INSTITUT KURD E DE PARIS
Information and liaison bulletin n°356
november 2014 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCID) aqnd the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (The Fund for action and support of integration and the struggle against discrimination)
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 Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 15 A.S. 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° 356 November 2014
• IRAQ: AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ERBIL AND BAGHDAD ON OIL AND THE BUDGET
• ERBIL: A BOMB ATTACK ON THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNORATE
• SYRIA: KOBANI’S POPULATION IS BEING VICTIMISED BY BOTH THE IS AND TURKISH MINES
• JUST BEEN PUBLISHED: IRAQI KURDISTAN — FROM TRIBES TO DEMOCRACY
IRAQ: AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ERBIL AND BAGHDAD ON OIL AND THE BUDGET ar from slowing them 2015 the Erbil government and was expecting to receive the down, the difficulties of hoped to pass the level of price of the sale of another ten the war and the general 500,000 barrels a day, since three shiploads (Reuters). F instability of the region new oil fields should be produc - have pushed the Kurds ing by then. Ashti Hawrami The money earned by the still further on the way to eco - affirmed that the Kurds have “ no Kurdish oil sales is no longer nomic independence. Oil sales preferences in selling their oil ” and sent to Baghdad but is deposited from the Kurdish Government that the demand was greater in a Turkish bank. This spurred have continued to increase. On 7 than they could supply. About the Iraqi Foreign Minister, November, Ashti Hawrami, its 25 or 26 shiploads had already Ibrahim Al-Jaffari, while on a Minister for Natural resources left Ceyhan, and the sales total visit to Ankara to demand that announced that exports to the in November amounted to 20 these sums be sent to Iraq, port of Ceyhan, in Turkey, had million barrels. The volume adding that he knew that the reached almost 300,000 barrels a should have increased to 34 mil - money “ was in safe hands ”. day — official Turkish sources lion barrels worth about 2 billion However, the fact that relations giving the figure of 280,000 bar - dollars. The Minister further between Baghdad ands Ankara rels — at the end of October. He confirmed that his country had have warmed recently (they had added that by the beginning of already been paid for these sales cooled considerably during the • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 356 • November 2014
period of the Maliki govern - sovereign fund, constituted by all resources? For the year 2014 had ment) does not mean that the income from energy sources. been a rude economic shock for Baghdad is likely to issue anoth - The project was ratified by Prime Erbil, suddenly confronted with er “ultimatum” as was its wont Minister Nêçirvan Barzani, after a Baghdad’s freezing the salaries of previously. Al-Jaffari’s message meeting of the Council of civil service (which was certainly was rather to affirm that there Ministers and will be submitted overmanned). This was then fol - was no crisis between Iraq ad to parliament in Erbil. lowed by the arrival of hundreds Turkey over the issue of Kurdish of thousands of refugees addi - oil, which is essentially an The new company’s activities tional to those of Syrian Kurds “internal” dispute between Erbil will cover all aspects of the oil and finally the attacks by the IS and the Iraqi central govern - and gas sectors, the signing of while its Peshmergas received no ment. contracts, the production and pay and were woefully lacking in operation, investment, export weaponry. Left to cope with the Moreover, whatever might be the and sales. The Prime Minister Da’esh danger on its own by both Iraqi government’s “demands”, also pointed out that “ this compa - Baghdad and Ankara (neither of Turkey is probably not prepared ny could become, after a while, a whom hastened to provide any to forego it’s access to Kurdistan’s public limited one, shares of which help) Iraqi Kurdistan does not resources to comply with may be bought by all the citizens ”. hide its determination to ensure Baghdad’s wishes. Thus, on 13 as quickly as possible its financial November, Genel Energy signed Finally, less than ten days after autonomy, faced as it is by a a new agreement with the KRG to the Massum-Barzani meeting, political and security atmosphere develop and operate two enor - the KRG announced, through its in the region that is unlikely to mous new gas deposits that spokesman, Safeen Diyazi, that calm down. might be able to supply Turkey an agreement had been reached with gas during the winter of with Baghdad and that the cen - According to Gareth Stanfield, an 2017/8. The reserves of the tral government had accepted to expert on Iraq at Exeter Miram and Bine Bawi fields are send Erbil over 500 million dol - University, this agreement was estimated at 11.4 trillion cubic lars in exchange for 150,000 bar - secured for the time being feet and with an estimated 2.6 bil - rels of oil per day that the because it was urgently needed lion dollars. Kurdish government is commit - by both Baghdad and Erbil: “ Both ted to supply. The agreement parties were in a very weak situation Meanwhile, on 5 November nego - was concluded in Baghdad fol - and this common weakness enabled tiations between Erbil and lowing a meeting between that them to find what is only a stop gap Baghdad began again in Erbil, fol - the Iraq Oil Minister, Adel measure ”(Reuters). lowing a meeting between the Abdel Mahdi, the Kurdish Prime new Iraqi President, Fuad Minister, Nêçirvan Barzani, and In any case, the differences are Massum, (who is, himself, a his Deputy Prime Minister, not ended — on 28 November Kurd) and Masud Barzani, the Qubad Talabani. It was the Kurdish Ministers of the Iraqi President of Kurdistan. Indeed, described as a “major break - government threatened to boy - the latter stated that their mini - through” by the Iraqi Finance cott the vote accepting the 2015 mum objective was to find “ a Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, (him - Budget id Baghdad sis not end its solution to the existing problems self a Kurd) who pointed out freeze of the budgetary payments between the central and regional gov - that Baghdad was going to to the Kurdish Region. ernments ”. renew paying its Kurdish civil servants their salaries. However, this agreement will cer - After its first reading, it became tainly not involve a step back - While this is certainly not the apparent that this budget still wards by the Kurds on their path first agreement reached between included financial sanctions towards economic emancipation. the Kurds and the Arabs in the against the Kurdistan Region On 12 November, the Kurdistan longstanding dispute. All had taken by the former Prime Government approved a project been simply provisional compro - Minister. The Iraqi Constitution for creating a company for the mises and most of them had grants 17% if the total Iraqi bud - operation and production of oil. never been carried out. This one, get to the Kurdish Region but the This company will not depend on too, had not dealt with the basic Erbil government also complains the central government and its issue: did or did not Iraq accept the that it has never received more shares will be sold to public bod - Kurds’ independence in the manage - than 11% — en on the occasions ies. It also set up a Kurdish ment of their hydrocarbon when it was paid at all … n° 356 • November 2014 Information and liaison bulletin • 3•
Another dispute that has been Iraq through the Iraqi State com - Ceyhan. Hence their acceptance, pending for several years covers pany SOMO, in exchange for willy nilly, of a de facto situation the pay of the Peshmergas, that which Kurdistan will again created by the Da’esh capture of Baghdad has always left to the receive its original monthly bud - Mosul. As for the Kurds, this Kurds to cover, which the latter get of about a billion dollars. improvement in their finances have always attacked since the will enable them to pay the oil Peshmergas were, in the Iraqi companies that are drilling and Constitution, named as one of It should be noted that of the operating the oil on their land. the Iraqi national defence forces. 550,000 barrels a day, 300,000 At a time when the war effort will come from Kirkuk and the Another significant gain for is and the burden of Iraqi refugees remaining 250,000 from the that the Federal government will is being mainly born by the Kurdish Region as defined by its finally allocate part of its defence Kurds, these demands are still pre-2014 borders. While Iraq has budget to the Peshmergas. more pressing. not yet officially confirmed the According to Prime Minister this return of Kirkuk to the KRG, amounts to about a billion dol - Finally, another agreement pro - Baghdad, deprived of oil from lars, while al-Abadi’s cabinet vides for Erbil delivering 550,000 Mosul and its pipeline, can only mentioned, more vaguely “ a per - barrels a day to Ceygan port for export that from the Kurdish via centage of the Defence budget ”.
ERBIL: A BOMB ATTACK ON THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNORATE n 19 November the cap - channel, said that he had seen a The case of one of the civilians ital of Iraqi Kurdistan woman wearing a black head - particularly aroused public feel - was hit by a bomb scarf park a Honda on the ing: Sofi Ahmed, who was killed O attack in the heart of its wrong side of the street, before while shooting at the car in historic quarter, at the moving it “ and the explosion took order to stop it, had just lost a entry to the Provincial place ”. Moreover a pair of brother, killed at the front fight - Governorate and near the women’s’ shoes was found in ing the IS. A widow and four Citadel and the old bazaar. the vehicle’s wreckage. small children survive him. However, in claiming responsi - Shortly before midday local bility for the attack, the IS gave This attack brings to the fore - time, a car bomb charged suici - the terrorist’s name as Abdul front the difficult issue of the dally into the Governorate Rahman al-Kurdi. However the internal of Kurdistan at a time entrance, at the main checkpoint fact of insisting on a Kurdish when it is sheltering hundreds of that protects access to the build - identity (true or not) could just thousands of refugees from Iraq, ing. The resulting explosion be an aspect of its psychological who have fled the IS. caused 4 deaths, two of which warfare. As men on their own were policemen, and 29 injured, are systematically turned back at The Asayish and all the security Even before the attack was open - the KRG’s borders and, more - forces have, from the first, ly claimed, everything seemed to over, are more likely to be exam - stressed the danger of infiltra - point to the IS, which is openly ined during their movements tion by the Da’esh, which does at war with Kurdistan as well as and at checkpoints, many terror - not scruple about recruiting with Iraq and Syria. Prior to this, ists dress up like women, espe - woman for their suicide mis - the last such attack in Erbil had cially as the long black head - sions and even children. Kurdish been in September 2013, against scarves are convenient for hid - public opinion seems increasing - the Headquarters of the Asayish ing their identity ly hostile to an indiscriminate (the KRG’s police) causing seven reception of people from Mosul deaths and sixty injured. Tahir Abdullah, the Governor of and other Sunni Arab provinces Erbil, stated in a press confer - although the question of open - There was some confusion about ence that the car used tried to ing the borders to Christians is the identity of the terrorist. Some penetrate into the governorate freely accepted. eye witnesses said that the driv - building but was stopped by er of the suicide car was a gunfire from the security forces. Immediately after the attack, woman. Thus one of those Three guards and a civilian were security measures were strength - wounded, when questioned at killed and eight other police ened as well as stricter controls the hospital by the Rudaw TV were injured. at checkpoints. Consequently • 4 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 356 • November 2014
Iraqi Arabs going to the Kurdish around that the Asayish had security forces for entry and their region are complaining of hav - asked every Kurdish citizen to identities have been verified. Acton ing to wait for hours before watch and even to check the will be taken against any person crossing the border and even identity of Arab “suspects”. This found to be here illegally or who has while travelling inside has been rapidly and officially connections with a terrorist organi - Kurdistan. denied by leading Kurds, who sation ”. published a statement on this Hitherto any Iraqi Arab citizen subject, making the point that, In general, Kurdish political cir - had to provide a “Kurdish guar - while all inhabitants should be cles condemn any stigmatisation antor”, who would answer for vigilant and report anything sus - of Arabs living in Kurdistan but him, before being allowed to picious to the police, identity do support the need for security enter Kurdistan. However, other checks and arrests are the measures and stricter controls. more restrictive measures are responsibility of the police and Moreover, the Kurdish govern - envisaged as a security official security forces. Thus anyone ment has banned, since last sum - revealed to the daily paper usurping these functions would mer, any demonstrations on its Niqash, without giving any himself e arrested: “ The Arab soil, directed against Arab resi - details. families living in Erbil have fulfilled dents or which demand the There have been rumours going all the conditions required by the expulsion of refugees.
SYRIA: KOBANI’S POPULATION IS BEING VICTIMISED BY BOTH THE IS AND TURKISH MINES he international NGO, cross the Turkish border, since whose families were close to the Human Rights Watch, the Kobani canton had been YPG suffered most. They (the IS) published in over-run by the Da’esh and the told the to give the addresses of T November a report on bulk of its population had members of their family, cousins, the situation of the tor - sought refuge near Suroç. uncles saying “when we go to turing and ill treatment to Kobani we will take and decapitate which are subjected child pris - Four of the children who had them”. They consider the YPG to oners of the IS, notably 153 managed to escape were ques - be Kafirs (unbelievers)”. young Kurdish boys aged tioned by Human Rights Watch between 14 and 16. and said that they had been The children were divided into beaten repeatedly with electric eight groups, each group sleep - In fact, in May 2014 about 250 cables or hose pipes, on their ing in one of the school’s class - Kurdish schoolchildren were hands and the soles of their feet es. They were given three blan - kidnapped on the road from as well as being obliged to kets, toe to act as mattresses. Kobani to their homes. They watch IS videos of attacks and The guards allowed them to had been sitting their end of of decapitations. The children have a bath once a fortnight. year exams in Aleppo on 29 were also obliged to attend They were fed twice a day, but May. The IS, that had not yet courses of religious instruction were not allowed to play out of begun its policy of enslaving and pray five times a day. One doors after some succeeded in and forced marriage on a big of the children who, at the escaping. They were allowed scale, released all the girls moment of his capture, had occasional visits from their par - (about a hundred of them) but called on his mother aloud, was ents or relatives or phone calls, kept the boys, who were taken hung by his arms, tied back - but were forbidden to speak to Manbij and detained in a wards to his feet as a punish - Kurdish. From what the chil - school. ment, since “ one must never call dren were able to judge, their on anyone except God ”.. guards were a mixture of Syrian Since then, about 50 of them Arabs with others from Jordan, have managed to escape or been All those who tried to escape Libya, Tunisia and Saudi exchanged for Jihadist prisoners were severely neaten. Those Arabia. The Syrians were the held by the YPG. On 29 October children who had relatives in most brutal, particularly one last, the PYD announced that 25 the YPG forces were suffered called Abu Shahid, who was young prisoners had also been more ill treatment than the oth - from Aleppo. released and handed over to the ers because, as one of them, YPG, who enabled them to aged 15 years, explained: “ Those “They made us learn verses from n° 356 • November 2014 Information and liaison bulletin • 5•
the Qoran and beat those who were mines were laid there between including a child and wounded unable to remember them. When 1957 and 1998 “ to stop illegal 15 others. some boys escaped we were beaten crossings ”. Yet nearly 2000 even harder and received less refugees are thus confined in HRW was able to draw up a list food ”. the mined no man’s land of the of civilian victims from six mine The four boys questioned said Tell Shair corridor, to the explosions between 19 and 24 that they were not given any Northwest of Kobani. As September — all at Tell Shair. explanation for their release, Turkey refuses entry to any except that they had ended vehicles or cattle, and this agri - - 19 September, a 35-year-old “their religious lessons ”. cultural population refuses to woman and her daughter of 7, be separated from their belong - were injured. “They gave us 150 Syrian pounds ings, they remain in the middle (US$ 1) with some religious books of minefields. There is another - On 21 September two brothers, and let us leave ”. zone about 9 kilometres from ages 10 and 11, were wounded the villages of Mertismail and Since this kidnapping last May, Çanakcı, similarly occupied by - On 24 September a 6-year-old other hostages were taken but about a hundred Syrians. boy from Khaniq village was the IS when its troops captured killed and two others children villages round Kobani. This Between 15 September and 15 from the same village, ages 12 other people, adults as well as November, 20 mines have and 13, received serious facial children were similarly exploded at Tell Shair, accord - injuries detained nut seem mainly to ing to local humanitarian work - have been used for bargaining ers questioned by HRW. At - On 24 September two youths for exchanging prisoners. One least sic of these explosions of 15 and 20 years were decapi - young woman, who was causes losses to civilians, tated by an explosion released in this way, also including a six-years-old boy, reported violent interrogations and seven others were injured. - On 24 September a young girl of captives who had family ties The other explosions were of five and here 6-year-old with YPG members. mainly caused by cattle. The brother were wounded. refugees are this also trying to However, even when they don’t clear the mines themselves and The local NGOs said that 9 fall into the IS hands, the Kurds according to witnesses have other people had been injured of Kobani also die on the taken unexploded mines to in these 6 explosions but HRW Turkish borders, killed by the Turkish soldiers. These mines was unable to collect precise minefields that have lined the are particularly dangerous for details of these cases. border for several decades past. people on foot — those that were set off by cars and trucks As a signatory of the treaty for - Human Rights Watch has thus only caused material damage. A bidding the use of anti-person - asked Turkey to immediately Kurdish woman who lost a foot nel mines, Turkey has under - re-house the some 2000 refugees through treading on a mine taken to clear 911 Km of its bor - in safer areas and to undertake while freeing from Syria point - ders of mines since 2009 but has the clearing of the mines along ed out to the NGO that there asked for an extension of time it borders — starting with the were no signs to warn the pop - from 2014 to 2022 for complet - areas most likely to be crossed ulation that there were mines in ing this programme. by refugees. these places. For its part, Syria has, since Satellite pictures taken since As well as anti-personnel 2011, proceeded to cleat its bor - 1968 show the extent of the belt mines, the refugees in these bor - ders of Russian anti-personnel of mines laid by Turkey along der areas were sometimes hit by mines although, like Israel and the Syrian border since the 50s. mortar fire from the IS forces. the Lebanon, it is not a signato - According to Turkish official Thus one such attack, on 8 ry to this treaty, unlike Jord an sources, 615,419 ant9-personnel November, killed three people, and Iraq. • 6 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 356 • November 2014
JUST BEEN PUBLISHED: IRAQI KURDISTA: FROM TRIBE TO DEMOCRACY
n 20 November the formations that led to regional political but remains dependent Glyphes publishing governance in 1992 and to a strong on the central government in cer - house brought out a link, social and political, between tain strategic sectors, such as the O book of political history society and State, tribe and gov - management of resources, the entitled “Iraqi ernment, tribe and political parties future of Kurdish areas outside Kurdistan: from tribe to democ - and, eventually between govern - the Kurdistan Region and the sta - racy and presented it in the fol - ment and political parties. In this tus of the Peshmergas. lowing terms: way, Ali Dolamari draws a picture The author, Ali Dolamari, who “Iraqi Kurdistan, a Federal Region of Kurdish identity. He recalls the comes from Iraqi Kurdistan, has of Iraq, has emerged from a tribal religious and tribal facts and long been an activist of the organisational system and evolved reveals how the Kurdish national Kurdish cause. In 2012 he defend - towards democracy ”. movement came into existence. ed a geopolitical thesis at Paris IV The emergence of the Kurdistan University (Paris Sorbonne). He is, The author, basing himself on a Regional Government (KRG) pro - today, an expert in the historical analysis and a number vided new geopolitical perspec - Department for International of interviews, has studied the tives to Iraqi Kurdistan after the Relations of the Kurdistan impact of this evolution on the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Regional Government and at the geopolitical situation of Iraqi The region enjoyed marked devel - Kurdish Representative Office in Kurdistan. He examines the trans - opment, economic, social and France. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 1er novembre 2014 Kobané : nouveaux combats après l'arrivée des peshmergas
Par L'Obs avec AFP Des peshmergas 01 novembre 2014 du kurdistan irakien arrivent Les djihadiste de l'EI ont à Kobané, en Syrie. lancé une nouvelle offensive (STRINGER / face aux forces kurdes, qui AFP) Des pesh- bénéficient désormais de mergas du kur- l'appui de 150 peshmergas distan irakien irakiens lourdement armés. arrivent à Kobané, en Syrie. e violents combats ont fait rage samedi (STRINGER / D1er novembre dans la ville syrienne de AFP) Kobané après une nouvelle attaque des dji- hadistes de l'Etat islamique (EI) contre les distes, 361 membres des YPG et de leurs dépêché des centaines de conseillers mili- forces kurdes, qui bénéficient désormais de alliés, et 21 civils, a détaillé l'OSDH, qui se taires pour épauler les forces gouverne- l'appui de 150 peshmergas irakiens lourde- fonde sur un large réseau de militants et de mentales. ment armés. témoins à travers la Syrie. Celles-ci ont repris vendredi deux quartiers La ville, devenue le symbole de la résis- Le passage des renforts peshmergas a été de la ville de Baïji, contrôlée par l'EI depuis tance à l'EI, a été le théâtre jusqu'à l'aube acceptée il y a une douzaine de jours par son offensive fulgurante dans le pays en d'affrontements, les djihadistes tentant Ankara, sous la pression des Etats-Unis. juin. La reprise totale de Baïji, située au une nouvelle fois de s'emparer des Mais, considérant les YPG comme une nord de Bagdad, pourrait permettre de quartiers nord afin d'encercler la ville en "organisation terroriste", la Turquie se sécuriser la principale raffinerie irakienne, coupant son accès à la Turquie, selon refuse toujours à intervenir militairement toute proche de là. l'Observatoire syrien des droits de et à laisser passer des combattants kurdes l'Homme (OSDH). de Turquie, à la grande colère de cette com- Accusé de nettoyage ethnique et de crimes munauté. contre l'Humanité par l'ONU, l'EI a mis à 150 PEshmErgAs déPêchés PAr profit la guerre civile en Syrie et l'instabil- LE KurdIstAn IrAKIEn Celle-ci est appelée à manifester dans toute ité politique et sécuritaire en Irak pour la Turquie samedi pour exprimer sa soli- s'emparer de larges territoires, où il fait epuis, des tirs sporadiques résonnent darité avec les combattants de Kobané. régner la terreur. Ddans la troisième localité kurde de Syrie, également touchée par des petites Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a Selon un rapport de l'ONU cité par The explosions. de nouveau critiqué vendredi la stratégie Guardian, quelque 15.000 djihadistes de la coalition menée par les Etats-Unis. étrangers provenant de 80 pays sont venus Afin d'aider les combattants kurdes "Pourquoi les forces de la coalition bom- ces dernières années pour combattre dans syriens, qui défendent férocement Kobané bardent continuellement cette ville de les rangs de groupes comme l'EI en Syrie et depuis le 16 septembre, quelque 150 pesh- Kobané ? (...) Pourquoi pas d'autres villes, en Irak, un chiffre "sans précédent". mergas ont été dépêchés par le Kurdistan pourquoi pas Idleb (nord-ouest de la Syrie) irakien. ?", s'est-il interrogé. "On ne parle que de La plus haute autorité religieuse chiite Kobané (...) où il n'y a presque plus person- irakienne, le grand ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, Stationnés dans la ville frontalière turque ne à part 2.000 combattants". a souligné vendredi qu'"il ne sera possible de Suruç depuis deux jours, les combat- de débarrasser l'Irak de l'EI qu'en joignant tants irakiens, équipés de lance-roquettes, Depuis que l'EI a lancé une vaste offensive les efforts de ses fils", sunnites comme chi- de fusils automatiques et des mortiers, ont dans la région, provoquant la fuite de ites. franchi vendredi soir la frontière. Selon quelque 300.000 habitants, cette localité, l'OSDH, ils n'ont néanmoins pas participé appelée Aïn al-Arab en langue arabe, con- Pour lutter contre ce groupe, les Etats-Unis aux combats ayant fait rage la nuit passée. centre l'intérêt des médias et de la commu- excluent l'envoi de troupes au sol, mais nauté internationale. La coalition y a mené cherchent à renforcer l'armée et les forces D'après cette ONG, au moins cent dji- bon nombre de frappes aériennes, en appui kurdes en Irak, ainsi que la rébellion et les hadistes de l'EI ont été tués ces trois des YPG. Kurdes en Syrie. derniers jours dans les affrontements à Kobané et ses environs avec les milices kur- 15.000 djIhAdIstEs étrAngErs Une stratégie qui vient de subir un revers: des syriennes YPG (Unités de protection du En syrIE Et En IrAK les rebelles modérés du Front révolution- peuple). naire syrien (FRS), qu'ils soutiennent, ont ais malgré l'engagement de été chassés samedi de leur fief de Jabal al- ErdOgAn crItIquE LA MWashington contre l'EI en Syrie, le Zawiya, dans le nord-ouest de la Syrie, par strAtégIE dE LA cOALItIOn Commandement militaire américain les djihadistes du Front al-Nosra, selon chargé de la région (Centcom) a martelé l'OSDH N u total, les combats depuis le 16 sep- que l'Irak était la "priorité" des Etats-Unis, Atembre ont fait 958 morts : 576 djiha- qui y mène des raids depuis le 8 août et y a
1 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 3 novembre 2014
