity of the Damascus regime, Rojava’s first military Academy 2016, three turns of local elec - whose Deputy Foreign Minister, opened the 23 rd in the Amuda tions would take place as from Faisal Mekdad, dismissed them district of the Qamishlo Canton. September 22 nd . Representatives as a “farce” in an interview Its first class of student is named of quarters would be elected, given to Reuters and the BBC. “Çiya Rûs” after a “martyred” then on 3 rd November, elections Mekdad added that the regime fighter. The first course covers would be held for the Executive would not allow a “ division of the training in military, cultural and Councils of towns and regions.

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