322 sunnites exécutés Des membres de tribus irakiennes prennent part En Irak, l'Etat aux combats contre l'Etat islamique à islamique continue l'ouest de l'Irak. les massacres © Le 03 novembre 2014 / A.B. avec Reuters www.parismatch.com server Zaouïat Albou Nimr, à 45 km au nord-ouest de Ramadi, et ses environs, de Daech. Mais à court de munitions, de nourriture et de car- es djihadistes de l'Etat islamique ont tué en l'espace de burant, les défenseurs de la ville n'ont pu empêcher les assaillants d'y Lquelques jours 322 membres d'une tribu sunnite de la pro- pénétrer la semaine dernière. Interrogé par «The New York Times», vince d'Anbar, dans l'Ouest irakien. Sabah al-Haditheh, un Albu Nimr, a dit que sa tribu avait demandé en Les combattants de l'Etat islamique continuent de semer la terreur en vain des armes au gouvernement, à majorité chiite. «Nous tenons le Irak. En l'espace de quelques jours, les islamistes auraient tué 322 gouvernement responsable pour ce qu'il se passe parce qu'ils ne nous membres de la tribu Albou Nimr, dans la province d'Anbar, à l'ouest de ont pas répondu», a-t-il dit. «Nous combattons l'Etat islamique avec des l'Irak. Sunnite comme les djihadistes, les membres de cette commu- fusils, alors qu'eux nous visaient avec de l'artillerie lourde». Le Premier nauté leur ont opposé pendant plusieurs semaines une farouche résis- ministre Haïdar al Abadi a ordonné dimanche que des raids aériens tance. soient menés contre les positions de l'EI à Hit pour venger ce massacre. Daech n'a épargné personne. «Les corps de 50 femmes et enfants ont En Irak ou en Syrie, rien ne semble pouvoir endiguer l'avancée de l'or- été découverts au fond d'un puits», rapporte le ministère irakien des ganisation terroriste. Elle tient désormais près du tiers du territoire Droits de l'Homme. Plus de 70 dépouilles d'hommes ont été éparpillées syrien ainsi qu'une bonne part du nord et de l'ouest de l'Irak. Lundi, les non loin de la ville d'Hit dimanche, en guise d'avertissement aux popu- combattants de l'EI ont annoncé s'être emparés d'un deuxième gise- lations. «Des membres de l'Etat islamique nous ont dit que ces gens ment gazier dans la province centrale de Homs, à l'issue de combats étaient de la Sahwa -une milice opposée à l'EI- qui avaient combattu avec les forces gouvernementales syriennes. A Kobané, les combats leurs frères de l'Etat islamique, et que ceci était la punition de qui- font toujours rage alors que 150 combattants kurdes d'Irak sont venus conque combattait l'Etat islamique», a rapporté un témoin à l'agence prêter main forte aux Kurdes locaux qui résistent depuis quelques Reuters. semaines aux attaques meurtrières de Daech. De son côté, l'armée TEnsIOns EnTRE LE gOuvERnEmEnT chIITE ET LEs américaine a dit avoir lancé de nouveaux raids aériens sur les positions TRIBus sunnITEs de l'Etat islamique depuis samedi pour empêcher le groupe djihadiste Des mois durant, les membres de la tribu sunnite ont résisté pour pré- de prendre la ville proche de la frontière turque. J
La délicate et périlleuse stratégie kurde de la Turquie en Syrie
Istanbul, 7 novembre 2014 (AFP) non pas antikurde", juge M. Romano. - CouP PorTé à La Paix - La Turquie joue en Syrie une partition délicate: elle a poussé des renforts de Kurdes d'irak vers Kobané assiégée mais refusé de renforcer le camp des Kurdes de Mais malgré ce geste contraint, la crise de Kobané menace désormais de faire dérailler les Syrie, menaçant le processus de paix engagé avec les rebelles du PKK. fragiles pourparlers de paix entamés il y a deux ans avec le PKK. Mal comprise, volontiers ambigüe, très critiquée, la ligne turque s'oppose frontalement à Le mois dernier, la politique syrienne d'Ankara a provoqué de violentes manifestations celle des Etats-Unis et des Occidentaux. Si eux ont fait des jihadistes du groupe Etat prokurdes en Turquie, principalement dans tout le sud-est du pays, qui a fait plus de 30 islamique (EI) leur principal ennemi, Ankara semble d'abord s'inquiéter de l'activité des morts. La plupart de ces victimes ont été tuées lors de heurts entre Kurdes favorables au mouvements kurdes, aussi bien turcs que syriens, qui les combattent. PKK et ceux du mouvement islamiste Huda-Par. Ces dernières semaines, le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a qualifié de "terroriste" le De son île-prison d'Imrali (ouest), le chef historique du PKK Abdullah Öcalan a prévenu que principal parti kurde de Syrie (PYD), à la pointe du combat contre l'EI, au même titre que le la chute de Kobané signifierait de fait la fin du processus de paix. mouvement frère du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) qui mène depuis 1984 la "C'est la Turquie qui a ouvert la porte à l'EI", a accusé, après bien d'autres, un des chefs guérilla sur le sol turc. militaires du PKK, Cemil Bayik. "Nous ne pouvons séparer le processus de paix du sort de Pressé par ses alliés d'intervenir, le régime islamo-conservateur d'Ankara a finalement fait Kobané", a-t-il déclaré au quotidien autrichien Der Standard. un geste en autorisant le passage par son territoire d'un symbolique contingent de 150 Dans une récente étude, l'Institut international d'études stratégiques (IISS) a qualifié cette "peshmergas" kurdes irakiens pour renforcer la défense de Kobané. crise de "coup majeur aux espoirs de résolution de la question kurde en Turquie". Mais sans pour autant revenir sur sa ligne férocement hostile au couple PKK/PYD. A son tour, l'International Crisis Group (ICG) a mis en garde contre les risques de voir le Plus que celle des jihadistes, M. Erdogan redouterait ainsi par dessus tout une victoire des conflit syrien "rouvrir les vieilles failles ethniques, sectaires et politiques de la Turquie" et Kurdes à Kobané, synonyme d'une indépendance de fait de la Rojava, la partie kurde de la appelé gouvernement et PKK à "définir un objectif commun qui va au-delà d'une simple Syrie, aux frontières de son pays. survie du processus de paix". "Le gouvernement turc continue de traiter PKK et PYD comme son pire ennemi, pire encore Pour l'heure, les protagonistes ne semblent pas avoir encore renoncé à une solution. Le qu'EI", note David Romano, spécialiste de la question kurde à l'université d'Etat du Missouri. quotidien Hürriyet a révélé vendredi que M. Öcalan et les services de renseignement (MIT) "On peut donc craindre que les Kurdes de Turquie en éprouvent de plus en plus de ressen- avait repris leurs discussions pour relancer le processus. timent contre leur gouvernement". M. Davutoglu a répété dimanche sa "détermination absolue" à conclure. Lors de son passage en Turquie, le convoi des peshmergas irakiens a été accueilli par des De son côté, M. Bayik s'est dit prêt à solliciter un médiateur. "Nous sommes en guerre avec foules kurdes turques en liesse, provoquant l'embarras du gouvernement. les Turcs depuis des années", a confié le chef militaire du PKK, "ni nous, ni la Turquie ne G "Avec leur politique étrangère prudente et leur ligne politique procapitaliste et conservatrice, parviendrons à nos fins par la guerre, il faut une solution politique". les Kurdes d'Irak ont offert à la Turquie l'occasion de montrer qu'elle était juste anti-PKK, et
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Peshmerga, Syrian rebels battle Islamic State in besieged Kobani
Battle for Kobani rages on with arrival of Peshmerga Sunday, November 02, 2014 An Islamic State flag is seen atop a building in eastern Kobani, as seen from the Turkish border crossing of Mursitpinar as Kurdish Peshmerga forces fight against Islamic state fighters, November 1, 2014. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis November 3, 2014 MURSITPINAR Turkey, By Omer Berberoglu (Reuters) inside Kobani. The fiercest fighting was taking place in the south and IRAqI KURdISh peshmerga fighters and moderate Syrian east, areas where the reinforcements were not deployed, he said. rebels bombarded Islamic State positions in Kobani on Despite weeks of air strikes, Islamic State has continued to inflict heavy Monday, but it was unclear if their arrival would turn the tide losses on Kobani's defenders. Late last week hospital sources in Turkey in the battle for the besieged Syrian border town. reported a jump in the number of dead and wounded Kurdish fighters Kobani has become a symbolic test of the U.S.-led coalition's ability to being brought across the frontier. halt the advance of Islamic State, which has poured weapons and fighters TRIBES into its assault of the town that has lasted more than a month. In Iraq, Islamic State fighters have stormed through mainly Sunni The battle has deflected attention from significant gains elsewhere in Muslim cities and towns in the Tigris and Euphrates valleys north and Syria by Islamic State, which has seized two gas fields within a week from west of Baghdad, in part with the support of many Sunni Muslims angry President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the center of the country. at perceived mistreatment by the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad. In Iraq, the group has executed more than 300 members of a Sunni tribe Washington hopes that Sunni tribes can be lured to switch sides, as they that dared oppose it last week, after seizing the tribe's village in the did during the U.S. "surge" campaign against al Qaeda in 2006-2007. But Euphrates valley west of Baghdad. On Monday a member of the tribe said so far, Sunni tribes that have dared to stand up to Islamic State have suf- another 36 members had been executed in the provincial capital Anbar. fered brutal fates, while complaining of little support from the Baghdad For now, the eyes of the world have been on Kobani, where weeks of figh- government. ting have taken place within full view of the Turkish border, causing More than 320 members of the Albu Nimr tribe, including women and outrage among Kurds in Turkey who blamed their government for doing children, have been hunted down, captured, shot and buried in mass too little to help defend the town. graves since their village fell to the fighters. The arrival in Kobani of the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga and additional Hamdan al-Nimrawi said on Monday 36 more members of the tribe had Syrian Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters in recent days has escalated been shot dead in Ramadi, capital of the vast Anbar province west of efforts to defend the town after weeks of U.S.-led air strikes slowed but Baghdad, where fighters control towns and villages stretching from the did not reverse the Islamists' advance. Syrian frontier, down the Euphrates to the western outskirts of Baghdad White smoke billowed into the sky as peshmerga and FSA fighters appea- itself. red to combine forces, raining cannon and mortar fire down on Islamic Setting up an international coalition to fight Islamic State in both Iraq State positions to the west of Kobani, a Reuters witness said. and Syria has been a tricky diplomatic task for the United States, requi- The U.S. military said it bombed Islamic State positions in Syria five ring consensus for intervention in two complex, multi-sided civil wars times and in Iraq nine times on Sunday and Monday, including near where nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake. Kobani. "PSYChOLOGICAL WAR" An estimated 150 Iraqi Kurdish fighters crossed into Kobani with arms The fight for Kobani within sight of the Turkish frontier has heaped pres- and ammunition from Turkey late on Friday, the first time Ankara has sure on Ankara, which has been reluctant to intervene, accusing the allowed reinforcements to reach the town. town's defenders of links with Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants, "(Their) heavy weapons have been a key reinforcement for us. At the who have fought a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. moment they're mostly fighting on the western front, there's also FSA Some 40 people died in riots in Turkey last month after Kurds, who make there too," said Meryem Kobane, a commander with the YPG, the main up around 15 percent of the population and the majority in the southeast, Syrian Kurdish armed group in Kobani. rose up in anger at the government for doing too little to help protect She said fierce fighting was also continuing in eastern and southern parts Kobani. of the city. President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday decried what he called a "psycho- The peshmerga, the official security forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish logical war" being waged by international media against Ankara over its region, have deployed behind Syrian Kurdish forces and are supporting Syria policy. them with artillery and mortar fire, according to Ersin Caksu, a journalist A survey by pollster Metropoll appeared to show sympathy for a
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a Erdogan's stance, with a majority of respondents saying the PKK, lis- ted as a terrorist organization by Europe and the United States, posed a greater threat to Turkey than Islamic State. Three soldiers were killed last week by suspected Kurdish militants while out shopping, the latest attack on Turkish security forces amid growing tension over a stalled Kurdish peace process. With the world's attention on Kobani, Islamist forces have continued to gain ground elsewhere in Syria. The Islamic State seized a gas field in the central province of Homs, according to the SITE jihadist website monitoring service -- the second gas field reported captured in a week from Assad's forces. On Monday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a Western-backed Syrian opposition group, the Hazzm movement, had lost positions and equipment including heavy weapons after being over- run by al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front fighters in Idlib province, near the An explosion following an airstrike is seen in the Syrian town of Turkish border. Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing on the On Saturday, Nusra fighters seized the bastion of another western- Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in backed group, also in Idlib. H Sanliurfa province November 2, 2014. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis
November 1st 2014
The war against Islamic State were keen to downplay the importance of the city, seeing it as a distraction from the wider campaign against IS. Pentagon briefings were The Kurdish resolutely downbeat, suggesting that, despite air strikes, the town might fall to IS at any time. By October 13th IS controlled more than half Stalingrad the town. But in the days that followed the aeri- al bombardment on IS positions in and around Kobane has acquired huge symbolic significance for all those fighting for it the town both intensified and increased in their accuracy, thanks to direct co-operation with Nov 1st 2014 Kurdish fighters on the ground. By the 19th www.economist.com there were air-drops of weapons, ammunitions and medical supplies by C-130 transports. Some ground lost to IS was recovered.
What changed? Partly it was a perception that defeat in Kobane in front of television reporters massed on the Turkish side of the border would only stoke criticism of America’s handling of the campaign. Partly it was a recognition that the fighting qualities of Syrian Kurds could prove invaluable in the long war. And partly it was a realisation that Kobane could be turned into a meatgrinder for jihadists.
IS has been happy to accept the challenge. As well as pouring more men and equipment into the fight, on October 27th it distributed a bizarre five-minute video in which a British hostage, Cheering on the defenders of Kobane, and the US Air Force John Cantlie, appeared to dispatch a “news report” from Kobane. Its purpose was to refute “WE WILL resist to our last drop of blood the idea that the battle was swinging against IS. together… if necessary we will repeat the For the other parties to the battle—America and Dresssed in black, Mr Cantlie tells the camera Stalingrad resistance in Kobane.” The words of IS—the confrontation, now in its seventh week, that America and its allies “even with all their air Polat Can, a Syrian Kurdish commander, to has also acquired increasing importance. For power and all their proxy troops on the ground” describe the fight against Islamic State (IS) IS, the expectation was of an easy victory that cannot defeat IS. jihadists for the town on the Syrian-Turkish bor- would have given it control over a large section der may exaggerate the scale of the fighting, of the border and the main road between its It is still not possible say who will prevail in but makes plain the emotional and strategic stronghold in Raqqa and Aleppo. But it has now Kobane. Kurdish defenders appear to be out- symbolism now attached to Kobane. become a test of the group’s military prowess. numbered but in street-to-street fighting the Winning Kobane would not just deal a crushing heavy weapons and vehicles that usually give On October 29th about 150 Iraqi Kurdish fight- blow to Kurdish resistance in northern Syria, but IS its edge are of limited use. IS is up against a ers, the Peshmerga, dispatched by cheering would also send out a message of invincibility in foe with nowhere to retreat, an improving sup- crowds in Irbil, set off through Turkey to rein- the face of American air power. ply of arms and continued air support. Kobane force their brother Kurds. The deployment was may not be Stalingrad, but if it holds out, the sanctioned by the Turkish authorities, after America, too, is increasingly committed to sav- psychological damage to IS will be real. I much haggling. ing Kobane. A few weeks ago American officials
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Report: Islamic State group tortured captive Kurdish children
November 4, 2014 — By RYAN LUCAS, Associated Press
BEIRUT - Islamic State militants tortured and abused Kurdish children captured earlier this year near the northern Syrian town of Kobani, beating them with hoses and electric cables, an interna- tional rights group said Tuesday. Human Rights Watch based its conclusions on interviews with several children who were among more than 150 Kurdish boys from Kobani abducted in late May as they were returning home after taking school exams in the city of Aleppo. It said around 50 of the Kurds escaped early in their captivity, while the rest were released in batches - the last coming on Oct. 29. "Since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, children have suffered the horrors of detention and torture, first by the Assad government and now by ISIS," said Human Rights Watch's Fred Abrahams. "This evi- dence of torture and abuse of children by ISIS underlines why no one should support their criminal enterprise." Four of the children who were released told the New York-based rights group that they were held by the extremists in the northern Syrian town This undated photo posted on Monday, Nov. 4, 2014 by the of Manbij. They described frequent abuse at the hands of the militants, Raqqa Media Office of the Islamic State group, a militant extre- who used a hose and electric cable to administer beatings. mist group, shows Islamic state group fighters in Kobani, The boys said that some of the worst abuse was reserved for captives Syria.(AP Photo/Raqqa Media Office) who had family members in the Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which has been locked in heavy fighting with Islamic State militants zed by President Bashar Assad's forces as well as advancing Islamic for control of Kobani since mid-September. State militants. The children said the Islamic State group did not say why they were "Abandoning Aleppo would mean condemning 300,000 men, women being released, other than that they had completed their religious trai- and children to a terrible fate: either a murderous siege under the ning, the Human Rights Watch report said. regime's bombs or the terrorist barbarity of Daesh," Laurent Fabius Islamic State militants have taken hundreds of Kurds captive over the wrote in a column published Tuesday in the Washington Post, France's past year as part of the group's brutal campaign to take over predomi- Le Figaro daily as well as the pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper. Daesh is nantly Kurdish areas of northern and eastern Syria. the Arabic name for the Islamic State group. On Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights "That is why - together with our coalition partners - we must focus our said the extremists had released dozens of Kurds taken captive in efforts on Aleppo, with two clear objectives: strengthening our support February. It was not immediately clear why the Islamic State group for the moderate Syrian opposition, and protecting the civilian popula- would release the captives now, nor whether a deal had been made with tion from the twin crimes of the regime and Daesh," Fabius added. the Kurds for a prisoner exchange. French aircraft are taking part in the U.S.-led aerial campaign against The fight over Kobani, meanwhile, has raged on, with the Islamic State the Islamic State militants in Iraq, but Paris opted out of the coalition group pressing its assault despite fierce resistance from the town's mission in Syria. Kurdish defenders and heavy U.S.-led airstrikes against the extremists. The Islamic State group overran much of northern and western Iraq in On Tuesday, clashes focused on the eastern and western sides of the June, adding to the large chunk of northern and eastern Syria it already town, the Observatory and an Iraqi Kurdish fighter said. controlled. It has continued its push to try to consolidate its hold on that A militant video posted online Tuesday showed the aftermath of appa- territory, including around Iraq's largest oil refinery outside the town of rent U.S.-led airstrikes, which saw a large plume of black smoke rise Beiji. over a neighborhood in the town. Footage Tuesday from Iraqi state television station Al Iraqiya showed Iraqi Kurdish forces known as peshmerga have deployed to Kobani to Iraqi special forces attacking some Islamic State group positions near help bolster their Syrian brethren defending the town. So far, the pesh- Beiji. The soldiers opened fire on a white building used by militants. merga are only playing a support role, using their heavy weapons and Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the building. All videos mortars to provide cover to YPG militiamen, said the Iraqi fighter, who Tuesday corresponded with Associated Press reporting on the inci- only gave his first name, Rebwar, because he wasn't authorized to dents. speak to the media. Besieged Iraqi troops have managed to maintain control of the refinery While much of the world's attention has focused in on the town along outside Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad, des- the Syria-Turkey border since the Islamic State offensive there began pite numerous attempts by the Islamic State group to capture it. G some six weeks ago, France's foreign minister urged the international coalition against the Islamic State to save the embattled city of Aleppo after attending to Kobani. Aleppo, once Syria's largest city, has been carved into opposition- and government-held areas since mid-2012. In recent months, the rebel- controlled zone has come under increasing threat as it has been squee-
5 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoiew-Berheaoka Çapê-Riaista S tømpø-Dentro de In Prensø-Basin Ozeti kfronlc SAMBD¡ lfl. DIMANCHB 2 . LUNDI 3 NOVBMBRB 2014 Ieur libération. Le calvaire des otages est long- Le < NewYorkTimes D raconte, dans temps demeuré secret car les terroristes un avaient fait comprendre à leurs familles qu,ils article publié le z5 octobre,l'horreur des les exécuteraient si et!çs s'exprimaient ãans les médias, Nous ne nommons ici que ceux séances de torture infligées par les qui ont été publiquement identifiés par l'EI, qui a commencé à donner des noms en août. djihadistes de l'Etat ishmlque å leurs lames Foley n'est qu'à quarante minutes de roì¡te de la frontière turque quand il décide de otages enlevés en Syrie. Cinq d'entre eulç taire u der¡x a dont Iames Foley, ont été assassinés et son trent dans un rybercaféþourenvoyerleurs re- portages à leurs rédactions,
TACAPTURE Les deux iournalistes n'ignorent rien des dangers qu'il y a à couwir la Syrie. euelques mois plus tôt, Cantlie a été enlevé à une cin- quantaine de kilomètres de Binesh, avant d'être libéÉ grâce à une intervention des re- belles modérés. Foley et Cantlie sont en train de télécharger leurs images sur le seryeur , lorsqu'un homme pénètre dans le café. a ^tl avait une grande barbe. II ne souriait pas, il nh pas prononcé un mot. Et il nous a regardés avec des yeux mauvais r, raconte Mustafa Ali, Ieur traducteur syrien, qui était avec eux et a livré le récit des demières heurbs qu'ils ont passées ensemble. fames Foley, ioumaliste américain free- lance qui travaillait pour le Globalpost et lAgence France-Presse, et fohn Cantlie, pho- tographe britannique indépendant, conti- nuent à transmettre leurs images, selon le traducteur, dont les dédarations ont été con- firmées par des e-mails que les deux jouma- listes ont envoyés depuis le café à un confrère qui les attendait en Ttrrquie. [e récit de ce qui s'est passé dans le réseau Plus d'une heure RUKMINI CALLIMACHI plus tard, ils montent
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lamique en Irak et en Syrie. D'autres factions son entrée dans Ie pays. Les derniers à dispa- dine [combattants musulmans] r. Foley et rejoignent le groupe, dont les tactiques sont raître sont cinq employés de Médecins sans Cantlie sont déplacés à au moins trois repri- si extrêmes que même Al-Qaida l'a expulsé frontières, qui se janvier font prendre en ses avant dêtre transférés dans les sous-sols de son r€seau terroriste. Et il nourrit des am- dans l'hôpital où ils travaillaient, dans la de l'Hôpital des enfants de la ville dAlep. bitions qui vont bien au-delà du renverse- camPagne syrienne. C'est dans cette prison que Bontinck ren- ment clu président syrien Bachar Al-Assad. A contre deux étrangers barbus et très mai- la fin zor3, les diihadistes commencent à ras- r¡NfERROGATOIRE gres : James Foley et John Cantlie. Le jeune sembler leurs prisonniers, les regroupant au Belge était à l'origine a un combattant, mais il même endroit sous l'hôpital. En ianvier, au été accusé d'espionnage et exclu du groupe moins dix-neuf hommes cohabitent dans après la réception d'un SMS de son père qui, depuis la Belgique, s'inquiétait pour lui. NAHTITffi{T, Pendant les trois semaines où il a été en- l"EtS 0TâCIS fermé au sous-sol avec eux, dès que l'appel à la prière retentissait, tous trois se levaient. offiPffililElrf sn UI{ AMÉRrcAN NOMMÉ HAMZA ]tlns RAUSSruRS C'est ce qui arrive à Marcin Suder, un repor- fames Foley s'est converti à l'islam peu après sa capture cette a été OTT DEilNNÉ ter photographe polonais de 3Z ans enlevé en - conversion confTrmée juillet zor3 à Saraqeb, en Syrie, où lbn savait par trois autres otages récemment libérés, us mls us n¡ß que les diihadistes opéraient. passé entre les ainsi que par son ancien einployeur. Selon mains de plusieurs groupes, il réussit à s,en- Bontinck, il a pris le nom musulman dAbou sñcrmrus fuir au bout de quatre mois. < IIs mbnt em- Hamza. << Ie récitaìs Ie Coran avec /ui poursuit Bontinck. La plupart des gens faisaient sem- IE YERSTR blant de se convertìr dans IÞspoir d'être míeux ur$ RAilçoil traités, mais iepense que dans son cas, iI shgis- une cellule de zo mètres carrés, et quatre mbnt complètement déshabillé. létaìs nu. Ils sait d'une déntorche sincère. > femmes dans une pièce voisine. ontregardé s'ìI n'y avaít pas de puce GpS sous D'anciens otages ont effectivement con- ma peau o firmé que la maiorité des prisonniers occi- Tous sauf un sont des Européens ou des ils mbnt ro dentaux s'étaient convertis durent leur capti- Nord-Américains. La liberté relative dont "Marcin Su vité. Seuls quelques otages sont restés fidèles louissaient Foley et Cantlie connaît alors une fin brutale. Les prisonniers se retrouvent me- IIs mlont accusé dêtre un espÍon. u Marcin Su- à leur religion dbrigine, dont Steven Sotloff, pardeux. Plus inquiétant encore, der - qui n'a jamais su le ¡rom du groupe qui un juifpratiquant. Les derniers otages libérés nottés cleux sont remplacés le détenait et n'a jamais rencontré d'autres affirment que Foley était fasciné par l'islam. les gardiens francophones par d'autres, qui parlent anglais et que Foley otages - remarque que ses interrogateurs ut! geôliers leur ont apporté une Qnand leurs reconnaît, terrifié. Ce sont eux qui l'avaient lisent un vocabulaire typiquement britanni- édition Coran en anglais, ceux qui fai- du traité de r méchant r pendant les pires séan- que, Au cours d'une séance, ils lui ont ainsi ré- saient sirnplement semblant d'être des mu- ces de torture, eux que les otages surnom- pété qu'il avait été < sulmans lbnt feuilletée, rapporte I'un d'eux. maient les < Beatles >. Ils instaurent des rè- terme que let codét Foley a passé des heures plongé dans le texte. gles de sécurité draconiennes. < Quand les également dit avoir Ses premiers gardÍens, des membres du Beatles ont pris les choses en main, ils ont de leurs bourreaux pendant les tortures les l.'ront el-Nosra, considéraient sa conversion voulu imposer un cettaÍn ordre aux otages D, plus brutales, avec strspicion. Mais les suivants paraissent raconte un Européen libéré depuis peu. C'est à la faveur de l'un de ces interrogatoi touchés. Pendant un long moment, les bri Les diihadistes sont passés de l'anonymat à res que les djihadistes trouvent sur lbrdina- lnades ont rnême cessé. Contrairement aux la gestion de ce qu'ils appellent un Etat. Ils teur de fames Foley des clichés de militaires prisonniers syriens, attachés à des radiateurs, créent une bureaucratie complexe, dont un américains, pris durant les missions du jour- Foley et Cantlie peuvent se déplacer libre- tribunal, une foice de police et même un bu- naliste en Afghanistan et en lrak. lnent dans leur cellule. reau de défense du consommateur qui oblige t On voyait les cìcatrÍces sur ses chevilles ¡, Bontinck a eu lbccasion de demander à des marchands de kebabs à fermer pour avoir ¡aconte fejoen Bontinck, un Belge de 19 ans l'émir de la prison, un Néerlandais, si les mi- vendu des produits de mauvaise qualité. converti à l'islam qui, à I'été zor3, a passé trois réclamé rançon en litants avaicnt une Cette obsession pour lbrdre vaut aussi pour semaines dans Ia même cellule que fames Fo- échange des étrangers. Non, a été la réponse. les les gardés pendant ley. < II mh raconté comment ils otages. Après avoir des lhvaient en- << m'a expliqué qu'il y avaít un plon A et un ll mois sans exprimer aucune revendication, chaîné à une barre par les pieds et I'avaient plan B >, précise Bontinck. Les iournalistes les diihadistes proiettent subitement d'en ti- suspendu au plafond Ia tête en bas, Ie laissant devaient être placés en résidence surveillée rer de I'argent. A partir de novembre zor3, Ià un long moment. > Bontinck, qui a été li- être envoyés dans un camp d'entraîne- oti chaque prisonnier reçoit l'ordre de donner béré à la fin de I'année dernière, èst revenu ment djihadiste. Deux éventualités qui lais- l'adresse électronique d'un proche, Foley pour la preniière fois sur ses expériences lors que le groupe l'inten- saient entendre avait fournit celle de son frère cadet. Le groupe tion de les relâcher, d'un entretien réalisé dans sa ville natale, An- bombarde alors de messages les familles des Bontinck a été libéré, il a noté le nu- vers. Il est l'un des quarante-six ieunes Belges Qr¡and otages. Ceux qui ont pu les comparer ont rnéro de téléphone des parents de Foley et poursuivis pour appartenance à une organi- constaté que le texte en avait été copié et collé promis de les appeler, Les deux hommes ont sation terroriste. à partir d'un même modèle. Au début, les mauvais traitenìents ne sem- évoqué la possibilité de se revoir. Quand il est parti, it s'est dit que les journalistes, comme blent pas servir un obiectif plus vaste, Et les tE TRI djihadistes eux-mêmes ne paraissent pas lui, seraient bientôt remis en liberté. En décembre 2ol3, les djihadistes ont trop savoir ce qu'ils feront de leurs otages. A échangé plusieurs messages avec la famille UN ÉTAT TERRORISTE en croire Bontinck, James Foley et fohn Cant- de Foley et d'autres otages. Foley se prend à La guerre civile syrienne, auparavant domi- lie sont dans un premier temps détenus par espérer qu'il sera bientôt de retour chez lûi. Il née par des rebelles lai'cs et une poignée de le Front Al-Nosra, groupe affilié à Al-eaida, se consacre à la préparation d'une version groupes djihadistes rivaux, avait été le théâ- Leurs gardes, trois anglophones qn'ils sur. carcérale de u Secret Sdnfa r, Chaque prison- tre de profonds changements, et le nouveau nomment les < Beatles )), prennent apparetn- nier doit offrir à un autre un cadeau fabriqué extrémiste y jouait désormais un rô- ment un malin plaisir à les brutaliser. Broupe à partir de déchets. Ce Père Noël improvisé a le-clé. Dans le courant de zot3, le bataillon qui lls sont ensuite remis à un autre groupe di- ainsi apporté à Foley un cercle fait à partir de tenait l'hôpital diAlep fait serment d'allé- rigé par des francophones, le < Conseil de la la cire récupérée d'une bougie pour poser son gearlce envers ce qui s'appelait alors l'Etat is- choura lorgane consultatif] des moudiahî front quand íl se penche pour prier sur le sol
7 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoie(n-Berheaoko Çøpê-Riuista Stømpa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti
de béton. telas. Certains des prisonniers prennent des ques - tous citoyens de pays qui refusent de vieux pantalons qu'ils bourrent de chiffons payer des rançons. Dans un article publié il y Au fil des semaines, il s'aperçoit que l'on avant d'en nouer les extrémités pour en faire a peu dans Dabìq, un magazine officiel de vient régulÍèrement chercher ses camarades des oreillers de fortune, peu à peu, l'Etat islamiqug les diihadistes affirment que de cellule européens pour Ies interr.oger. pas ils se re- toument les uns contre les autres. Des bagar- les frappes déclenchées sous commande- lui. Ni les autres Américains ou les Britanni res éclatent. ment américain à partir du mois d'août re- ques. Rapidement, les prisonniers compren- Foley partage ses maigres rations. Dans présentent le dernierclou dans Ie cercueil des nerit que leurs ravisseurs ont identifié quels le otages. sont les pays les plus susceptibles de verser < Alorc que le gouvemement américain traî- une rançon, assure un ancien otage, un des nait les pieds, répugnant à sauver Ia vìe cinq qui ont accepté de décri¡e leurs condi- de la- mes, peut-on lire dans le magazine, des négo- cÍations étaient entreprtses par les gouveme- ments de plusíeurs prisonniers européens, ce qui a abouti à la libération de plus d'une di- zai ne dþntre eux une foís satisfaites les exigen- par scène. Et ils sbrganisent pour donner des ces de I'Etat islomique. > avec løquelle ils pensaient pouvoir négocier, conférences sur des sujets qu'ils maîtrisent. Quinze otages ontétélibérés de mars àiuin, dit un autre. IIs o¡tt commencé par les Espa- pour gnols. t Au printemps, on les transfère du sous-sol un montant moyen de plus de z mil- de l'hôpital diAlep à Raqqa, capitale du califat lions d'euros, selon les ânciens prisonniers et Les négociations pour la libération des pri- autoproclamé de I'Etat Ieurs proches. Un des demiers à partir est sonniers espagnols progressent rapidement islamique. Là, on les Da- - incarcère dans un bâtiment l'extérieur niel Rye Ottosen, un photographe danois âgé le premier a été libéré en mars, six mois après à d'uneinstal de z5 ans, relâché en après que sa famille sa capture -, puis les djihadistes passent aux iuin denouveau a collecté une rançon de plusieurs millions quatre joumalistes français. Après avoir ré- hadistes ob d'euros, d'qprès trois personnes au courant pondu à des questions supplémentaires sur négociations avec l'Espagne. des négociations. Il fait partie de ces nom- leur vie privée, les prisonniers européens Xn avril, près de la moitié des otages ont breux otages qui, en partant, ont réussi à em- sont filmés, les vidéos étant destinées à être été libérés. Mais aucun progrÈs n'a porter avec eux des lettres de ses compa- envoyées à leurs familles ou àleurs gouveme- étéènregistré porrr ce qui est des rançons réclamées par gnons de cellule. ments. Des vidéos de plus en plus dures, al- les djihadistes en échange des prisonniers ãméri- Foley, lui" semble avoir compris que la fin lant iusqu'à indure des menaces de mort et cains et britanniques. Durant la phase était proche. Dans une lettre à sa famille, tout des dates d'exécution. Dans une vidéo, les de tri, les qardes estiment que le seul òtage en leur exprimant son amour, il a glissé une geôliers alignent les prisonniers français affu- russe, que les autres connaissent phrase leur expJiquant comment dépenser blés de ces tenues orange, Puis, à en croire sous le nom de Serguei, est la marchandise l'argent de son compte en banque, d'anciens otages et des témoins, ils en choi- la moins négocia- ble. Identifié par les médias russes En août, quand les militants sont venus le sissent queþes-uns qu'ils soumettent à des comme étant Sergueï Gorbounov, chercher, ils lui ont fait enfiler une paire de waterboardings (simulations de noyade). on le voit pour la demière fois dans une vidéo diffirsée en octo- sandales en plastique. Ils lbnt emmené ius- qu'à une hauteurpelée à l'extérieur de Raqqa, bre zor3, Il balbutie que si Moscou ne répond 'oir ils lbnt fait agenouiller. Il a fixé la caméia, pas aux exigences des ravisseurs, il sera tué. une expression de défi dans le regard; Et ils Unfour, auprintemps suivant, des hommes lui onttranché la gorge. Deux semaines plus masqués emmènent le prisonnier terrorisé tard, une vidéo comparable est postée sur pays que parce que ceux-ci refusent de négo- hors de sa cellule,l'abattent etfilment ensuite YouTube, montrant la mort de Sotloff. En cier, selon plusieurs sources au fait des évé- son cadavre. Puis ils montrent les images aux sqptembre, les militants mettent en ligne nements.
8 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuiew-Berheuokn Çøpê-Riaistø Stømpø-Dentro de Ia Prensø-Bøsin Ozeti lntcn¡¡tio¡t¡ll\ctullork@inrcø NovEMBER 3,2ot4 Flying blind in lraq and Syria
reporters permanently present inside gion, Instead they said that Morsi ISIS territory? A lot. We can't answer would bring jobs, security, sidewalks, for ourselves important questions : better living conditions and an end to How is our bombing campaign being corruption - in short, better gov- perceived? Is it drawing ISIS fighters ernance. Morsi was eventually toppled and local lraqi Sunnis closertogether for bringing none of those, not because or pushing them apart? How is ISIS he was impious. Thomas L. governing, running schools and the Recently, Vice News used the veter- justice system, and how is this per- an Al Jazeera and Arabic photojournal- Friedman ceived by Iraqis and Syrians under its ist Medyan Dairieh to produce a com- rule? \ühat motivates so many losers pelling documentary from Syria, called and lost souls to join this jihadist move- "The Islamic State," But that was a ment? Do we have the right message one-shot deal done with "conditions in The Islamic State, also known as ISIS directed at them? I could go on. order to get in and get out with your and ISIL, has accompanied its brutal Retiring Deputy Secretary of State life," Jason Mojica, the Vice News edit' takeover oflarge swaths oflraq and Bill Burns recently authored a piece in or in chief, told a panel at N.Y.U., ac- Syria with the kidnapping and behead- Foreign Policy magazine with his part- cording to The Huffington Post. ing ofjournalists. Any Western journa- ing advice to American diplomats. He I asked Mina al-Oraibi, assistant edit- lists whowould dare to venture into ISIS quoted Edward R. Murrow the CBS or of the London-based Asharq Al- territory today would be risking their News giant, advising incoming diplo- Awsat, how an Arabic daily covered Iives every second. So the United States mats that the "really critical link in the ISIS: is now involved in the first prolonged international communications chain is "We have our corresþondents sup- war in the modern Middle East that the last three feet, ported by a few local stringers who risk by being in touch with us American reporters and photographers With no re- theirlives from lraq. However, we have a blackout can't cover firsthand on a daily basis, porters ineide to observe and write trom lSlS-controlled areas in Syria, es- with the freedom ISISænitory what they please and with the sustained pecially Raqqa, In lraq, our use of presence to offer perspective on how the to document phones and er.nails to get information good. drewarrhow leaveq,us worried àbout the. safety of story is evolving. That is not forreportersand 'dhesereporters, But it gets worse. The Times report- do we know photographers; Sute, and often theyare ed last week that ISIS had one ofits whatts happn- worRing without knowing how they will get paid. ... said that, British hostages act as a combat re- ening on the eventually Having is enriched by networks porter in a propaganda video from the ground? our coverage Syrian town of Kobani "forecasting of,Iraqis and Syrians reaching out to that the town is about to fall to militants terviewing another tell us their stories, in addition to rela- despite waves of American airstrikes," human being about hopes and dreams, tions with Iraqis, Syrians, and other and suggesting that ISIS was getting fears and hatreds, is also a form of data Arabs who have either interacted witlt even morê sawy in promoting its cause collecting and analysis - something some ISIS militants or had relations by adopting the techniques of a 24-hour the best diplomats, journalists and his- with them when they were under other news channel. " 'Hello, I'm John Ca¡rt- torians rely upon. You can't capture in banners," lie,' the hostage says in the video, numbers a raised eyebrow or a wry Butthe reality, she added, "is that dressed in black, 'and today we are in smile or the fear in a refugee's eyes or much of what we know is either from the city of Kobani on the Syrian-T[rkish the regret in a militiaman's voice. ISIS militants, or anecdotal stories border. That is, in fact, Ti:rkey right be- Sometimes just listening to someone's from observers or people with families hindme."' silence speaks volumes. in places controlled by ISIS." And it will get even worse. Dylan By- I often reflect on interviews I did with Indeed, ISIS is telling us what it ers, Politico's media reporter, wrote on Egyptian women at an all-female vot- wants us to know through Tlvitter and Oct. 23 that the F.B.L had sent a bulletin ing station in the poorest neighborhood Facebook, and keeping from us any- to nerus organizations warning that in Cairo in the20l2 election that thing it doesn't ìvant us to know. So be ISIL had identified reporters and media brought a Muslim Brotherhoo4 leader wary of what anyone tells you about personalities as "legitimate targets for to the presidency. Almost all of them this war - good, bad or indifferent. retribution attacks" in response to the had voted for the Muslim Brotherhood Without independent reporting on the U.S.-led airstrikes. candidate, Mohamed Morsi. But when I ground, we're in for some surprises, If What are we missing by not having asked why, not a single one cited reli you don't go, you.don'tknow
lrak: les Kurdes ont exporté du pétrole d pour près de 3 mds USD en 2O',4 Erbil (Irak),7 novembre 20f4 (AFP) ministère des Ressources naturellæ de la Égion autonome. "La valeur totale du pétrcle exporté s'élëue à2,87 milliards de dollars", ajoute-t-il. LA RÉGþN autonome du Kurdistan, dans le nord de l'lnk, a annoncó vendredi avoir Le gouvemement centnal de Bagdad et le Kudistan se livrcnt depuis plusieurs mois une expoíó pour pÉs de 3 milliards de dollam de pétrole par oléoduc et camions depuls bataille sur la queslion du pétrole, le prcmier eslimant que l'énegie prcduite dans les le dóbut de I'année. Égions apparlient au pays tout entier et la semnde tna¡tant direc{ement avec des compag- prin- Les exportalions de pétrole par les trois provinces æmposant le Kurdistan est un des niæ pétolières au motif que le péhole prcduit sur son sol est sa popriété. cipaux po¡nb de friclion entrc Erbil, sa capitale, et les aulorités fédérales de Bagdad qui Cette dispute a cependant été édipsée æs demies mois par l'ofiemive fulgurante du considèrcnt cette pnalique comme illégale. groupe jihadiste l'Etat islamique qui a pris le conlrtle de larges tenitoircs au nod de janvier "Depuis 2014, 34,5 millions de barils de pétole ont été exportés depuis la région du Bagdad, tout prés dans certains cas des zones kudes. Kurdistan, dont 21,5 ont été vendus via (un oléoduc débouchant sur le port lurc de) Ceyhan, Les forces de I'odrc fédêrales et les combattanb kudes ont dû notamment coopérer dans Le reste a été acheminé par camion à Mesin en Tuquie", indique dans un communiqué le certains sec{euß pour tenter d'expulser les jihadistes. I Reaue de Presse-Press Reoisut-Berhanka Çapê-Ríaistø S tømpø-Dentro de lø Prensø-Basin Ozeti
Inrcnr.rtio¡¡¡l ñtu lJork @iu¡cs ruEsDAy, NovEMBER 4, 2014
1,414 troops in lraq as of Friday, about 600 of whom were acting in advisory With [J.S. aid, Iraq roles'from joint operations centers in Baghdad and Erbil, and at division and higher headquarters. A White House spokesman, Alistair Baskey, said the figure was not a limit, readies ISIS fight just the number of troops required for the currentmissions. forcements in Syria, WASHINGTON which are subject The Iraqi military has been active in to American airstrikes. recent weeks, but these operations h¿rve To oversee taken a toll on its forces. United States Campaign aims to break fort, a new t officials say that the initial force they militant group's-control lished under who oversees A major push will require over outlying towns East ánd who will operate from abase in Kuwait. Maj. Gen. paul E. Funk II will training three lraqi divisions run subordinate BY MICHAEL R, GORDON a headquarters in over 20,000 soldiers in Baghdad AND ERIC SCHMITT that will supervise the hun- the- coming months. - dreds of American advisers and train- Iraqi security forces, backed by Ameri- ers working with Iraqi forces. canled air power and hundreds As the push of ad- to train lraq,s military are planning to advise consists of only visers, planning gathers are to mount a major momentum, the American foot- nine Iraqi brigades and th¡ee similar spring offensive orint is against Islamic State Ïkely to expand from Baghdad Kurdish pesh merga units roughly fighters poured and who have into the coun- Erbil to additional outposts, includ- 24,000 troops. - try from Syria, a campaign that is ing Al Asad Air Base likely in Iraq,s embattled The counterattack plan calls for at to face an array oflogistical political Anbar Province and in the west, and poss! least doubling that force by adding challenges. bly Taji, 20 miles north of Baghdad. three divisions, each of which could The goal break The effort to rebuild is to the Islamic lraq,s fighting ca- range from 8,000 to 12,000 troops. State's occupation pability faces hurdles, in northern and including the risk The United States is relying on allies western lraq, and establish that the Islamic the Iraqi State will use the inter- to augment American trainers. Aus- government's control over Mosul vening months and to entrench in western tralia, Canada and Norway have com- other population centers, as well as the and northern lraq and carry out.more mitted several hundred special forces to country's major roads killings. and its border one or more of the training or advisory with Syria by the end of 2015, according The United States currently does not missions, a senior United plan States mili- to American officials. to advise Iraqi forces below the tary official said. Iraqi and Kurdish level of forces have made a brigade, which in the lraqi James M. Dubik, a retired three-star inroads in recent Army weeks in securing ter- usua.lly has some 2,000 troopi. Army general who oversaw training of ritory threatened or captured by the Is- the Iraqi military during the Americair lamic Stâte, including the Rabia border Nor is it clear under what circum- qtances surge in 2007 and 2008, said the most crossing with Syria, the oil refinery in the White House might allow critical part of the campaign would be Baiji north of Baghdad, the American advisers to accompany lraqi northern the effort to win the allegiance of Iraqis town Zvmar, units on the battlefield or to call in air- of and Jurf al-Sakhar after the Islamic State is routed. southwest of Baghdad. strikes, as Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the "Behind it hasto come some reasona- But the major push, which is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staft has being de- bly legitimate, evenhanded and nonsec- vised with the help of American indicated might be necessary. military tarian governance over those planners, Iraq's recent history suggests that areas that will require training three are taken back from ISIS," he said, new lraqi Army divisions more than such a battlefield advisory role is likely - Even ifthe overall Iraqi plan succeeds 20,000 troops coming to be needed. Iraqi forces faltered dur- over the by the end of 2015, American officials months. - ing their 2008 offensive against Shiite say, pockets of resistance could remain. is a balance between militias in Basra until American com- "It letting them American commanders acknowledge develop their own plan and take owner- manders sent their troops to advise Iraqi forces below the brigade level and that the effort to defeat ISIS will be ship for it, and ensuring that they don't Iengthy. stretch themselves too far and outpace facilitate airstrikes. As plan "This is not going to happen in three their capability," said one United States the stands now, no American agency has been weeks, a month, two months," Gen, Ray military official, who asked not to be assigned to train Iraq's police Odierno, the Army chief of stalf and a identified þecause he forces, although they will be re- was discussing former top commander in lraq, told warplanning. sponsible for protecting areas that have been cleared by the army. CNN recently. ' 'It's a three- to four-year Though the United States began to effort." carry out ai¡strikes to protect Erbil in Iraq's Shiite militias, some of which August, the longer-term campaign plan have been supported by lran, pose an- has remained secret. Now that the plan- other obstacle. Antony J. Blinken, Pres- ning has advanced, more than a dozen ident Obama's deputy national security Iraqi and American officials provided adviser, said last week that it was im- portant details about a strategy that is certain to that the Shiite militias with- become increasingly visible. draq disband or have their members The basic strategy calls for attacking integrated into lraq's security forces. But fighters from the Islamic State, also Fulrd Masum, the lraqi president, known as ISIS or ISIL, with a goal of has suggested that the militias could be isolating them in majqr strongholds like needed until the Islamic State was thor- Mosul. oughly defeated. That could enable Iraqi troops, Kurd- One of the major challenges is self-im- ish pesh merga units and fighters that p-osed. Military officialS say the White have been recruited from Sunni tribes House has limited the number of United States to take on a weakened foe that has been advisers, analysts and security cut off from its supply lines and rein- personnel in Iraq to 1,600. There were
10 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti
November 5, 2014 Inside Kobane: Eyewitness account in besieged Kurdish city
The main objective of those left in Kobane is to prevent the city from falling www.bbc.com fierce fighting, mortar 5 November 2014 bombs, attempted suicide attacks by IS involving vehicles or nearly two months Islamic State (IS) packed with explosives and also coalition air F fighters have besieged the Kurdish border strikes. city of Kobane in northern Syria. Ersin Caksu is Before the war, this used to be the more affluent one of the few journalists to have reported from part of the city. inside Kobane for much of the siege. The city's southern neighbourhoods, although I arrived in Kobane on 19 September, four days not as severely damaged as the east, are still after the attacks started. Most of the civilians I devastated. saw in those early days have now disappeared. Street fighting persists in these parts of the city Many have fled to Turkey but some, unfortuna- and none of the houses has doors any more. tely, have died in the clashes. All are now connected with holes opened on the Xelil Osman, 67. is fighting to defend Some 400,000 people used to live in Kobane walls. It is possible to move from house to Kobane with his two sons and in its 360 surrounding villages. house through these holes and emerge in a dif- Only 4,000 people now live in the relatively safe ferent part of the city four or five streets away. Travelling around the city by day is simple areas of the city. There are another 5,000 civi- In every street there are bullet-ridden and over- because the first vehicle you meet on the street lians in Til Seir, a village east of Kobane, in the turned vehicles. will stop and the driver will offer you a lift. mined area between the barbed wire of the Turkish border and the railway track. Since the fighting started, the streets have not Maybe that solidarity helps explain why Kobane been cleaned and the city has been invaded by has held out for so long. When the IS attacks started, people took as flies. But now the weather is becoming cooler, Very few people are still living in their own many of their belongings as they could and the stench is less intense. moved into this area. houses. When necessary, the doors of empty Hunger and a lack of water has made the situa- properties are opened and needy people are There are whole families here, but many have tion desperate for Kobane's street dogs and relocated. headed to Suruc on the Turkish side of the bor- abandoned house pets. der. Those still in their homes share the cheese, Most of the civilians still here are elderly or pickles, jams and dried vegetables they have The only link between Kobane and Suruc is by women with young children. Although they are stocked for the winter with those in need. mobile phone. not allowed to go to the front line to fight, some Although people have few belongings left, they People worry about each other on both sides. defy the ban. Xelil Osman, 67. has taken up get by through sharing what they have. While the civilians in Kobane are part of the arms alongside his two sons. For example, if a car is needed, the YPG unlock fighting against IS, their loved ones in Suruc are "When the young are dying, do you expect me trying to survive as refugees. a garage, put the owner's name and the car's to be scared of dying?" he asked me. number plate on record so that they can be Eastern Kobane is in ruins as a result of the At night, civilians only leave their houses in an compensated, and the vehicle is used. emergency. If someone falls sick, they call the BaTTLEground local authorities and a vehicle arrives with two Popular Protection Unit (YPG) fighters and There is no commercial activity in the city. The takes people wherever they need to go. only business still open is the bakery. 'TrEmEndous spIrIT' The bread produced here is distributed free among the people. When there is an IS mortar attack or a similar threat, a short term emergency is declared and Other food, which is mainly canned food from YPG fighters shepherd people elsewhere and the stocks and from the humanitarian aid sent find alternative housing. to Kobane, is distributed on certain days of the week as equally as possible. Kobane is imbued with a tremendous spirit of Water is distributed by tankers. The local ➤ Much of Kobane has been reduced to rubble solidarity.
11 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti
➤ administration also distributes flour once Kobane's three hospitals have been damaged burial of a relative - a young woman fighter - every three days. Five households share a by bombing and the doctors work in a small told me there was no time to grieve properly at 50kg (110lb) sack of flour. two-roomed building. this point. Those civilians who can provide voluntary help Those who become ill refuse to go to the doc- "We are not crying now. When Kobane is free, behind the frontline. tors. One elderly woman explained that the I will cry twice. [Tears] of sadness for the young medical centre had little equipment anyway. ones we have buried and [tears] of joy, They repair vehicles, guns and generators, in a because their sacrifice was not for nothing and city that has had no electricity for the past 18 "It shouldn't be wasted on us. Our kids are figh- Kobane is free." N months. ting and getting wounded. Medical supplies should be used for them." Ersin Caksu writes for pro-Kurdish daily Ozgur They help doctors tend to the wounded, carry Gundem. arms and ammunition to the frontline, cook for As the city's cemetery has become a battle- fighters and repair their clothes. ground, Kobane's dead are now buried in ano- ther area without ceremony. As the winter draws in, illnesses here are on the rise and hygiene has become a problem. A woman called Xatun, speaking after the
November 10, 2014 EU delegation urges Baghdad to decentralize political and economic powers 10 November 2014 from ISIS terrorists. www.kurdishglobe.net The Defense Minister affirmed the Peshmerga forces as important and he delegation fully apprecia- integral part of Iraq's defense sys- Tted the role of the Kurdistan tem. Region in facing the serious He indicated he would spare no security challenges of terrorism effort to resolve the Peshmarga in the region. related outstanding issue with The EU delegation reiterated its Baghdad. He expressed his wishes support during this period of that the much expected visit of exceptional security and humanita- Kurdistan Region's delegation to rian needs. Baghdad could pave the way in solving all the outstanding issues The EU delegation's visit to between Erbil and Baghdad. Baghdad was also discussed, noting that it urged the Iraqi Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani on Monday, November 3, The Defense Minister noted that Government to include all Iraqi 2014, received a European Union delegation headed by Mr. enhancing the Iraqi Army's capabi- communities in the political pro- Hugues Mingarelli, the Managing Director for North Africa, lities is needed now as it goes on cess, increase decentralization of Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and Iraq at the the offensive. political and economic powers to European External Action Service, along with EU officials and Prime Minster Barzani praised the the regions and provinces in the EU Ambassador to Iraq. participation of Arab countries in accordance with the Iraqi the international coalition and ack- Constitution, and to resolve issues nowledged their participation as than 1.4 million displaced people Government of Iraq, Dr. Khaled with the Kurdistan Region. crucial. in the Kurdistan Region are refu- al-Obeidi. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Barzani lauded the gees from Syria for whom more a delegation included the Chief of While considering coalition forces role of the EU in supporting the humanitarian assistance is urgently Staff of the Iraqi Army, the US air strikes successful, the Prime fight against terrorism and stressed required from the international Chief Security Coordinator in Iraq, Minister emphasized that they are requirements for more advanced, community. 80% are internally the Governor of Mosul, Iraqi and alone not enough, and that the heavy weaponry and training. displaced persons, IDPs, from US military officials and advisors. fight against terror needs a change Cooperation and coordination with in strategy. areas of Iraq outside the Kurdistan The Kurdistan Regional Turkey in facilitating Kurdish Region. He stressed the need for the Peshmerga to reinforce Kobani Government Minister of It is in the mutual interests of both Peshmerga Affairs also attended ground forces to be well armed with heavy weapons was also dis- and well equipped. cussed. the Kurdistan Region and the EU the meeting. to develop closer relations to Prime Minister Barzani expressed Talking about the refugees and The importance of continuous and improve relations with neighbo- consistent cooperation between optimism about the future. displaced people in the Region, ring and regional countries, and to Prime Minister Barzani affirmed, Peshmerga and Iraqi army forces He emphasized the KRG's positive resolve outstanding issues between was acknowledged. interest and disposition in settling despite limited resources, that the Erbil and Baghdad. people and the KRG have welco- Iraq's Defense Minister commen- all outstanding issues between med and offered help and support PM BARzANI MEETS IRAqI ded the effectiveness of Erbil and Baghdad through res- Ë to all who have been forced to DEfENSE MINISTER Peshmerga forces in confronting pectful dialog and negotiation. leave their homes and will conti- PM Barzani also received on threats to the country's security, nue to do so. Tuesday, November 4th, the highlighting achievement in reco- It is noted that 20% of the more Defense Minister of the vering Zumar and Rabia towns
12 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuísu)-Berheooka Çnpê-Riaistø S tampa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti
îeIJIonôc EUD6N.'EMBRE,014 Le calvaire des lycéens kurdes détenusparl'El Pendant quatre mois, des dizaines d'adolescents ont été battus et endoctrinés par les djihadistes en Syrie
ISTANBUL - correspondante lrn gartr raconte !træ Fltrt de¡n a éfré L sr!Ðcilfu pel z9 mai zor4 dans une école de polr Manbii, une bourgade sous leur lnpled contrôle au sud-ouest de Kobané, Jêilre écrlé r Oh en Syrie, Ils les ont battus avec des ! câbles électriques ou en les sus- lna¡nill rdolls pendant par les pieds, pour un qull affdtd¡ mot de travers ou à cause de leur en appe|ef à Dleu connaissance iugée trop lacu- naire du Coran. ,ç Battus, torturés, ces adolescents ISIS HOSTAGE SPEAKS OUT ont été marqués par leur déten- Pourquoi les ieunes lycéens ont- frbn r, explique Emma Sinclair Íls été relâchés le z9 septembre I Webb. Chercheuse pour IONG Hu- < Eux-mêmes I'ignorent, Ieurs gar- man Rights Watch (HRW) à Is- díens leur ont juste dit que leur Capture d,écran du témolgnage d'un adolescent kurde détenu tanbul, elle a interviewé quatre stage d'études était termìnë ¡t, ra- gnle par lslamique et dlfü¡sé su¡ la draine amérlcalne CNN. d'entre eux au sud de la Turquie, conte Emma Sinclair WeUú. f i les en l'Btat où ils ont trouvé refuge après leur relâchant, leurs geôliers leur ont libération le z9 septembre. Agés de donné à chacun r5o livres syrien- 15 ans, les quatre lycéens cités par nes (r,25 euro), un DVD d'ensei Iun des enfants cités parHRW. route dAlep en mai, la ville de Ko- HRW faisaient partie d'un groupe gnement religieux et une invita- Le supplice du ( pneu ,) consiste bané nétait pas encerclée par l'EI. de z5o adolescents capturésparles tion à rejoindre I'EI sitôt après à placer le prisonnier dans un gros .Mais, au für et à mesure de l'avan- djihadistes alors qu'ils revenaient leurs retrouvailles familiales. pneu de camion,lequel forme rrne cée des diihadistes, leurs familles diA.lep, oir ils avaient passé leurs Aux yeux des hommes en noir, garigue propice à I'immobilisa- ont dri fuir pour gagner la Tur- examens de fin d'études. il semble que la détention des tion du supplicié, Un autre décrit quie voisine. Voilà pãurquoi une adolescents avait valeur de réédu- le châtiment d'un gamin, sus- fois libérés, les lycéens ont reioint pendu Rééducatlon cation. Les enfants racontent au-dessus du sol par un les leurs dans des camps de réfu- pied s << les filles et les plus jeunes garçons ainsi avoir été contraints de regar- pour être écrié Oh ma- giés à Suruc et à Gaziantep. Leur qu'il ont été relâchés quelques jours der, des heures durant, les ex- man ! t alors aurait dû en ap- calvaire rSppelle le, lourd tribut peler à Dieu. Ces méthodes detor- plus tard, mais r53 d'entre eux sont ploits filmés des diihadistes ainsi paye pár les enfants de Syrie, vic- tures sont similaires à celles utili- restés prisonniers dans l'école de que les décapitations publiques. times des exactions du régime de sées par les moukhabarat, les ser- Manbij. Une cinquantaine a réussi Ils relatent qu'un de leurs gar- Damas, auxquelles se sont ajou- vices de renseignement syriens, àprendre lafuite, quinze ont étéli- diens, un Libyen qui les battait tées celles de l'EI. r a Les proches des milices þurdes bérés dans le cadre d'un échange moins que les autres, leur expli- ¡r¡mr¡ Júco de prisonniers avec les milices qua un jour qu'ils seraient certai- dUYPG étaient plus maltraités que kurdes (YPG affiliées au principal nement libérés dès lors qu'ils ap- les autres r, fait observer un troi- parti kurde syrien PYD) qui défen- prenaient bien leurs leçons. sième. Les otages avaient interdic- dent la vilìe de Kobané. t Ceux quíne se conformaient pas tion de s'exprimer en kurde. Il Les demiers otages ont été libé- au programme étaient battus. IIs semble que ceux qui portaient rés par petits groupes, d'abord le nousftappaient avecun tuyau veft des prénoms kurdes - tout parti- z9 septembre, puis le z9 octobre, ou avecun gros câble dbù sortaient culièrement un otage prénommé sans que lbn sache s'il y a eu un ac- des fils. IIs nous tapaient sur Ia Ocalan, du nom du fondateur du cord avec le PYD. Mardi 4 novem- plante des pieds. Le "pneu" était Parti des travailleurs du Kurdis- bre, un autre groupe de Kurdes sy-, moins utilisé. Pour ma paft, ihi été tan dont le PYD est ltmanation - riens, sans rapport avec les þéens placé dans un pneu et battu. IIs aient été plus maltraités que les mais capturés en février alors trouvaient toutes sortes d'excuses autres. Les diihadistes, alors que qu'ils se rendaient dans le nord de pour nous taper. Les gardíens sy- les Kurdes syriens sont des mu- l'lrak, a été relâché, rapporte lOb- riens étaient píres que les autres, ils sulmans sunnites comme eux,les servatoire syrien des droits de nous tapaient plus. Ils nous for- décrivent comme des infidèles. l'homme (osDH) basé à Londres. çaîent à apprendre des versets du Impossible cle dire ce qui se trame Coran et shchomaient sur ceux quí Lourd trlbut derrière ces soudaines libérations. n'y arrivaient pas bíen >>, rapporte Lorsque les lycéens ont pris la
13 Reaue de Presse-Press Rwiant-Berheaokn Çapê-Rioísta Stampø-Dentro de la Prensa-Bøsin Ozetí fe IilIonûe
f EUDr 6 NOVIMtìRE 2014
Nous voilà repartis sur les traces I'absence de réaction des Occi- de Lawrence EUROPE cHnouQur dArabie, qui orga, dentaux contre Bachar Al-Assad, I nisa Ia révolte des Arabes contre même lorsque celui-ci utilisa, à PAR ARNAUI' Lf,PARMßNT¡EN les Turcs, < II y a cent ans, certains l'été zor3, des armes chimiques contre son peuple. Faussement À Écourm naif, le dirigeant turc a dit avoir r du mal à comprendre l'approche Le sultan ERDOGAN, des intellectuels d'ící t, qui se sont I.ES TRAÎTRES mobilisés en 2013 contre les ar- et Atatürk mes chimiques, lesquelles n onf SONT DE RETOUR, ÍaÍt l ooo à z ooo morts >, alors que le même Assad avait déjà tué tES FRONilÈRES plus de roo ooo personnes avec des armes conventionnelles. Y lest (t 14 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 6 novembre 2014 Irak : comment Daech fixe les prix de vente des femmes esclaves Rémi Clément / le 05 novembre 2014 www.leparisien.fr Une agence de presse irakienne 'est un document effroyable. L'agence Cde presse irakienne Iraqinews est par- s'est procurée un venue à se procurer une liste établie par document de l'or- l'organisation Etat Islamique, fixant le prix ganisation Etat de vente des femmes Yézidis ou chré- Islamique fixant tiennes en tant qu'esclaves. Selon leur âge, le prix des les femmes peuvent être achetées pour un esclaves sexuelles prix variant de 35 à 138 euros. chrétiennes ou Selon les prix fixés par l'organisation, une fillette âgée de 1 à 9 ans coûterait yézidies. 200.000 dinars (soit 138 euros), une fille de 10 à 20 ans 150.000 dinars (104 euros), une femme entre 20 et 30 ans défavorablement les revenus du groupe par CNN. 100.000 dinars (69 euros), une femme Etat Islamique ainsi que le financement Le document, daté du 16 octobre entre 30 et 40 ans 75.000 dinars (52 des moudjahidines». 2014, a été publié quelques jours après euros) et une femme âgée de 40 à 50 ans L'organisation Etat Islamique, dont une vidéo, montrant plusieurs combat- 50.000 dinars (35 euros). plusieurs marchés aux esclaves ont été tants de l'Etat Islamique discuter, hilares, Le document précise par ailleurs qu'il reportés à Mossoul en Irak ou Racca en de l'achat de femmes yézidies. est interdit d'acheter plus de trois Syrie, a déjà justifié le kidnapping de «Aujourd’hui c’est le jour de distribution, femmes, sauf pour les étrangers comme femmes et leur esclavage, en se référant à c’est la volonté de Dieu», lance l'un tandis les Turques, les Syriens ou les Arabes du la théologie islamique. «Chacun doit se que la personne qui filme fait le tour de la Golfe. Tout aussi troublant, l'Etat rappeler que mettre en esclavage les salle demandant qui veut d'une femme Islamique ajoute au tableau des prix une familles d'infidèles et marier leur femme yézidie et si les intéressés seront «capa- analyse de marché: «Le marché des est un aspect fermement établi de la cha- bles de la gérer». Les hommes amusés femmes et des butins de guerre a connu ria, ou loi islamique», déclarait l'organisa- détaillent leur façon de choisir: qualité de une très nette baisse qui pourrait affecter tion dans une publication en ligne, citée la dentition, couleur des yeux... J 9 novembre 2014 Face à l'EI, des Kurdes syriens proclament l'égalité hommes-femmes OLJ/Agences / 09 novembre 2014 Hassaka. L'OSDH précise que l'un des ter, à lapider et même à crucifier ceux qu'il lorientlejour.com dirigeants de la région est un Kurde, l'au- considère comme ses ennemis. tre un Arabe. n septembre, une jeune femme accusée n décret interdit le mariage des jeunes Les miliciens kurdes contrôlent envi- Ed'adultère a été lapidée par son père et des Ufilles avant 18 ans, préconise l'interdiction ron la moitié de la province de Hassaka et jihadistes du groupe État islamique dans la pro- de la polygamie et proscrit les "crimes d'hon- les djihadistes 30%, surtout dans le sud et vince d'Idleb (nord-ouest). En octobre, le neur". le sud-est groupe a exécuté au moins quatre femmes, dont Les autorités autonomes de la région Le décret proclame "l'égalité entre deux médecins et une politicienne, dans le nord de Djazira, peuplée majoritairement de hommes et femmes dans toutes les de l'Irak. Kurdes dans le nord-est de la Syrie, ont sphères de la vie publique et privée". Il Fin août, l'OSDH avait rapporté que publié un décret renforçant les droits des interdit le mariage des jeunes filles avant des dizaines de femmes yazidies captu- femmes en réponse aux interdictions édic- 18 ans, préconise l'interdiction de la poly- rées en Irak par l'EI avaient été forcées à se tées par les djihadistes de l'Etat islamique gamie et proscrit les "crimes d'honneur". convertir à l'islam puis avaient été "ven- (EI, ex-Daech) dans les zones qu'ils contrô- L'EI prône une version extrême de l'is- dues" pour être mariées de force en Syrie à lent, rapporte dimanche l'Observatoire lam et a proclamé un califat sur les terri- des combattants du groupe jihadiste. syrien des droits de l'homme (OSDH). toires qu'il contrôle en Syrie et en Irak, un "Chaque femme a été vendue contre un Ce décret en trente points a été pris par système de règne musulman disparu il y a montant de 1.000 dollars, après avoir été les "autorités démocratiques autonomes" un siècle. Ce groupe n'hésite pas à décapi- convertie à l'islam", avait-elle précisé. I de la région, située dans la province de 15 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 5, 2014 Violence in Turkey’s Kurdish region raises questions about peace talks By Roy Gutman Par, a Kurdish Islamist political party, should www.mcclatchydc.com be “executed on sight.” November 5, 2014 That is what happened in the Baglar dis- trict, one of the city’s poorest. A mob IYARBAKIR, Turkey — Four weeks after confronted five young men affiliated with Dthe deadliest violence in decades swept Huda-Par who were distributing free meat to Turkey’s Kurdish-dominated southeast, the poor on the Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice, there’s little doubt who instigated the unrest which commemorates the story of Abraham’s that led to the deaths of innocent Kurdish civi- willingness to sacrifice his son at God’s lians. behest. It’s a tale that the Quran and the The riots in Diyarbakir – the unofficial Hebrew Bible share. capital of Kurds in Turkey – came after lea- ders in the region’s dominant political group, usuf Er, who was the sole survivor of the the People’s Democratic Party, called on fol- Ygroup distributing food, said the mob lowers to seize the streets and take imme- Yusuf Er (right), 18, and his father, immediately fixated on the beards that four of diate “action” to protest Turkey’s failure to aid Sahbattin, 48, October 24, 2014, at the the charity workers wore: Huda-Par, like the besieged Syrian Kurdish enclave of Huda-Pak party office in Diyarbakir, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, Kobani. Turkey. Yusuf is the sole survivor of the stresses Islamist values, while the PKK is avo- It’s also known that the victims of the vio- lynching and murder of five young Huda- wedly secularist. “These people are ISIS,” he lence had almost nothing to do with Kobani Pac charity workers at the hands of other said the crowd shouted, using an abbreviation or the Islamic State extremists besieging it. Kurds during riots on Oct. 7, 2014. ROY for the Islamic state. They included four young men distributing GUTMAN — McClatchy Er said he and his friends tried to reason charity food to the poor, who were murdered with the crowd, displaying the meat and the and mutilated, reputedly by members of the list of people they were to distribute it to, youth wing of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ without success. Some in the crowd began officials said. Party, known as the PKK, a group with close to throw rocks. Er said he heard three shots. None of the 13 killed in Diyarbakir died at ties to the People’s Democratic Party. The five fled to a nearby building and the hands of police, although police in other What isn’t so clear is whether President sought refuge in an apartment, but the mob towns engaged in gun battles with what they Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2-year-old peace followed and tried to break in. Er said he said were armed protesters. A spokesman for negotiations to end a 30-year-old Kurdish repeatedly called the police but that they Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party in insurgency will survive or become another refused to come. He called his father, who Diyarbakir said police had avoided engaging victim of passions spilling over from the war went to a police station but couldn’t convince the rioters so as not to disrupt the peace in neighboring Syria. the officers to act. talks. The stakes are high for Turkey, most of One of their pursuers went to the roof of “What they feared was that by respon- whose Kurds – some 15 million of the 78 mil- the building and rappelled down a rope to ding to the violence they would lay the lion population – are eager for a normal life enter the apartment, where he started shoo- groundwork” for Kurdish politicians to react but want their language and cultural rights ting at Er’s friends. The assailant opened the with more violence, said Serif Aydin, the recognized in law. The stakes also are high door and let the mob in. Er escaped, but his Justice and Development deputy chairman in for the government, which has risked enor- four friends were shot and their bodies Diyarbakir province. mous political capital on a peaceful outcome, thrown off the balcony onto the street, where and for the PKK, which desperately wants to they were run over by vehicles, doused with ubeyde Zumrut, the Diyarbakir chairwo- be removed from the U.S. and Turkish terro- gasoline and set alight. man of the People’s Democratic Party, rist lists. Z Er, his arm bandaged and with bruises all which controls most of the elected offices in over his body, seemed still in a state of shock the area and is close to the PKK, denies that iyarbakir residents haven’t gotten over the when he told his story to McClatchy in a 90- her organization bears the responsibility for shock of the killing of the four religious minute interview at a Huda-Par office more D the violence that day. She said statements charity workers Oct. 7, as well as the deaths than two weeks after the attack. urging people to come to the streets, issued of nine others. In addition, at least 25 other first by the party’s office in Ankara, Turkey’s civilians and two policemen in southeast here have been no arrests yet, but the capital, and then by the regional office, Turkey died in the violence, which lasted authorities say they know what happened. weren’t any different from previous calls for T several days. At least four of those were PKK “These are not deaths that occurred demonstrations to influence events. members. because of police intervention. These deaths “We are not telling them to come out and “I’ve been living here 50 years and never occurred as a result of pro-PKK youth shoot and rape,” she said. “They came out seen a day like this,” Mehmet Kaya, the pre- attacking a pro-Huda-Par group,” said unarmed. We are always encouraging people sident of the independent local Tigris Huseyin Aksoy, the provincial governor, who to engage in acts, such as street marches.” Community Research Center, said of that controls the security forces, told McClatchy. Still, many here assert the language was day. “It was very widespread, very violent.” Huda-Par, formerly known as Hizbullah – incendiary. The national party’s statement In Diyarbakir alone, a city of 600,000, the both names mean “party of God” – fought the Oct. 6 called for “all our people, from 7 to 70, rioters closed the main thoroughfares, PKK at the height of the Kurdish insurgency to go out on the streets, seize open spaces attacked 34 schools, burned libraries, sma- in the 1990s, and it was held responsible at and take action.” The next day, the PKK’s shed bank and office building windows, and the time for many unsolved killings. It has youth wing, the Patriotic Democratic Youth attacked seven ambulances, government only a fraction of the vote of the People’s ➡ Movement, tweeted that members of Huda- 16 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➡ Democratic Party, but that’s because Yuksekova in Haqqari and an off-duty soldier Kurdish political parties. many of its supporters now vote for in Diyarbakir in circumstances that resem- But the People’s Democratic Party, which Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party. bled past PKK assaults. dominates local elections in southeast Aksoy acknowledged that some critics of Turkey, doesn’t see it that way. Huda-Par accuse the group of supporting the obani, and Turkey’s hesitancy to help the “This government in Rojava is a model Islamic State. “But there is nothing to support KKurdish defenders there, remains a point that can be applied throughout the Middle the claim,” he said. Instead, he said, the vio- of contention. On Saturday, thousands of East,” said Zumrut, the provincial party chair- lence is “an attempt to sabotage the peace Kurds staged marches in support of Kobani in woman. Rojava, she said, is run “democrati- process,” which features negotiations bet- Istanbul and Diyarbakir. There were no inci- cally”; if other Kurdish political parties no lon- ween the Turkish intelligence agency and the dents, but the outpouring was a reminder of ger are active there, “it’s the people who have PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan. the passions in play. ended the role of the other parties.” Aksoy said the Turkish government was Turkey views the Kurds in Kobani as an As for the deaths of the charity workers, “definitely determined that the peace pro- extension of the PKK and refuses to allow the Zumrut said her party couldn’t be blamed. cess should be maintained.” PKK to send fighters and arms to Kurdish “Were they really just distributing meat?” she Both sides agree that a full peace pact defenders there. It reluctantly allowed a small asked. “What were the Huda-Par doing on could be just months away, though the pro- number of Iraqi peshmerga fighters to cross the street?” cess appears to have slowed since the vio- its territory to join the battle, but Erdogan Er, meanwhile, said he was undaunted by lence. PKK fighters reportedly fired rocket- inflamed Kurdish passions by repeatedly the horror he’d seen and suffered. “We deli- propelled grenades at military guard posts in speaking of the group that administers ver free food like clockwork every year, at the southeastern province of Hakkari, near Kobani as “terrorists . . . just like ISIS.” Turkey Ramadan and at the Feast of the Sacrifice,” the border with Iraq. The Turkish air force res- insists that the group that administers what he said. “We are going to continue doing ponded, bombing Kurdish positions nearby. the Kurds call Rojava in northern Syria what we have been doing.” Then masked men assassinated three off- cooperated with the government of Syrian N N N duty national police officers in the town of President Bashar Assad and drove out other NovEMBER 5, 2014 Nouri Al Maliki, then Iraqi prime minister, refused to engage. Iraqi Kurdistan PM downplays “Barzani called Maliki and said Mosul was in danger but he wouldn’t listen,” the prime minis- prospect of independence now ter said. Barham Salih, KRG prime By Sharmila Devi minister between 2009 and 2012, also said the time was not right rudaw.net, November 5, 2014 for independence. Even if the Kurdistan Kurds were go it alone, Baghdad RBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan PM would remain their most impor- Eregion 'Iraq',— Iraqi federa- Nechirvan tant neighbour, he said. lism has failed but the Iraqi Kurds Barzani at While ties with Ankara and are not seeking independence but the MERI Tehran were crucial, Iraqi greater autonomy, Nechirvan forum. Photo: Kurdistan, also known as sou- Barzani, prime minister of the Local/TV thern Kurdistan, could not ignore Kurdistan Regional Government, Screen grab Baghdad. “As southern Kurds, said on Wednesday. Baghdad is more important to “Federalism has failed and if us,” he said. we can’t establish federalism, we Salih said Iraqi Kurdistan are asking for additional auto- needed more entrenched institu- nomy, not for the destruction of tions and diversification away after ISIS took Mosul, KRG lea- ling oil was not the same as sel- Iraq,” Barzani told the second day from a “consumption economy”. ders were more outspoken about a ling tomatoes and cucumbers. of the Middle East Research “I support Barham’s speech, possible break from Baghdad. “It’s easier to sell oil,” said Ashti Institute’s forum being held in we have to reorganise our house,” Baghdad was still not taking Hawrami, Kurdish minister of Erbil. Barzani said. steps towards a solution of the natural resources, according to “It would be very hard after The men were speaking at a many issues disputed by Erbil, Barzani. 1991 and 2003 to go back to session on the “New Middle East including the budget, Barzani He thanked Turkey for allo- square one,” he said, referring to Order: Threats and said. The Iraqi government has wing passage last week of 150 Kurdish autonomy that developed Opportunities” following the geo- refused to pay the KRG’s share of Peshmerga to help relieve after the Gulf war sparked by political earthquake caused by the federal budget since the Kobani, the Kurdish-Syrian town Saddam Hussein’s invasion of this year’s ISIS offensive and beginning of the year. near the Turkish border under Kuwait and the US-led war that grab of territory across Iraq and In addition, Baghdad still siege by ISIS for almost two overthrew the Iraqi dictator. Syria. refused to grant the KRG the right months. “It was not an easy deci- Barzani’s comments constitu- The Sykes-Picot lines of early to control its own air space, would sion for them and we appreciate it ted one of the most public decla- last century, when the UK and not integrate the Peshmerga into and are grateful,” Barzani said. rations downplaying the prospect France divided the Middle East the Iraqi armed forces, nor agree He said Massoud Barzani, of independence since the Islamic among them, were destroyed, to the Kurds exporting their own Kurdish president, had realised State turned its sights on Salih said. “We have to deal care- oil, the prime minister said. the danger posed by ISIS a year Kurdistan after taking control of fully to avoid exclusion,” He recounted that officials in before Mosul, Iraq’s second-big- I large swathes of territory in nor- he said. Baghdad told the Kurds that sel- gest city, fell to the militants. But thern Iraq in the summer. Even 17 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 6, 2014 Turkey and the PKK: Saving the Peace Process Europe Report N°234 6 Nov 2014 Syria and Iraq against jihadis makes full PKK disarmament and http://www.crisisgroup.org demobilisation only realistic within Turkey’s borders. Moreover, if Turkey and the PKK roll out successful confidence-building mea- sures, the presence of pro-PKK groups along its Syrian border EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS could actually help Turkey against jihadi or other hostile advances and expand its zone of influence in its neighbourhood. Conversely, he peace process to end the 30-year-old insurgency of the if Turkey wants to strengthen its domestic position against a future Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) against Turkey’s government is T risk of regional states aiding and abetting armed PKK elements at a turning point. It will either collapse as the sides squander operating on its territory, it has an interest in reaching an agree- years of work, or it will accelerate as they commit to real conver- ment with its Kurdish-speaking population as soon as possible. gences. Both act as if they can still play for time – the government Both Turkish officials and Kurdish politicians privately say they pre- to win one more election, the PKK to further build up quasi-state fer each other to the Islamic State. But it is impossible to imagine structures in the country’s predominantly-Kurdish south east. But cooperation outside Turkey – to reinforce Kurdish areas of Syria or despite a worrying upsurge in hostilities, they currently face few Iraq, for instance – while the two sides are basically at war at insuperable obstacles at home and have two strong leaders who home. can still see the process through. Without first achieving peace, they cannot cooperate in fighting their common enemy, the jihadi As spillover from Middle East conflicts open up dangerous old eth- threat, particularly from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. nic, sectarian and political fault lines in Turkey, the government Increasing ceasefire violations, urban unrest and Islamist extre- and the PKK must seek a common end goal that goes beyond a mism spilling over into Turkey from regional conflicts underline the mere maintenance of a peace process. The government must cost of delays. Both sides must put aside external pretexts and create the legal and political conditions, process and context that domestic inertia to compromise on the chief problem, the Turkey- will build confidence. But the PKK also needs to convince Turkish, PKK conflict inside Turkey. Kurdish and international opinion that it can be a democratic actor, ready to disarm and transform into a political group. If it desires Importantly, the two sides, having realised that neither can beat peace, the Kurdish national movement in Turkey cannot continue the other outright, say they want to end the armed conflict. The to be both an armed opposition force and a candidate for govern- government has now matched the PKK’s ceasefire with a serious mental responsibility, and must be clear on what kind of decentra- legal framework that makes real progress possible. But both sides lisation it seeks. This deal will need compromise from both sides. still exchange harsh rhetoric, which they must end to build up Only in this way can Turkey shift a longstanding burden of civil trust. They must do more to define common end goals and show conflict off the back of its armed forces, its economy, democrati- real public commitment to what will be difficult compromises. The sation efforts and the security of its borders. Likewise, an end of current peace process also needs a more comprehensive agenda, the insurgency is the only way the PKK will be able to come home a more urgent timeframe, better social engagement, mutually to represent its Kurdish constituency inside Turkey’s legal political agreed ground rules and monitoring criteria. It is evolving as sides system, and achieve its stated goal of democratic rights for all in respond to changing practical considerations, making the process the country. less a long-term strategy than a series of ad hoc initiatives. RECOMMENDATIONS Although they have not publicly outlined this in detail, full nego- tiations will mean Turkey and the PKK eventually have to agree on To the government of Turkey: a conditional amnesty, laws to smooth transitional justice and a 1. Root out the causes of armed conflict and build trust in the poli- truth commission. For Turkey, this will require more openness to tical system by: offering redress for the state’s past wrongdoings and reparations a) rewording the anti-terror law and relevant articles of the for victims, as well as a readiness to accept scenarios in which – Penal Code to ensure penalties are given only for incitement to if and when peace is irrevocably established – PKK figures can join violence, kidnappings, killings and other violent acts, and comple- legal Kurdish parties in Turkey and jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öca- ting a review of existing terrorism convictions to end the jailing of lan might one day be freed. For the PKK, it means accepting res- non-violent activists; ponsibility for its own abuses, ending and denouncing all violence and illegal activities, declaring an end goal of full disarmament of b) lowering the 10 per cent national electoral threshold to at its elements within Turkey’s borders, giving up all attempts to most 5 per cent to ensure equitable representation in parliament; create parallel formations in the south east, and demonstrating c) rewording the constitution to remove any sense of ethnic- readiness to include Turkey’s different Kurdish factions, particu- based discrimination; larly those that do not agree with the PKK, as stakeholders in the d) continuing work to ensure full mother-language education in process. Kurdish languages where it is in demand; and Even in the absence of clear commitments or matching end goals, e) announcing plans for more decentralisation, while making the process itself has proved to be useful for the entire country sure that Kurdish municipalities are not discriminated against and and should not be jeopardised to score short-term political points have the same access to finance and assets as all others. with hardline Turkish and Kurdish constituencies. Most impor- tantly, despite several breaches, the PKK’s unilateral ceasefire 2. Explain to the Turkish public that a peace deal will be the start since March 2013 has largely held, drastically reducing casualties of a difficult, multi-year implementation, and that at this stage and contributing to building confidence. Neither side wants to see disarmament can only cover PKK insurgents within Turkey. the process collapse. The government did not have to deal with 3. Allow a united negotiating team to consolidate the talks with soldiers’ funerals during this year’s municipal and presidential jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK in Iraq and diaspora exiles. elections, and needs the relative calm to continue at least until 4. Refrain from public statements aggravating Turkey’s Kurds, parliamentary polls in mid-2015. Meanwhile, the PKK has been such as equating the PKK with jihadis or threatening a return to able to build up its strength in south-eastern towns and acquire heavy-handed security measures. unprecedented international and domestic legitimacy. To the Kurdish national movement in Turkey, including the The involvement of PKK-affiliated groups in defending Kurds in PKK: ☛ 18 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ☛ 5. Maintain the ceasefire, end and denounce all violent acts by 11. Establish clear and viable verification and control systems for elements associated with it and make clear that disarmament any steps agreed. within Turkey is a desired goal of the movement. 12. Avoid setting preconditions, such as demanding total withdra- 6. Prepare Kurdish opinion and PKK structures for a peace that wals of insurgents or an end to government construction of secu- will mean joining peaceful Turkish politics, including a clear split in rity outposts, that are difficult to monitor and evaluate indepen- name and organisation with any operations in Iraq, Syria, Iran or dently at the moment. elsewhere. 13. Agree jointly on a coherent, clear communications policy 7. Clarify whether the movement seeks decentralisation, federal about the peace talks to inform the Turkish and Kurdish publics autonomy or independence. If a future inside Turkey is the goal, about progress. end the creation of illegal parallel structures that undermine the 14. Continue to encourage the participation of civil society in the central government. process, notably by revitalising the successful countrywide “Wise 8. Drop provocative and unrealistic demands for setting up a pro- Persons” delegation used in 2013. fessional guerrilla “self-defence force” in Kurdish-speaking areas. 15. Consider the participation of a third state or international To the Turkish government and the Kurdish national move- body to act as guarantors of the process on the truth commission, ment: supervising disarmament, or in local policing mechanisms. 9. Agree on the parameters of a truth commission of independent To the international community: experts that will listen to the victims of the conflict and send a 16. Offer support and advice both to the Turkish government and public report to the Turkish parliament. to civil or private sector initiatives working on any peace deal, par- 10. Prepare a special law to provide due judicial process for past ticularly in designing a truth commission, a transitional justice crimes in the conflict, with the same accountability and criteria for mechanism, a process of decommissioning and disarmament and both sides; to grant amnesty to combatants with no link to serious creating local opportunities for demobilised combatants, including crimes; to determine crimes to be excluded from the twenty-year to cover their and their families’ basic needs. ! statute of limitations; to improve reparations to victims; to streng- Istanbul/Brussels, 6 August 2014 then witness protection; and to regulate the eventual return to normal life of PKK leaders, ultimately including Abdullah Öcalan. 6 novembre 2014 « Il faut aider les Kurdes de Syrie » L'explorateur Patrice Franceschi, connu pour ses aventures lorsqu'ils ont failli être débordés à Erbil, en sur «la Boudeuse», revient du Kurdistan syrien. Témoignage. leur livrant des armes. Ils ont 25 000 com- battants (30 % de femmes) et n'ont pas besoin que la France verse une goutte de Propos recueillis par AVA DJAMSHIDI sang pour eux. Ils ont en revanche impéra- 6 nov. 2014 tivement besoin d'armement antichar. www.leparisien.fr Depuis l'effondrement de l'armée iraki- enne, les combattants de Daech ont des inéaste, explorateur, écrivain engagé, équipements sophistiqués. C'est kalach- CPatrice Franceschi, 59 ans, soutient nikov contre chars. C'est un miracle que les ardemment la cause kurde. Depuis 2012, le Kurdes résistent à Kobané. Certes, ce sont Kurdistan syrien (deux millions d'habi- des combattants extraordinaires, aguerris, tants) fonctionne comme une entité auto- déterminés, les femmes qui se battent sont nome, avec son propre gouvernement. Et héroïques. Mais tous souffrent énormémé- ses soldats qui tentent désespérément de Patrice Franceschi assiste à une cérémonie nent. résister face aux jihadistes du groupe Etat en hommage à des combattants kurdes islamique (EI, ou Daech, en arabe), comme tués. Selon lui, ils « ont impérativement Quel est le risque que courent les Kurdes ils le font à Kobané, ville assiégée depuis besoin d’armement antichar pour résister syriens ? à Daech, qui, lui, a des équipements deux mois. De retour de cette zone extrê- Il y a urgence. Si on ne fournit pas des sophistiqués ». (DR.) mement dangereuse, Patrice Franceschi armes et que Kobané tombe, les jihadistes lance un appel à l'aide. vont s'emparer du secteur et extermineront islamistes radicaux de Daech. Voilà les civils. Il y aura un grand massacre. On en Vous êtes rentré dimanche du Kurdistan pourquoi ces derniers consacrent l'essen- sera responsable devant l'histoire. L'autre syrien après dix jours sur place : com- tiel de leurs efforts contre cette expérience raison est politique. Les Kurdes sont nos ment vivent-ils ? démocratique du Kurdistan syrien en plein seuls alliés dans la région. On a besoin de ce PATRICE FRANCESCHI. Les Kurdes ont Moyen-Orient. C'est la raison qui explique rempart qui menace de s'écrouler, quelle d'abord réussi à libérer leur territoire de leur acharnement sur Kobané, et sur que soit la position de la Turquie. Nous l'emprise de Bachar al-Assad, puis à instau- l'ensemble des frontières du Kurdistan devons résister à ces islamistes radicaux rer un gouvernement mixte dans lequel ils libéré. qui nous ont déclaré la guerre. Et, finan- ont intégré Arabes, chrétiens et yézidis. Ils cièrement, cette aide militaire coûterait fonctionnent comme un Etat. Les Kurdes Qu'attendent-ils de la France ? moins cher que n'importe quelle bombe ont proclamé la laïcité, l'égalité homme- De l'assitance militaire. Il faut impérative- laser que nous envoyons actuellement con- femme, et ont des institutions qui ment aider les Kurdes de Syrie, comme tre Daech en Irak. G marchent. C'est insupportable aux yeux des nous avons aidé ceux d'Irak, au mois d'août, 19 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoieu)-Berhetsokn Cøpê-Riaistø Stampø-Dentro de lø Prensø-Basin Ozeti lclllonûc VENDREDI 7 NOVTMBRE 2014 Larébellion syrienne recule face aux diihadistes Iamal Maarouf, chef rebelle modéré du Nord de la Syrie, a été défait par le Front Al-Nosra, affilié à Al-Qaida B8N'AMIN EARTIIE ((NolF n'avons Les'assaillants ont notamment pas de sympafüþ rnis Ia rnain sur Ie QG souterrain pour Al{A¡de, de Jamal Maarouf, creusé dans la roche du village de Deir Sounboul mab ll n'est pour résister aux bombarde- pæ¡uddeux ments de I'aviation syrienne. Selon le réseau d'information douvrlr Sham, I'ex-tnaître des lieux se se- un eube rait iéfugié en 'l\rrquie, à I'instar f¡ontp d'un grand nombre de ses com- FARÈs BAYOUSH battants, cl'autres préférant pas- chef militaire du Régiment 5 ser sous les ordres dAl-Nosra. La débandade est emblémati- que de la dislocation de la rébel- Les premiers accrochages avec lion dans le nord de la Syrie, sous le Front Al-Nosra remontent au les assauts conioints des diiha- début de l'année zor4 peu après distes et cles loyalistes, qui pro- la création du Front des révolu- gressent ä Alep. ¡¡ Al-Nosra veut tionnaires syriens, qui amalgarne créer son émirat, il veut s'emparer une quinzaine de brigades. Les Âbou Ali, 27 ana, combattant du Front des révolutionnalres syrÍens d'un territoire, à Ia manière de deux groupes se disputent le coi'r' pouR I'Etat islamique >, témoigne trôle de la contrebande de pétrole réfuglé à Reyhanll, en Turquie. u¡r ouc Htrru (LE MoNDE, Abou Ali, un combattant du FRS. avec la Turquie voisine. Quand il une ville apparaît au début de que le installé à Reyhanli, tut- ltté l'été de la province de Dei¡ ßz-Zor neutralite. Soit parce qu'ils redou- que adossée à la frontière sy- FRS est I'un des récipiendaires des par l'Etat islamique, le groupe tent le Front Al-Nosra, soit parce missiles anti-tanks envoyés par rienne. avait besoin de retrouver un an- qu3ils répugnent à secourir Maa- Washington aux rebelles, la riva- crage territorial. Signe que son of- rouf, soit encore parce qu'ils don- de corrupllon lité prend idéologique. que Accusatlons un tour fensive dans le diebelAl-Zawiya ne nent la priorité à Alep, l'armée dans la construc- diihadistes se mettent à voir Arrcien ouvrier les se limite pas à un règlement de régulière de Bachar Al-Assad est Maarouf fut I'un des dans la formation de Maarouf un 20 Reaue de Presse-Press Reuieut-Berheaokn Çapê-Riaista Stømpa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti Du 8 au t4 novembre 2ot¿ âmes damnées, ses sauveurs et son fa- tras géostratégique. EI avance ses pions au sud, à lèst, à I'ouest et tente de couper I'accès à la frontière au nord pour achever I'encerclement des I(urdes syriens de I'YPG (Unités de pro- tections du peuple) et s'assurer une continuité géographique le long de la frontière. Les l(urdes, eux, défendent sauvagement leur ville, mais aussi un modèle politique lait, mixte et socia- liste, et la possibilité, un jouç de créer un Etat kurde indépendant. Enfin, le gouvernement turc, en guerre pen- dant trente ans contre les militants du PKI( (Parti des travailleurs du lQrdis- tan), est ravi de voir islamistes et Iturdes se saigner à blanc. C'est la guerre. Sale, complexe, spectaculaire. Le vent se lève. A l'est, Ie drapeau Frappe aérÌenne noir de l'EI flotte sur un immeuble de la coelitlon blanc. Soudain, des balles sifflent. Mo- internat¡onal€ 24HEURES hamed et Ahmed se planquent der- tout près du poste frontière de Kobané, rière un réservoir d'eau. Un véhicule le 28 octobre. blindé turc déboule. < Si vous voulez AUXPORTES mourir, allez mourir qilleurs!> gueule Turquie un officier. Mohamed et Ahmed déta- lentvers une petite route qui serpente DUCHAOS encore plus près de la frontière, entre Ies chars turcs positionnés sur chaque point culminant. En chemin, deux énormes panaches jaillissent vers le De I'autre côte de lafrontière, en Syrie: I Atep ciel. Roquettes lQtioucha. IØbané assiegée par les djihadistes de Daesh, :|:il:, Poules, chats malades, vaches, pis- tachiers, champ de coton et petit châ- ravagee, isolée. De ce côté-ci, enTurquie, teau d'eau déglingué: le bourg de des refugiés qui ont tout perdu. Et rêvent, Boydé est situé à moins de zoo mètres de la frontière. Tirs de mortier. Indiffé- entre deux tirs de mortier, de rentrer chez ewc. rent, Ismeth, 14 ans, pousse sa petite sæur de 2 ans, Guljan, sur une balan- Par Nicolas DeIesaIIe Photo1 Bulent KiIìc/AFp pour Télérama çoire suspendue à ìa branche d'un arbre, à l'abri de rien. Derrière les maisons, des fermiers sè- Des fourmis dévorent pomme pieds un trognon de aux ment de I'orge à la main. Rafale de mitrailleuse lourde. 2',1 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoie(t)-Berhwoka Çøpê-Riaista Stampø-Dentro de la Prensø-Bøsin Özeti assiégée. L'armée turque a tiré. Ils regagnent le point de poste frontière turc. L-EI a donc progressé. Souriant, passage ofrciel. Dépenaillés, ils charrient des sacs en plas- Tewfik semble s'en moquer, Il porte sur la tête un plateau tique bourrés de nourriture. IIs retenteront la traversée plein de petits pains achetés le matin en ville et dégage une cette nuit. Ont'ils peur ? < On a déiò tout perdu, de quoi vou' marge de 4o livres turques par jour en les revendant ici. Il lez-vous qubn ait peur? De perdre lavie? Nous sommes déià fronce le sourcil. A l'horizon, un paysan vient d'entrer sur morts!t, souffle Adel, 45 ans, autrefois restaurateur. Une la photo de guerre avec un tracteur. Scène surréaliste: le trentaine de réfugiés se regroupentautour de lui devant des fermier se met à labourer ses champs tandis que les obus soldats turcs qui bloquent le passage, dont Ahmed. Il a labourent la ville derrière lui. 10 ans, des yeux rieurs. Il habitait le quartier 47 de I(obané' Le soir tombe sur Ia ville frontière de Suruc et sur les Deux mois qu'il est là. Quþst-ce qui lui manque le plus de tentes plantées dans le camp de réfugiés numéro 7. sa vie d'avant? Sur le toit de la mosquée, un imam im- provise un prêche: Kcontre lbppres- sion, les gens de pouvoir doiventutiliser leurs mains; Ies intellectuels, leurs mots; etlepeuple, soncæur,> Du cceuç Pinar en a, c'est certain. Etudiante en histoire à l'université de Mersin, à 5oo kildmètres d'ici; elle est venue avec des amiespour soutenir Kobané. Fière A quelques centainêB YPG que 3o% des effectifs des soient de mètres de composés de femmes : < Dans Ia société la frontière, sur près kurde, Ia femme nþst pas dßcríminée. une colline de Mursitpinar CÞst un exemple pour le monde entier ! > (Turquie). Encore un tir de mortier. La volute Un réfugié kurde fuse vers le ciel. Sur la dernière col- syrienface au spectacle line laissée vacante par I'armée des dostruct¡ons turque, photographes et équipes de à Kobané. télé écoutent le bourdonnement des avions de la coalition. 22 Reaue de Presse-Press Reuisu-Berheooka Çøpê-Riaista S tampø-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozetí lntcnutior¡¡l ñtu llork @irucø NOVEMBER IO,2OL4 mandos condùcting raids on militant air war against Libya in 20ll carried out camps or safe houses, operations that in about 50 strikes a day in its first two Constraints Afghanistan and in the Iraq war gener- months. The air campaigns in Afghanis- ated a continuous trove of information tan in 2001 averaged 85 daily airstrikes, for additional missions. thelraq war in 2003 about 800 daily air- blunt effect Airstrikes have also been constrained strikes, according to the Center for Stra- by a serious concern about civilian casu- tegic and Budgetary Assessments, particularly alties, in western lraq. .American officials say their targeting is rof Commanders such airstrikes fear casualties could more precise than in past campaigns, so alienate Sunni tribesmen whose support not as many flights are needed to is critical to ousting the militants, as well achieve the desired effects. against ISIS as Sunni Arab countries that are part of To be sure, this air campaign has American-led the coalition. Anotler achieved several successes as a criticâl challenge is weather, as sandstorms wAs]ilNG10N part of the coalition's larger overall have scrubbed many surveillance mis- sions needed to identify targets. strategy to defeat the Islamic state. Slow pace of ground war President Obama's decision last ïyeek It has blunted the advance of the to double the number of American train- group's fighters in most areas by for- and hazy intelligence eis and other troops deploying to lraq, cing them to disperse and conceal them- limit number of targets to about 3,000, and request more than g5 selües from coalition strikes. Allied war- planes have attacked oil refineries, billion from Congress for military oper- weapons depots, command bunkers and ations against the Islamic State, was a BYERICSCHMITT communications centers in Syria as clear acknowledgemerit of these chal- part of a plan to hamper the Islamic More than three months into the Amer- lenges. State's ability to sustain its operations icanJed air campaign in Iraq anct Syria, Mr. Obama said directly Sunday that in lraq, and for its senior leaders to com- commanders are challenged by spotty his deployment order for more troops municate with one another. intelligence, pooi weather and an Iraqi and his request for more money amoun- Overall, the operation is costing the Army that is only now starting to go on ted to a set of fresh steps to accelerâte Defense Department more than $8 mil- the offensive against the Islamic State, the campaign against the Islamic State. lion a day, or $580 million since air- meaning that warplanes are mostly lim- "What signals a new phase," it is the strikes began in lraq on Aug.8. ited to hitting pop-up targets of opportu- president said in an interview with the Senior American officials acknowl- nity. CBS Neys program "Face the Nation." edge the limitations of air power and A weekend airstrike that hit agather- we knew "What was that Phase I was say that the campaign is more about ing of leaders of the Islamic State, also getting an lraqi government was that providing breathing room to build up known as ISIS or ISIL, in northwestern inclusive credible, and and we now have Iraqi and rebel Syrian ground forces Iraq was just such a target, said Ameri- done he said. that," "And so now what than an all-out effort to destroy the Is- can officials who could not confirm the we've done is rather thanjust try to halt lamic State from the skies. deaths of any top figures. American offi- ISIL'S momentum, we're now in a posi- ,,The airstrikes afe buying us time; cials said Sunday that they were still as- tion to start going on some offense. they aren't going to solve the problem sessing whether the group's leader, Abu airstrikes have been "The very effec- by themselves," said Gen. Ray Odierno, Bakr al-Baghdadi, had been either tive indegrading ISIL's capabilities and the Army chief of staff and former top wounded or killed when coalition wa¡- slowing the advance that they were commander in lraq. "It's going to take. planes spotted a convoy of l0 trucks. If making. Now what we need is ground people on the ground, ground forces." the strike did kill any top Islamic State troops, Iraqi ground troops, can that General Odierno said the priority was Ieaders, it could be a significant devel- start pushing them back." on developing "indigenous forces" to opment. Critics of the arr campaign describe carry out the fight to retake territory. In Iraq, the air war is tethered to the an often cumbersome process to ap- time, if that's not working, then slow pace of operations by the lraqi prove targets of "Over opportunity and say we're going to have to reassess and Army and Kurdish forces. With relative- there are too few warplanes carrying we'll have to deôide whether we think ly,few lraqi offensives to flush out mili- out too lew missions under too many re- tants, many Islamic State fighters have sftictions, To some veterans of past it's worth putting other forces in there, dug in to shield themselves from allied American air wars, the current military to include U.S. forces," he said. bombers. campaign has failed to apply the unre- In addition to the United States, coun- The vast majorþ of bombing runs, in- lenting pressure on the Islamic State tries that have conducted air strikes in cluding the weekend strike near Mosul, Iraq include Austra.lia, Belgium, Britain, needed to help fulfill Mr. Obama's objec- Iraq's seÇond-largest city, are now Canada, Denmark, France ând the Neth- tive to and ultimately de- searching for targets of opportunity on "degrade erlands. Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, stroy" the terrorist organization. the ground, such as checkpoints, artillery and the United Arab Emirates haye David A. Deptula, a retired three-star pieces and combat vehicles in the open. joined the United States in carrying Air Force general who planned the out But only one-quarter ofthe strike mis- attacks in Syria. Other countries a¡e also American air campaigns in 2001 in Af- sions around 800 out of 3,200 have providing surveillance, transport and - - ghanistan and in the l99l Persian Gulf re- actually dropped bombs or missiles, ac- fueling planes, Non-American members war, said, "dir power needs to be ap- cording to the military's Central Com- ofthe coalition are flying 15 to percent plied like a thunderstorm, and so far 20 mand. The rest failed to find a target and of all strike and support missions. we've only witnessed a drizzle." returned to base. The ai¡strikes are mostly ca¡ried out The campaign so far has averaged In Syria, the United States has little from bases in Persian Gulfcountries or fewer than five airstrikes a day in both ability to gather intelligence to help gen- a Navy aircraft carrier in the gulf, and Iraq and in Syria. In contrast, the NATO erate new targets. Many Islamic State include fighter jets, B-lB bombers and training compounds, headquarters, lurnbering AC-130 gunships. Armed storage facilities and other fixed sites "Airpower needs to be drones account for about lb percent of were struck in the early days of the applied'like a thunderstorm, the airstrikes so far, according to the bombing, buf the military's deliberate and go far we've only Central Command. process for approving other targets has witne$ed adrizzlel' Senior American commanders are frustrated several commanders. preacbing patience and warning In neither country are American com- against trving to replay previous air 23 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuieu)-Berheookø Capê-Riuistø Stampø-Dentro de In Prensa-Bøsin Ozetí campaigns on the shifting battlefield of the deputy commander of coalitiôn air Iraq, forces in the Middle East, said. 'A lot ôf t'Every air campaign is dilferent and people would like us to drop hundreds of can't be a reflection of a past one," Maj. bombs and make the problem go away, Gen. Jeffrey G. Lofgren of the Air.Force, but it's not that kind of war." lnfern¡rio¡¡,rlñtulfork@irncø NovEMBER 6,zot4 Movement, are conSidered moderates not give him aid. But the other affected Unit backed and have received limited arms suppoft group, the Hazm Movement, has been a from the Ït/est. Despite that,,they úave major recipient of military aid frgm a bure,n unable to hold their ground against covert program run by the United the extremists in this latest outbreak of States and other countries from across byAl rebel infighting, Qaeda commanders say. the border in TUrkey. The trouble began last week when the Activists in Idlib Province said that Nusra Front began moving against the tensions there had intensified when the gains turf in Syrian Revolutiona¡ies Front, headed by Nusra Front chased off Mr. Maarouf. Jamal Maarouf, a rebel leader accused Both groups have fighters from the vil- by other rebels of war profiteering. lage of Khan al-Subul, where the Hazm Syria's north As the Nusra Front pushed him and base is, so they sought a deal to avoid his fighters from the area, Mr. Maa¡ouf bloodshed, with the Hazm fighters with- BAGHDAD spoke out in videos posted online. In drawing over the weekend. one, he walked over rocky ground, say- Activist reports conflicted on what BY BEN HUBBARD ing his men were defending Syria. After arms the Nusra Front had seized from the Nusra Front took over his home vil- the base, with some saying they in- The Nusra Front, a Syrian rebel group lage, Deir Sunbul, last week, he ac- cluded antitank missiles sent by the affiliated with Al has been ex- Qaeda, knowledged in another video that he West and others denying it. Other activ- panding its control the northern in had fled and vowed to come back and ists said that dozens of fighters had province of ldlib,-seizing territory from liberate the area, "village byvillage," switched sides, joining the Nusra Front. two Western-supported rebel organiza- Activistq tied to the Nusra Front In an audio interview released online tions and potentially threatening a criti- struck back, posting videos of their on T[esday, the head ofthe Nusra Frqnt, cal border crossing with Ttrrkey, accord- fighters gathering weapons from Mr. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, attacked Mr. ing to rebels and monitoring groups. Maarouf's storehouses and of more Maarouf, saying his group contained Groups in Idlib have been a focus of than a dozen decomposed bodies of "thieves and bandits" and that other the Obama administration's plan to train people they accused Mr. Maarouf's men rebel groups had urged the Nusra Front and equip some Syrian rebels to fight the of killing and dumping in a well. to oust him. Islamic State, the jihadist group that has Rami Abdul-Rahman, the head of the While Mr. Jolani did not mention the occupied territory farther easl in Syria Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Hazm Movement, he criticized Western and lraq. And though the province rep- said he considered thê videos genuine. aid for t}te rebels, saying it represented resents just a small part of the sprawling group, His which tracks the conflict an effort to kill the "mujahedeen" and conflictin Syria, it has been an important from Britain through contacts on the impose ÏVestern policy. The United center of international attempts to or- ground, year reported earlier this that States recently announced plans to train ganize and supply the resistance to Pres- Mr. Màarouf's fighters had executed and equip moderate Syrian rebels to ident Bashar alrAssad's government. more than 90 Islamist rivals. fight the Islamic State. But that program, TV/o groups that the Nusrá Front has It remains unclear how much support meant to train 5,000 fighters a yea.r at a seized bases fromin recent days, the Syr- Mr. group Maarouf's |pd received from base in Saudi Arabia, has vet to begin. ian Revolutionaries Front and the Hazm the West, and some say the West does UK's Genel Energ¡ Gulf Keystone Petroleum and Afren, and Norway's Iraqi Kurdistan says DNO. Shares in Cuf Keystone rose by more than 6 percent, and Genel shares rose more than 3 Percent. proceeds of the $2.87 billion sales were being sold bln of oil, wilt claimed as its "constitutional entitlement" of 17 $S ent revenues, which it says have not been paid by Baghdad since January. pay producers "The KRG is balancing almost a year of non-payments of its bt'4getary Ayham Kamel, Middle East and North November 7, zor4 - By Sam Wilkin and David Sheppard allocation from Baghdad," said Africa director at Eurasia GrouP. a day after the KRG's minister for natural resources (Reuters) Iraqi Kurdístan has sold million barrels of oil The statement comes J4.S told a conference in Arbil that the region's exports were approaching almost billion since January, the Kurdistan Regional worth S3 barrels a day. Government said, despite opposition from the federal govern- 3oo,ooo crude to the ment to independent oil sales from the region. The KRG said that it had shipped zr'5 million barrels of Turkish port of Ceyhan and trucked 13 million barrels to the Turkish port pay- The KRG said in a statement on Fridaythat it would make an initial of Mersin since January. ment of $ZS million to oil producing companies for their exports and billion in cash and million in pay- would make further payments on a regular basis, sparking a rally in pro- The KRG said it had received $z.r $75 product (Reporting by Sam Wiìkin and ducers'share prices. ments in kind via refined oil sales. David Sheppard in tondon; editing byJane Baird) Companies producing oil in the semi-autonomous region include the 24 Reuue de Presse-Press Reaisw-Berheuokn Çøpê-Riaístø Stnmpa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti lntcn¡¡f i on¡l :\ctu llork @in¡cs MONDAY, NOVEM BER to, 2Ot4 The Kurds can't afford to leave lraq There is a real risk If the K.R.G. rea.lly wants to unlock Luay Al Khateeb that Iraq's southern its potential, it must seek arevenue- Ahmed Mehdi Shüte provinces - sharing model that benefits all of Iraq. which produce over Mr. Barzani should take advantage of 90 percent oflraq's oil Iraq's new unity cabinet that includes - could copy tlte Kurds in their call for Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. Iraq now has autonomy. Basra's political elites do not a Kurdish Finance Minister Hoshyar gov- - LoNDoN For the two families that see why a share oftheir oil profits should Zebari - who can play a more impor- ern the Kurdistan Region of Iraq - the go to the K.R.G. government in Erbil if tànt role in negotiating future revenues Barzanis and Talabanis the Islamic those funds a¡e only helping to subsidize for Ë¡Nl. The legacy of lraq's former oil - past State's rampage across Iraqthis Kurdish independence ambitions. Ministêr, Hussain Al:Shahrastani; who summer represented an unprecedented The Kurds face a hard choice: either pursued an aggressive centralized oil opportunity. Taking advantage of the they become part of a viable federal oil policy that the Kurds perceived as neg- Iraqi àrmy's complete collapse, the revenue sharing system or go their own ative, has been offset by the appoint- Kurds captured the oil-rich area a¡ound way; And for the K.R.G., losing reven- ment of Adil Abdul Mehcli as the new oil Kirkuk on June ll. ues from the central government would minister. Mr'. Abdul Mehdi enjoys close Soon after taking Kirkuk, President be i¡reversible and disastrous. That's relations with Mr. Barzani,s party; Masoud Barzani called for a referen- because an independent Kurdistan there are even rumors in Baghdad,s oil independence. And he has dum on - would make less than $7 billion per circles that next year will see a lifting of 2008 advocated circumventing since - year almost a third less than they re- the blacklist for companies that operate Baghdad and selling Kurdish oil direct- - ceived whengiven just 12 percent of in the Kurdistan region. Finally, once ly on the international market with Tt¡r- Iraq's total oil revenues. auditS of the K.R,G.'s finances are com- key's help. All of this struck the rest of This is not economically sustainable, pleted, 17 percent of lraq's oil and gas Iraq as opportunism, especially at a time when Mr. Barzani's revenues are slated to be sent to Erbil. eyes of the K.R.G., however, In the government faces the added financial The K.R.G. is currently only produ- it's an insurance policy if Iraq collapses. strain of aiding beleaguered Syrian cing ten percent of the country's oil, De- The Kurds were deprived of their l7 spite export bottlenecks and regulatory percent constitutional share of lraq's oil challenges, international companies wealth in Januarywhen former Prime Baghdad l.ias have hinted that by 2020 they can dou- Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki slashed shortchanged ble production at Basra's huge fields their budget, costing the K.R.G, aJmost the Kurdistan - whiÒh would mean a potentially bigger one billion dollars per month. Seen in Regional national oil pie for the K.R.G. to share this light, increasing independent Kurd- Government, in. If Iraq takes steps to reduce flaring ish oil exports was essential. but seceesion the wasteful practice of burning gas Mistrust has always been at the - would be while produding oil the captured fuel heart of the dispute: Baghdad has ex- - even could satisfy energy demand in the pected 83 percènt of the K.R.G.'s oil rev- cost¡ier. south and center of the country as well enues in return for l7 percent of Iraq's as the K,R.G.'s pressing power needs. collective oil money. To date, that Kurdswhile the Kurdistan region be- To take advantage of this opportunity, hasn't worked; no oil has been sent comes a dumping ground for the rest of the K.R.G. must guarantee that it will from Erbil to Baghdad, and Baghdad Iraq's problems. With nearly two million not exploit any future revenue-sharing was onlysending l2 percent to the internally displaced persons now in Iraq system for its own ends. Iraq's oil Kurds prior to the budget cutoff. the majority in Kurdish territories wealth cannot be an engine of K.R.G. The federal government in Baghdad - - the K.R.G. is facing a fiscal burden of al- aims only; it must serve all regions. In believes the Kurds have been playing a most $300 million per month alone. return, Baghdad should pay the K.R.G.'s double game by demmding theü share To make matters worse, the recent outstanding October salaries ánd of federal oil revenues while also signing decline in oil þrices means the Kurds provide lump-sum payments for previ- a string of independent contractswith will now need to produce up to twice as ous months. Iraq's 2015 budget gives international oil companies and midsize many barrels per day to break even Mr. Abadi an opportunity to dothis; wildcatters and then pocketing the oil and sell them at market prices. (Until For Baghdad's elite, the lessons of export profits after bypassing Baghdad. now, the K.R.G. has sold oil atheavy zero-sum oil politics under the former In the past, Iraq and the Kurds have discounts mainly because traders prime minister have shown their true always come backtothe negotiating views buying K.R.G. oil as a risk in the cost. If Basra goes, all of Iraq goes. This table. This time could be different. face of legzil objections from Baghdad.) is why working now - while there is Despite Mr. Barzani's calls for an in- In Erbil, the lack of petrodollars com- still an opportunity - toward a truly dependence referendum, K.R.G. offi- ing from Baghdad - and too little com- federal oil and gas council with real cials are still counting on Baghdad to ing from the sale of Kurdish oil - has participation from key provincial play- send them moneY. left a phalanx of civil servants, includ- ers can both keep Iraq together and im- However, this double ing 180,000 Peshmerga fighters, without prove the country's security. strategy is Precari- salaries for months. ous - and the threat Some Kurds are even selling LUAY AL |(HATTEEB ts o þretgn poLcy Je,low doesn't come from smuggled oil produced by the Islamic atthe Broohings DohaCenter. AHMED Baghdad, but from State. People think with their stomachs ruerol is a Senior Associate atProtection Basra in the south. first; politics come second. Group lnternationol 25 Rwue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheaoka Çøpê-Riaistø Stømpa-Dentro de In Prensa-Basin Ozeti 12 NOVEMBRE.2OI4 Pour I'explorateur Patrice Franceschi, les Kurdes T--l e, éditeur et nombreuses H peu Tbrcs, I / Ies zones de Mais il nous faudra tordre un le bras des LES FAITS guerre, Patrice Franceschi a toujours été un qui ne veulent pas qu'on leur apporte de I'aide. DU JOUR I'Etat à cæw de massa- soutien actif des mouvements kurdes en lrak et Pourquoi islamiqre a-t-il qui, grande sont r Les Kurdes syriens ont au des De retour crer les Kurdes en majorité, en Syrie cours différents conflits. repris ce mardi plusieurs des régions kurdes de Syrie, il lance un cri des sunnites comme eux? a une hiérarchie de ses rues et bâtíments dans le d'alarme sur les risques de 26 Revue de Presse-Press Reaíew-Berheaokø Çapê-Rioista Stampø-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti vendredi 14 novembre 2014 ': rufiQulE $varbakir i, Les Kuldes de 1'urquie Avec lesvei rs ont fait de la libération Gaz anEp de Kobané, assiégée par les islamistes deKobané Lm Y de Daech depuis le decdjlhsdl¡tqôIts.ch,, 16 septembre, leur soutenuc Par Ankar:a. combat poul la liberté. Notre envoyée spéclale roconte 9.2-t i, Alors que la situation sur le terrain semble s'être renversée, grâce notamment à I'aide de l'aviation américaine, les I(uldes suspectent les Turcs iordaFia de foulnir des armes à Daech et de soigner les combattants islarnistes blessés. I' Kobané pourrait bien sonner la fin du processus de paix engagé depuis quelques années entre les I(urdes tulcs du PI(K et les autorités d'Ankara. Le 5 novembre, comme chaque jour. des Kurdes observent les combats à Kobané depuis la front¡ère entre la Turqule et la Syrie. Laveille etl'attente des Kurdes à la frontière turco -syrienne ) Nuit et jour, des Ktrdes jusqu à 20 degrés, la nuit elle descend bané au celttre, et Djezile, à l'est, Il de T[rquie montent en dessous de 5 degrés. Les combat- n'existe pas de continuité territoriale Ia garde à la avec frontière tants syriens de I'YPG (unités de enh'e erx càr ils sont séparés par des la Syrie pour de leur assrrrer protection du peuple) luttent depuis zones habitées par des sunnites sy- solidarité leurs frères syriens bientôt soixante jours pour < libérer , riens, tenues encore par Daech, Cela combattant à Kobané. leu¡ville assaillie par les combattants n'a pas empêché les Kurdes syriens ) La Íbération de la ville islamistes, Ces de¡niers auraient de vote4 en janvie4 une constitution syrienne ne serait plus massé I 000 hommes à Kobané, Ie pow < Rojauø > (uoir les repères), qui qu'une question de jours. long de la frontière; les Kurdes au- s'applique dans les trois cantons. Les bombardements ) raient, eux, 5 000 combattants - et américains et I'aicle combattantes pour défendre la Le grondement peshmergas - des ville et les villages du canton, lointaln d'un Fl6 kurdes auraient atraibli Tous les soirs, à Mahser, les mili- les islamistes qui assiègent invisible annonce un tants kurdes de Suruç et d'autres la ville depuis le 16 septembre. venus dê toute la Ttrrquie montent bombardement. Tous la gardê pour surveiller la frontière. retiennent leur souffle. Tel Mehmet 65 ans, venu deVan, à rRoHlÈne tuRco-SYRtENNE 400 kilomètres de Suruç, < par soli- Un autre homme s'approche du De rutÍre enuoyée spéciale darité auec nosfrères kurdes de Ko- feu. Maigre, il a le regard inquiet. Les feux de illuminent branchage bané >.Il campe avec d'autres dans Lhomme venu de Diyarbakir (consi- la nuit étoilée. Ils servent à réchauf- des maisons en pisé, à la dure, pen- dérée comme la capitale du Kurdis- les postés fer militants à Mahser, dant des jours, pour la cause kurde. tan turc), refuse de donner son nom kurde de Turquie, à la fron- village La lutte pou Ia libération de Kobané et pour cause : deux de ses fils de 17 tière avec la Syrie. Mais aussi à mon- a réveillé les aspirations des Kurdes et lB ans combattent dans les rangs < frères > trer leur solidarité aux de de Tt¡rquie à l'autonomie. de |YPG syrien. Ils ne sont pas loin qui, de côté à Kobané, Syrie läutre Profitant de la guerre en Syrie et de lui, à peinc 1,5 km. Leur père touj ours contre l'assaillant, résistent de la désintégration du pouvoir cen- communique avec eux, par têlé- que en évitant les islamistes de tral, depuis 2012, les Kurdes syriens phone portable, autant pour s'assu- (acronyme pour Daech arabe État se sont organisés en trois cantons Ier qu'ils sont encore en vie que pout islamique) ne se réfugient en Tur- autonomes le long de la frontière les encourager, < Lø uictoire est quie. Si le jour la températu'e monte avec la Turquie: Afiine à lbuest, Ko- proche ¿ dit-il, sûr que la < libéra- 27 Reaue de Presse-Press Reuiæu-Berheuokn Capê-Riaista S tampn-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti tion > de Kobané n'est plus qu'une Des équipes de deux (hommes question dejou¡s. En effet, après des etfemmes) sontpostées dans des moments difficiles pourles combat- endroits stratégiques le long des tants kurdes syriens peu armés, la barbelés quidélimitent les deux conjonction des bombardements pays. Ils font des quarts de deux ,a¡néricains co4tie les. positions des heures. Leur présence, pensent islamistes et l'apport de lhrmement les Kr¡rdes, dissuadera Ia Ttrrquie Ér lourd de 150 Peshmergas kurdes de poursuiwe,son aide directe à SCHMID d'Iraþ semblent faire la différence. Daech. < Si on n!était pas là, l'aídß Responsable Turquie Même biles de lhr mée Urq uc aux comb attanß Kurdes rie sontpas tou- contemporaine à I'lnstitut jours prêts àie reconnaltre. de Daech passerait þlus facile- français des relations Avarrt le coucher du soleil, ment >, exçiique une jeune femme du haut (lfriJ de la terrasse de Ia mosquée, les en treillis.,-Une casquette kaki re- internationales premiers pâtés de maisons de Ko- couwe ses ôheveux noirs tessés. << Le marchandage bané étaient très visibles à l'æil nu. La tentaine, celle qui est visiblement des Trrcs avec Mais maintenant que la nlit est tom- I'une des organisatrices de la veille bée, laville est éclairée uniquement fume cigarette sur cigarette et esquive les Américains >> par les étoiles, Le grondement loin- toute question sur son identité. tain dun Fl6 invisible annonce un Le soir, lesveilleurs ont droit à un < Le vice-président américain bombardement. Tous retiennent repas chaud servi par les femmes |oe Biden a publiquement accusé leur souffle. Une grosse elçlosion du village, de solides paysannes, qui laTlrrquie de complaisance avec suivie d'r¡n champignon noir s'élève cuisinent sur le feu dans d'imlnenses le groupe Daech. Il n'a pas tort: dans la nuiç des positions de Daech chaudrons. Au menu,,riz et haricots les Turcs laissent passer les ont été touchées. Applaudissements secs baignantdans une sauce épicée dJihadistes du monde entier re- des < veilleu¡s >, youyous desfemmes de paprika noi¡ et du pain, E! à vo- joignant la Syrie et ils soigneni réunies autour du feu. lonté, du thé noi¡ très sucré. < Suruç- les combattants blessés. Alors < Ib ont probablement détruit des Kobané, même comb a/ >, proclame que les États-Unis ont toujours tanla oudcs dépôts de munitions ou Gulser Yildirim, députée kurde de considéré la T[rrquie, membre d,'essence >, commente Mehmet Sah Mardin venue elle aussi ce soir-là oriental de l'Otan, comme leur Zuker. Originaire de Sanliurfa, à une soutenir les < veilleurs > de Suruç. allié principal dans la région, trentaine de kilomètres de Surug il < Latrontière. est purement artifrciellc cette demière est entrée depuis vit à Izmir depuis qu'il aétélibêrê, car elle sépøre deslrères >, dit-elle. quelques années dans une rela- après quinze de avec ans dans les prisons Pour les Kurdes de T\rrquie, Ko- tion marchandage t.ßques ( parce que Kurile >, Washington. Les TL¡rcs cherchent dit-il. il bané est le miroir de leur espoir d'un est venu pour < à défendre leurs intérêts propres. soutenir ses frères > têrritoire autonome < où toutes les de Kobané et Leur rapport à Daecþ est la maudire la Thrquie identítés pounaient être repfésentées pour son soutien pointe émergé'e des problèmes auxislamistes. etvivre ensemåle >, défend lbrahim Tous décriventdes minibus blancs enEe lesdeuxpays. Etla frontière ,aqxvitres fumées de l'armée turque ( Comme nos frères turco-syrienne est désormais dev,enue Lm instrument de leu¡ qui font le va-et-vient à la llontière syr¡ens, nous voulons politique régionalg notamment pout assurent-ils, fournir des armes acquér¡r I'autonomie celle d'empêcher une a¡.Itono- à Daech et prendre en charge les misationûop forte des Kurdes. > combattants islamistes blessés qui dans tout REcuEtLu pAR vtNce¡¡t oe ¡Éuco¡,¡oe seraient soignés dans les hôpitaux le Kurdistan turc. r, de Sanliurfa. < Ilarmée a uidé des villages kurdes turcs sur latrontière Ayan, député HDP (Parti démocra- sous prétexte qu'ik sont à portée des tique populaire, pro-kurde) de San- liwfa. ÀKobané, lesKurdes dáfen- tirs, Enfait, ils seruent dp base anìère " aux combattanß de Dacch >, porusuit dent les valpurs de I'humanité contre un militant kurde. Très visibles, les Ibbscurøntisme >, assure cet homme chars de lãrmée turque sontpostés sorti de prison il y a huit mois après sur une colline surplombant Kobané. avoir été incarcéré pendant quatre de partir, il boit une tasse de thé Au bombardement répondent ans < perce que Kurde >. brtlanÇ endosse la parka fourrée des crépitements d'armes a oO < Comme noslrères syriens, nous d'un ami etvérifie que son téléphone uoulons acquérír lhutonomíe dans portable'est bien chargó. Les o a a automatiques de Daech. tout le Kurdistan turc, Nous voulons veilleurs nbht pas dãrme mais pré- Les islamistes très affaiblió se- uiure dans le pays døns lequel nous viennent si des mouvements ont raient retranchés dans la pa.rtie soï¿rneg mais dawune autonomie lieu à la frontière, comme des mili- est de la ville que les combattants démocratique. Et si nos droiß ne sont tants de Daech qui tenteraient de syriens assaillent depús plusieurs pqs reconnus (sous-entendu par ln passer côté turc. jours. La frontière entre Syrie et Turquie, NDLR), c'est notre droit Demain, comme chaque jour de- Tlrquie suit la voie de chemin de nøfurel d¿ demander la séparatíon 4 puis le début du siège de la ville fer construite par les Allemands ajoute Memet D oymaz, membre du syrienne, les veilleurs se réuniront en 1893. Elle estsoudainsoulignée conseil du HDB porte-parole de la en une longue chainehumaineface par des balles traçantes rouges cellule de crise de Suruç. à laville symbole dumartyre kurde envoyées par l'armée turque pour Les Kurdes de Turquie ont fait de et crierontleu¡ soutien aux combaF indiquer aux combattants les li- la libération de Kobané leur combat tants de I'YPG de lãutre côté des mites à ne pas dépasser. pour Ia liberté. Malgré ses 65 ans, barbelés, en rêvant de l'union des La veille de la frontière est as- Mehmet est appelé à faire son quart. deux Kurdistan, sJ¡rien et turc. surée par des volontaires kurdes. Sonnom estinscrit sur la liste. Ar¡ant acNÈsRottvcL 28 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti NovEMBER 8, 2014 What Kobani Means for Turkey’s Kurds By Jenna Krajeski November 8, 2014 http://www.newyorker.com Kurdish peshmer- ga fighters set out n the Kurdish new year in March, 2013, a from Iraq toward Oletter was hand-delivered to political the Syrian city of representatives of Turkey’s Kurds in the sou- Kobani. Kurdish theastern city of Diyarbakir. It had been sent peshmerga fight- from the prison on the island of Imrali where ers set out from Abdullah Ocalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Iraq toward the Workers’ Party (P.K.K.), was being held. Syrian city of Kobani. Credit Ocalan’s letter told the Kurds that their thirty- PHOTOGRAPH year war with the Turkish state had come to an BY VADIM end. At a new year’s celebration held just out- GHIRDA/AP side the city, politicians read the document aloud as though it were a manifesto. People wept and rushed the stage. Unit (P.Y.G.), the Syrian affiliate of the calling it (and, by extension, the Y.P.G.) terror- P.K.K., and led, mostly, by the People’s ists. Then, on October 14th, Turkish forces hit Ocalan’s announcement marked the official Democratic Party (P.Y.D.). Rojava has excited P.K.K. targets in Hakkari, close to the border start of a long-anticipated peace process, which the Kurds, but it worries Turkey. “If it survives, with Iraq, the first such strikes since peace Turkey’s Kurds hoped would end decades of it will be on a smaller scale what Kurds in talks began. “I see it as Erdoğan sending a violence and grant them the rights to lan- Turkey want for themselves,” Abbas Vali, a message to the international community, guage, education, and self-governance for sociologist at Istanbul’s Bogaziçi University reminding everybody that the P.K.K. is a ter- which they had been fighting. About forty who focuses on Kurdish issues, told me. rorist group,” Aliza Marcus, the Washington- thousand people—soldiers and civilians—have based author of “Blood and Belief: The P.K.K. died in the conflict, and Recep Tayyip hen militants from the Islamic State in and the Kurdish Fight for Independence,” told Erdoğan, then the Prime Minister and now WIraq and al-Sham (ISIS) surrounded the me. Marcus had traveled recently to Hakkari the President, saw peace with the Kurds as a Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, which lies for research, and she came away believing that cornerstone of his legacy. But the country’s inside Rojava, during the first week of the P.K.K. posed no military threat. “It’s decision to treat the P.K.K. as a political party October, the tensions between Turkey and the Erdoğan lashing out. He’s under pressure and was a thorny one. For decades, Turkish officials Kurds resurfaced. For weeks, Turkish tanks sat the Kurds are gaining sympathy. … He’s angry. had been portraying Ocalan as the leader of a on the other side of the border, preventing His style of leadership these days is taking terrorist organization, and, by negotiating with Kurdish fighters and supplies from crossing revenge.” him, the ruling Justice and Development Party into Syria. Protests erupted across the country, (A.K.P.) was asking for a nationwide change in leading to forty deaths. But the Turkish reac- arcus also observed a shift in the cove- attitude: if Turks wanted peace, they would tion wasn’t surprising; despite its commitment Mrage by the international media, and by have to compromise with people they’d long to peace at home and its partnership with the some Turkish outlets, following the airstrikes. regarded as the country’s biggest security Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq (an “It’s not, ‘Turkey attacked the P.K.K.,’ ” she threat. Nevertheless, for close to two years— autonomous region, bordering Turkey, that said. “It’s ‘Turkey attacked the Kurds.’ ” This through anti-government protests in Istanbul, Dexter Filkins wrote about for the magazine in change in perception drew on months of good a corruption scandal affecting Erdoğan, and September), the A.K.P. rejects Kurdish auto- press that had been showered on the Iraqi the passing of more than a few brazenly nomy in Turkey and Syria. “The canton system Kurds and the peshmerga fighting on the front oppressive laws—the peace process remained is anathema to the Turks,” Henri Barkey, a pro- lines against ISIS, as well as on the media’s largely intact. fessor of international relations at Lehigh presence along the border, where cameras had University, told me. “You can have one Kurdish captured footage of the blockade set up by the At the same time, though, across the border in autonomous region on your border, but two is Turkish Army and the fighting in Kobani. Syria, a more radical Kurdish experiment was a disaster, because then Turkish Kurds are Kurds across Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, too, unfolding, courting Turkey’s ire and exposing going to basically say, ‘Hey, what about us?’ ” rallied around the battle. A town in Iraqi the limits of its commitment to negotiating Turkey’s position was also rational with respect Kurdistan known for being a source of rebel- with the Kurds at home. As popular uprisings to the country’s internal politics—a recent poll lion against Saddam Hussein renamed a street against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad showed that Turks fear the P.K.K. at least as “Kobani.” gradually morphed into a civil war, Syria’s much as they do ISIS; a small majority Kurds, who were oppressed by Assad’s govern- thought that the Kurdish group actually posed “Kobani today is for Syrian Kurds and Turkish ment but did not trust the opposition forces the bigger threat. Kurds what Halabja was for Iraqi Kurds,” fighting the war, began carving out some Barkey told me, referring to the site of autonomy for themselves in a northeastern Amid an international outcry over its inaction Hussein’s chemical-weapons attacks in 1988 strip of Syria that they refer to as Rojava. in Kobani, the Turkish government resorted to against the Kurds. “It’s a stepping stone for There, they established three self-governing what has in the past been a reliable tactic: it national mobilization and nation-building. … cantons, protected by the People’s Protection raised the specter of the P.K.K., and began Even if Kobani falls, it will strengthen ➼ 29 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➼ Kurdishness. This was a Turkish miscalcu- protesters, and political leaders. A mass court concern about the fallout from Kobani at lation.” case, opened in 2007 against a group called the home. In late October, three Turkish soldiers Union of Communities in Kurdistan (K.C.K.), were killed in the southeast, and many media When Turkey finally relented to allow a force which the government considers the urban reports assumed that the gunmen were mem- of about a hundred and fifty Iraqi Kurdish arm of the P.K.K., has led to the detention of bers of the P.K.K. On Tuesday morning, a poli- peshmerga to enter Kobani, Turkish Kurds thousands of Kurdish and Turkish activists, tician with the pro-Kurdish People’s were relieved. But this relief seemed to relate journalists, academics, and politicians. Democratic Party (H.D.P.) was stabbed in more to their sense of solidarity with their fel- Ankara, outside party headquarters. The next low Kurds than to any expectation that the So when Erdoğan called the P.K.K. terrorists day, youth associated with the P.K.K. repor- peshmerga could win the fight—“Let’s face it, as it fought in Kobani, it was more than polit- tedly set up barricades around a Kurdish bor- the fiercest Kurdish fighters are already there,” ical maneuvering; it was foreshadowing. Soon der town and declared its autonomy. Reports a friend in Erbil told me—or that Turkey’s after the Kobani protests, the Turkish parlia- that the government was secretly planning to stance on Kurdish autonomy was softening. ment proposed a bill that expands the powers shut down the H.D.P. were quickly refuted by Erdoğan had called the pressure on Turkey a of the Turkish police to allow it to arrest pro- officials, but both sides engaged in a fiery “psychological war,” and he was not wrong— testers suspected of carrying stones or Molotov exchange of words. Prime Minister Ahmet sending the peshmerga, who in Iraq were at cocktails, or who cover their faces. It increases Davutoğlu accused the H.D.P. of “thuggery,” odds with the P.K.K., would help to soothe the amount of time those protesters can be while Kurdish officials said that the attacks public opinion abroad, as well as among Kurds detained, and the severity of the sentence if were part of a “lynching campaign.” A mains- and their supporters at home. But it was a half they are convicted. These measures inspire lit- tream newspaper launched a splashy new gra- measure, and not helpful to the peace process. tle outrage in the foreign media, but their phic that asked if terrorism was returning to impact on Turkey’s Kurds could be immense. Turkey. ver the years, even as it has negotiated Owith Ocalan and courted the Kurdish “People believe that when the question is Perhaps prompted by the pile-up of events, the vote, the A.K.P. has continued with some Kurds, Erdoğan doesn’t care about anything,” International Crisis Group published a report forms of repression. In the absence of armed Ramazan Tunç, a Diyarbakır-based economist, on Thursday that aimed to remind both sides fighting, the conflict plays out at organized told me. Tunç spent the past two years trying of the importance of the ceasefire. The group protests, in parliament, and in the courts—all to establish a university in Diyarbakır that has long stressed peace between Turks and arenas where the Turkish government retains would have Kurdish as one of three primary Kurds, but this time it offered a graver mes- far more authority than the Kurdish minority. languages, a project that would have been sage: Turkey’s war with the Kurds had crossed This authority comes, in large part, from the impossible before 1991, during the post-coup borders, and they were no longer each other’s designation of the P.K.K. as a terrorist organi- years when any language other than Turkish worst enemies. “Without first achieving peace zation, and the tendency on the part of the was banned. “In Kurdistan, in two days, forty- at home,” Hugh Pope, the deputy director of government to conflate all aspects of Kurdish six people have lost their lives,” Tunç said, the Europe and Central Asia program, wrote, life with the P.K.K. (despite the fact that many referring to the violent protests over Kobani. “both will remain highly vulnerable to what is Kurds reject the P.K.K.’s rigid hierarchy and its “Are we going back to the nineties?” in fact their common enemy, the Islamic State willingness to resort to violence). Under the of Iraq and Syria.” guise of fighting terrorism, the A.K.P. has fre- unç professed solidarity with Kurds in G G G quently cracked down on Kurdish institutions, TKobani, but he was not alone in his November 7, 2014 the top Kurdish diplomat said last week. "Go to Erbil, Sulaimani and Sectarian war and Duhok, tell them where are you from, they say Kurdistan," he added. "What we have seen in the Iraq’s gradual breakup past few years, Baghdad is pus- hing us out of Iraq. Baghdad is By Yerevan Saeed - 7/11/2014 not attracting Kurds to Iraq." rudaw.net According to the KRG minis- ter, Kurds have lost all sense of ASHINGTON - Kurdistan loyalty to Iraq due to the bad poli- WRegional Government cies by Baghdad. "Although they (KRG) de facto foreign minister may carry an Iraqi passport and Falah Mustafa Bakir makes a case travel, but they still tell you, they for an independent Kurdistan in are from Kurdistan." the 7th conference of the r. Michael Knights, an Iraq Association for the Study of the Dexpert and fellow in the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) Washington Institute for the Near conference in Washington as East Policy believed that the cur- experts warn of disintegration of rent conflict in Iraq has taken an Iraq over ethno-sectarian bounda- ethno-sectarian shape and a real ries. federalism could be a solution to "People in Kurdistan are fol- keep the territorial integrity of Iraq. "If you draw a map of where Iraqi Shiite militias joining the war against the Islamic State lowing the events in Catalonia in the front lines are as I have done it (IS). Photo: AP Scotland and elsewhere, wherever there is a talk about referendum," so many times- they (wars) ➙ 30 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➙ look very ethno-sectarian—In (politics and economy in all Iraq) negotiations and Kurdish leaders wealth in that country. We meant many places, in most places and it wants to continue to have warned that Kurdistan will it and wanted it because our lea- (clashes) conform almost exactly control. For us, Baghdad is the take the path of independence if dership is realistic, pragmatic and to the major sectarian groups," he same Baghdad. It’s not different Baghdad continues to withhold the we do understand where we live. said. when the Sunnis control Baghdad budget. Our neighbors are neither "The real nature of this or the Shias control Baghdad. "The only thing that holds Switzerland nor Belgium nor conflict in Iraq and what we are Because it means that we are Iraq together as a unit to fight Germany," said Minister Bakir. looking at is violent secessionism denied of our rights," Bakir said. against its ethno sectarian frac- According to KRG official, on sectarian lines as it happens. According to Dr. Knights, tures is Basra's oil money ... if that English and other languages have And the flipside to that (secessio- Shia's hard position on revenue money stops coming from replaced Arabic for Kurdistan nism) in the term of solution for sharing and security decision- Baghdad for many of those peo- Region’s younger generation. what we see in Iraq these days is making could break up Iraq even- ple, there is no reason to be in Iraq "I have to be honest with you. very strong federalism probably tually, if they don’t adopt more any more particularly if its run by My generation is better than the on the ethno-sectarian lines," he conciliatory policies. a Shia government or an anti generation that comes after me. added. "If anyone that breaks Iraq, if Kurdish Arab government,” Dr. At least I can speak some Arabic, inister Bakir also emphasi- anyone that chooses to break up Knights said. but the new generation doesn’t Mzed that a centralized Iraq is Iraq, it will be the Shia and they fter the US led invasion in speak Arabic and don't want to unacceptable for the Kurds and the can do it in a heartbeat -- If they A2003, the Kurdish leadership learn Arabic. They very much Kurds should be the master of their mishandle the current revenue decided to become a part of the learn English, some of them are own fate and considered as equal sharing discussions with the new experience in Iraq, where learning Turkish, some of them partners in Iraq. "If Iraq is to suc- Kurds. If they mishandle and Kurds were to be considered as are learning Farsi,” he maintai- ceed, it has be equality, justice and choose to take a hard (position) equal partners. But Kurdish offi- ned. genuine partnership --Kurds, Shias on things like decentralization, cials continue to say that Baghdad The Kurdish minister reaso- and Sunnis enjoy their rights. We security decision-making if they has marginalized the Kurds and ned that the new Kurdish genera- don't want to see an Iraq that suc- fail to resolve Sunni provinces as refuses to implement the Iraqi tion are learning other languages ceeds at the expense of Kurds and they liberate them. Then they constitution voted by over 70% of as a way to keep away from the Kurdistan." (Shias) break Iraq," he explained. the Iraqis in 2005. center. “Because Baghdad is not The KRG official commented he Iraqi government has stop- "We went to Baghdad, We doing what London is doing to its on the unchanged mentality of Tped providing KRG with its were heavily engaged in order to Scotland," referring to the more governance in Baghdad, where shared national revenue for the last build a better Iraq, a future for us sovereign powers British govern- despite regime changes, Kurdish eleven months. No deal has been within Iraq. Therefore we wanted ment has given to Scotland and rights are still being sidelined. reached between Erbil and to strengthen principles of federa- will yield more in the future. I "Baghdad used to control Baghdad despite Kurdish-Shia lism, of sharing the power and November 11, 2014 A reluctant former communications tech- nician working for Islamic State, now going ‘ISIS Sees Turkey as Its Ally': by the pseudonym ‘Sherko Omer’, who managed to escape the group, told Newsweek that he travelled in a convoy of trucks as part Former Islamic State Member of an ISIS unit from their stronghold in Raqqa, across Turkish border, through Turkey and then back across the border to attack Reveals Turkish Army Syrian Kurds in the city of Serekaniye in nor- thern Syria in February. “ISIS commanders told us to fear nothing Cooperation at all because there was full cooperation with the Turks,” said Omer of crossing the border into Turkey, “and they reassured us that nothing will happen, especially when that is how they regularly travel from Raqqa and Aleppo to the Kurdish areas further northeast of Syria because it was impossible to travel through Syria as YPG [National Army of Syrian Kurdistan] controlled most parts of the Kurdish region.” Until last month, NATO member Turkey had blocked Kurdish fighters from crossing the border into Syria to aid their Syrian coun- terparts in defending the border town of Kobane. Speaking to Newsweek, Kurds in Kobane said that people attempting to carry supplies across the border were often shot at. former member of ISIS has revealed the PG spokesman Polat Can went even fur- extent to which the cooperation of the By Barney Guiton A ther, saying that Turkish forces were acti- Turkish military allows the terrorist group, Y November 11, 2014 vely aiding ISIS. “There is more than enough who now control large parts of Iraq and Syria, www.newsweek.com evidence with us now proving that the Turkish to travel through Turkish territory to reinforce army gives ISIS terrorists weapons, fighters battling Kurdish forces. 31 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ammunitions and allows them to cross the man in Iraqi Kurdistan, initially went to Syria Before crossing the border back into Turkish official border crossings in order for to join the Free Syrian Army’s fight against Syria, he says: “My ISIS commander reassu- ISIS terrorists to initiate inhumane attacks Bashar al-Assad, but found himself sucked in red us once again that it was all going to be all against the Kurdish people in Rojava [north- to ISIS, unable to leave. He was given a job as right because cooperation had been made eastern Syria].” a communication technician, and worked at with the Turks. He frequently talked on the Omer explained that during his time with the ISIS communications bureau in Raqqa. radio in Turkish.” ISIS, Turkey had been seen as an ally against “I have connected ISIS field captains and “While we tried to cross the Ceylanpinar the Kurds. “ISIS saw the Turkish army as its commanders from Syria with people in border post, the Turkish soldiers' watchtower ally especially when it came to attacking the Turkey on innumerable occasions,” said light spotted us. The commander quickly told Kurds in Syria. The Kurds were the common Omer. us to stay calm, stay in position and not to enemy for both ISIS and Turkey. Also, ISIS “I rarely heard them speak in Arabic, and look at the light. He talked on the radio in had to be a Turkish ally because only through that was only when they talked to their own Turkish again and we stayed in our positions. Turkey they were able to deploy ISIS fighters recruiters, otherwise, they mostly spoke in Watchtower light then moved about 10 to northern parts of the Kurdish cities and Turkish because the people they talked to minutes later and the commander ordered us towns in Syria.” were Turkish officials of some sorts because to move because the watchtower light moving “ISIS and Turkey cooperate together on ISIS guys used to be very serious when they away from us was the signal that we could the ground on the basis that they have a com- talked to them.” safely cross the border into Serekaniye." mon enemy to destroy, the Kurds,” he added. mer was then transferred to a battalion tra- Once in Serekaniye, Omer says he surren- While Newsweek was not able to inde- Ovelling to fight Kurdish forces in dered to Kurdish forces when they attacked pendently verify Omer’s testimony, anecdotal Serekaniya, north-eastern Syria, and describes his camp. He was held for several months evidence of Turkish forces turning a blind eye travelling through Turkey in a convoy of before his captors were convinced that he had to ISIS activity has been mounting over the trucks, staying at safehouses along the way, not been a fighter in ISIS and had not taken past month. before crossing back into Syria at the part in violence. Omer, the son of a successful business- Ceylanpinar border crossing. Ë Ë Ë NovEMBER 13, 2014 Iraq and Kurds Reach Deal on Oil Exports and Budget Payments The amount of oil given to the Iraqi By BEN HUBBARD / November 13, 2014 government to sell is at most half of what www.nytimes.com the Kurds export, said Kirk Sowell, a poli- tical risk analyst who publishes the Inside BAGHDAD — Iraq’s central govern- Iraqi Politics newsletter. And $500 million ment and the autonomous region of is only about half of what Kurdistan is Kurdistan reached an interim agreement on meant to receive monthly from the central Thursday over oil exports and budget pay- government. ments, at least temporarily easing a bitter The interim agreement did not even dispute that has threatened the govern- touch on larger, thornier issues, including ment’s stability. whether Baghdad will continue to allow The standoff began earlier this year the Kurds to export their own oil and who when Kurdish officials angered Baghdad Gas burn-off and oil tanks at the nor- will control the rich Kirkuk oil field in nor- by exporting oil produced in their region thern oil fields in Kirkuk, Iraq. Kurdish thern Iraq. The field came under full directly to Turkey and not through the Iraqi officials angered Baghdad by exporting Kurdish control this summer after Iraqi Oil Ministry. oil produced in their region directly to government troops fled the Islamic State’s The government in Baghdad called the Turkey. Credit Andrea Bruce for The New advance into the area. move unconstitutional and suspected that York Times Under the agreement, the prime minis- the Kurds were trying to use oil to advance ter of the Kurdish region, Nijervan Barzani, will travel to Baghdad within a bid for independence. So the central issues between Baghdad and the K.R.G.,” government stopped sending to Kurdistan three days to meet with the central govern- said Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd and Iraq’s ment to try to resolve the outstanding the 17 percent of the national budget allot- finance minister. ted to the regional government. issues. He said that resolving the disputes bet- “This signifies pretty significant pro- Under the agreement signed Thursday, ween the Kurdish government and the central government will pay $500 mil- gress,” said David Goldwyn, a senior State Baghdad had taken on a greater urgency Department energy official in the first lion to the Kurdistan Regional because the country was facing an econo- Government, or K.R.G., from the national Obama administration, noting that both mic crisis caused in part by the recent drop sides had made concessions. budget while the Kurds will let the Iraqi in the price of oil, the basis of Iraq’s eco- government sell 150,000 barrels per day of “They have crossed the Rubicon here nomy. This in turn could undermine efforts on the K.R.G.’s right to export oil,” he the oil exported by the Kurds. to fight the Islamic State, the jihadist orga- Although the agreement put in place no said, “and they have foreshadowed the nization that has seized about one-third of mechanism on how the K.R.G. will meet long-term solutions, some hailed it as an Iraqi territory. important step. its obligation to the central Iraqi budget Others noted the limits of the interim going forward.” I “Hopefully this will be the starting agreement. point for addressing all the outstanding 32 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 13 novembre 2014 Syrie: les forces kurdes engrangent les succès à Kobane www.rfi.fr / Avec notre correspondant Ce qui devrait permettre assez rapide- à Istanbul, Jérôme Bastion ment de libérer les derniers quartiers péri- 13 novembre 2014 phériques de la ville toujours occupés par les islamistes. e jeudi 13 novembre, cela fait Csoixante jours que la ville kurde de D’ailleurs dans les campagnes alentour, Kobane est assiégée par les forces de chaque jour de nouvelles libérations de l’organisation Etat islamique, siège qui a villages sont annoncées, indiquant que déjà fait plus d’un millier de victimes des l’avantage est désormais aux Kurdes infli- deux côtés. Depuis qu’ils ont reçu des geant de lourdes pertes aux jihadistes, qui renforts et des armes venus du Kurdistan ont par exemple perdu un commandant et irakien, les combattants kurdes continuent une trentaine d’hommes rien qu’hier. Si de desserrer l’étau sur la ville, sans pour bien que l'occupation de Kobane par les autant parvenir à en déloger entièrement jihadistes de l'organisation Etat islamique les assaillants islamistes. Hier, mercredi, représenterait désormais moins de 20 % ils ont signé une avancée sans doute stra- de la ville, d'après Idris Nassan, un res- tégique. ponsable local, contre 50% au plus fort du siège, il y a moins de deux semaines. C’est une reconquête qui devrait redonner Leurs bombardements au mortier conti- le moral aux habitants de Kobane et, à nuent cependant de faire des victimes court terme, l’avantage militaire aux résis- parmi les civils côté kurde : 8 personnes, tants kurdes : la colline de Mistanour qui dont des femmes et des enfants, sont domine le sud et l’est de la ville, prise il y morts ces deux derniers jours. a un mois et demi par les jihadistes, est depuis hier repassée sous le contrôle des Si la libération totale de Kobane semble forces unifiées kurdes, irakiennes et donc proche, son encerclement en syriennes. revanche risque de perdurer et la co-pré- sidente du Parti de l’union démocratique Avec cet important promontoire, c’est (PYD), Asya Abdullah, rappelle qu’il y a également la principale route d'approvi- toujours un grand besoin d’ouvrir un corri- sionnement et d'acheminement de ren- dor permettant l’acheminement d’aide et forts depuis Raqqa qui est ainsi coupée de renforts depuis les autres régions par les troupes du groupe Etat islamique. kurdes. N 14 novembre 2014 Irak : l'ONU salue l'accord entre le Kurdistan et Bagdad sur le pétrole AFP, 14 novembre 2014 000 barils par jour à sa disposi- lorientlejour.com tion. Le paiement d'avance par 'accord préliminaire conclu Bagdad aidera à verser les Lentre la région autonome du salaires des fonctionnaires kur- Kurdistan et les autorités des, comme la constitution fédérales irakiennes pour le l'oblige à le faire, et atténuer la règlement d'un long litige sur les pression sur le budget de la ventes de pétrole et les région autonome. "Je salue l'ac- paiements de salaires des fonc- cord (...) sur le règlement du lit- tionnaires est "un premier pas ige budgétaire", s'est félicité très important", s'est félicité l'émissaire de l'ONU en Irak, l'ONU vendredi. Nickolay Mladenov. "Cet accord Le gouvernement régional va permettre aux employés du du Kurdistan (GRK) a indiqué secteur public des gouvernorats La raffinerie de Kawergosk, à l'est d'Erbil, la capitale de la région jeudi que, lors d'une première d'Erbil, Dohuk et autonome du Kurdistan, dans le nord de l'Irak.La raffinerie de étape, le gouvernement fédéral Souleimaniyeh (qui font partie Kawergosk, à l'est d'Erbil, la capitale de la région autonome du allait lui transférer 500 millions du Kurdistan) de commencer à Kurdistan, dans le nord de l'Irak. (Photo Safin Hamed. AFP) de dollars (400 millions d'eu- recevoir leurs salaires. Il va ros) en échange de quoi la également permettre au gou- région autonome mettrait 150 vernement régional de ➩ 33 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➩ contribuer de nouveau au duire dans les prochains jours Abadi. querelle est vu comme l'une des budget fédéral à un moment de une délégation à Bagdad pour Les deux parties se livrent étapes essentielles pour crise nationale", a-t-il affirmé parvenir à une solution globale, depuis plusieurs mois une améliorer la coopération entre dans un communiqué. équitable et constitutionnelle à bataille sur la question du pét- Bagdad et Erbil notamment L'accord a été conclu lors tous les différends en suspens", role, Bagdad estimant que l'én- dans leur lutte commune contre d'une réunion à Erbil, la capi- a indiqué le GRK dans un com- ergie produite dans les régions le groupe Etat islamique, qui tale du Kurdistan, entre le min- muniqué. appartient au pays tout entier contrôle de larges pans du terri- istre irakien du Pétrole Adel Cet accord est l'une des et le Kurdistan traitant directe- toire irakien, notamment des Abdel Mahdi, le Premier min- réalisations les plus impor- ment avec des compagnies zones très proches du istre kurde Nechervan Barzani tantes du nouveau gouverne- pétrolières au motif que le pét- Kurdistan. I et son adjoint Qubad Talabani. ment irakien que dirige le role produit sur son sol est sa "Nechervan Barzani va con- Premier ministre Haïdar al- propriété. Un accord sur cette november 14, 2014 Kurdistan pushes independent oil company plan after $500m deal with Iraq Cautious optimism after landmark deal that will see Kurdish region send oil to Baghdad in return for $500m budget boost By S.Seal— 14 November 2014 www.middleeasteye.net preliminary deal between Baghdad and AIraq's Kurdish region to resolve long-run- ning financial disputes over oil has reduced a threat to national unity, Iraq’s oil minister said on Friday. There has long been tension between the cen- tral government, based in the capital Baghdad, and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq (KRG). Baghdad opposes the KRG’s independent exporting of oil - Kurdish leaders, on the other The dispute was harming both sides, with Iraq officials consistently deny such claims. hand, have criticised Baghdad for allegedly losing oil revenue and the Kurdish region not KRG President Masoud Barzani is now due to withholding budget payments from the region. receiving federal budget payments, according head a delegation to Baghdad in the coming to Abdul Mahdi. In a first move to end the disputes, the two days, aimed at reaching “a comprehensive, fair sides have now agreed for Baghdad to pay But Friday's agreement, while not final, "opens and constitutional solution to all outstanding $500m to Kurdistan in exchange for the trans- the way" to permanent solutions, he added. differences between the federal government fer of 150,000 barrels of oil per day to the fede- UN Iraq envoy Nickolay Mladenov also hailed and the KRG," the Kurdish government said in ral government. the deal, calling it "a very important first step." a statement. The oil earmarked for Iraq’s central govern- "This agreement will allow public sector The budget dispute has lasted almost a year ment will be approximately half of the KRG’s employees in the governorates of Erbil, Dohuk and had led to a sharp deterioration of rela- normal production. and Sulaimaniyah to begin receiving their sala- tions. Just as tensions between the two sides look to ries. It will also allow the Kurdistan Regional Resolving the budget feud is seen as an essen- be easing, however, the Kurdish parliament is Government to resume its contribution to the tial step in improving cooperation at a time set to vote early next on proposals that would federal budget at a time of national crisis," when both are battling the Islamic State group, see the KRG reduce its ties with Baghdad. Mladenov said in a statement. which has overrun large parts of Iraq since June. Lawmakers will vote on a bill to create a bank The deal was reached at a meeting in the account that will consolidate the region’s oil Kurdish capital Erbil between Abdul Mahdi, However, there remain significant hurdles to revenue, and to establish a publicly-owned Kurdish regional Prime Minister Nechirvan finding a lasting solution to the conflict. company that would take charge of discovery, Barzani and his deputy, Qubad Talabani, the Kurdish politicians claim they are owed large production and export. Kurdish government said in a statement on sums in budget payments, which were halted Thursday. The creation of a Kurdish company dedicated in January 2014 in protest at the KRG’s oil to managing the region’s oil would be a signifi- The visit to Erbil was the first by Abdul Mahdi exports. cant step towards the independent export of since his appointment as Iraq’s Oil Minister in The huge Kirkuk oil field in northern Iraq is also oil but, according to a source who spoke to September – he replaced Hussein al- a point of contention – the federal government news site Rudaw, it could take years to imple- Sharhistani, who took a strong stance against and the KRG both claim control of the field. ment. independent Kurdish oil exports. “There are issues that need to be resolved, but The ongoing crisis between Baghdad and the The exports began in May 2014, when Kurdish this is an important agreement,” Iraqi Finance KRG has created "a rift that threatens not only officials announced a shipment of oil to the Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Thursday. economic, security and political interests, but Turkish port of Ceyhan. “It has removed a major obstacle in reaching a also national unity," Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Turkey is a main buyer of Kurdish oil - there conclusive agreement in the future.” Abdul Mahdi said in a statement on Friday. have also been reports that oil was offloaded in a port on the coast on Israel, though KRG J J J 34 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaieu)-Berhæoka Riaísta S Dentro de ln Prensa-Bnsin Ozeti samedi 15 - dimanche 16 novembre 2014 Irak: les l(urdes et Bagdad s'entendent enfin sur le pétrole Cet accord permet de consolider la guerre menée conjointement contre les djihadistes. Mais il est loin de régler leurs contentieux territoriaux. ses. < falflonôc Le << calife lbrahim D appelfe à l' 15 NOVEMBNE 2014 <éruption des volcans du djihad > AnIAREtvttvtENT, LB cALITE vA nrrru, Lbrga- pelé Ansar férusalem) ont quitté Al-Qaida factions qui abritent Al-Qaida en Syrie, Al- nisation Etat islamique (EI) a diffusé, jeudi pour rejoindre l'Etat islamique, et qu'un Nosra étant sa branche officielle). t3 novembre, le premier message dAbou territoire fidèle à l'EI s'est formé dans la S'il serait logique de voir les diihadistes Bakr Al-Baghdadi depuis le début de l'in- ville de Derna, en Libye, rien ne prouve, en s'unir face aux attaques occidentales, tervention militaire internationale, dirigée revanche, la présence structurée de Baghdadi oppose néanmoins une fin de par les Etats-Unis, en Irak et en Syrie, Le partisans du calife au Yémen et en Arabie non-recevoir aux appels à I'unité et rap- message audio de dix-sept minutes, dif- saoudite. pelle la. suprématie du califat. Il célèbre fusé avec des transcriptions en arabe, en < IÞxpansion de I'EI à de nouveaux tewí- anglais et en russe, vise d'abord à'contre- Rlvallté réalflimée avec Al-Qalda toires t et appelle r chaque musulman t à dire les affirmations du gouvernement Outre les cino serments d'allégeance de < rejoindre la provÍnce de I'EI Ia plus pro- irakien sur le fait que Baghdadi aurait été factions djihadistes qu'il revendique, Abou che > de l'endroit oi¡ il se trouve. Il souhaite tué ou grièvement blessé récemment, lors Bakr Al-Baghdadi évoque implicitement sa l'r éruptîon des volcans du djihad r partout de raids aériens. rivalité avec Al-Qaida en rappeìant que n la où l'EI a des ennemis. Le message de Baghdadi intervient aussi Iégalíté detous les émirats, groupes,Etats et Le < calife lbrahim > s'affirmeparailleurs alors que I'EI mène une dynamique cam- organìsations devíent nulle dès lors que satisfait de la décision du président amé- pagne de communication. Interrompu I'Etat islamique s'étend et que ses troupes ricairL Barak Obama, d'envoyer 15oo con- dans ses conquêtes militaires foudroyan- arrivent dans ces régíons t. seillers militaires supplémentaires en lrak, tes par l'intervention internationale et la Ce rappel intervient alors que des sources se réiouissant de la perspective de voir < Ies farouche résistañce des forces kurdes à Ko: de lbpposition syrienne antidiihadiste dif- croisés descendre au sol t.Il affirme que les bané, en Syrie, I'EI réplique par un autre fusent ces demiers jours des informations forces ennemies irakiennes et syriennes type dbffensives. Le < calife Ibrahim > re- sur une réunion qui se serait tenue la se- de l'EI - r les agents ìles juifs et des croisés, vient sur I'annonce, le to novembre, de ser- maine dernière pour tenter d'unifier les Ieurs esclaves, Ieurs chíens r - nbnt pour le ments d'allégeances au califat venus, selon frères ennemis du djihad : d'un côté I'Etat moment pas profité des raids aériens l'EI, de cinq pays. , islamique et de l'autre Al-Qaida (dont le étrangers þour regagner du terrain. L'Etat S'il est confirmé que les groupes algé- commandement en Syrie a été baptisé islamique contrôle ènviron un tiers de riens Djound Al-Khilafa (Soldats du califat) ( groupe Khorasan > par Washington), le I'Irak et un tiers de la Syrie. r et égyptien Ansar Bait Aì-Maqdis (aussi ap- Front Al-Nosra et Ahrar Al-Cham (les deux nÉ¡rayounpltt 35 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 51 Kurdish yazidi prisoners, www.ekurd.net captured By islamic state is, escape and arrive to sinjar mountain Kurdistan region november 7, 2014 Mosul: A member for the province of Nineveh, Dawood al-Jundi said that news in brief 51 Kurdish Yazidi prisoners including women and children, captured by the Islamic State IS group, escaped from detention centers in Tal Afar and arrived in Sinjar (Shingal) mountain. He said that "51 Yazidi people arrived at Mount Sinjar after they escaped from custody at centers in the district of Kurdistan official calls for more Tal Afar, where they had been abducted by IS militants after the fall of the eu support in Brussels Sinjar district." He pointed out that the fleeing detainees will be transferred to the province of Duhok in autonomous Kurdistan Region. ninanews.com november 4, 2014 | ekurd.net London: Masrour Barzani, National Security Council Head for the Kurdistan Regional Government, today called on the European Union to step up support for Kurds fighting Islamic State (ISIS) forces. Mr Barzani, islamic state is group lures who was on his inaugural visit to the European Parliament in Brussels, Kurdish iranian youths spoke about the situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, ISIS attacks in northern Iraq and Syrian Kurdistan, and especially the besieged city of november 8, 2014 Kobane. He told the European Foreign Affairs Committee that while the Mahabad: In recent months, Islamic State (IS) militants has focused on the European Union had provided light weapons to Kurdish fighters in Iranian Kurdish cities and towns to recruit new member for its organization Kobane, they urgently needed heavy weapons to defeat ISIS. Countries in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State (IS) militants have been attempting to such as Britain and Germany have begun training Peshmerga fighters, and recruit members from Kurdish populated areas of Iran. They’ve demon- supplying light weapons, some of which have made their way to Kobane strated a level of success as more than 20 youths have joined the ranks of IS with the contingent of Peshmerga fighters who crossed into Syria through insurgents, mainly from the Kurdish city of Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan Turkey last week. “We have to ensure there is no safe haven for ISIS,” Mr (Rojhelat). Earlier this week, a 16 year old youth from Mahabad left his fam- Barzani told his audience of MEPs (Members of the European Parliament). ily fearing for his safety as he committed himself to jihad with IS. This is not He said that the US-led air strikes on ISIS positions had been hugely help- the first case of Iranian Kurdish youths being lured by IS or other jihadi ful to Kurdish fighters. “The air strikes have been a factor in rescuing thou- organizations. Young men from the Kurdish cities of Bokan, Mahabad, sands of civilians and have enabled our Peshmerga forces to liberate many Saqiz and Jwanro are known to have fought with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan towns and villages,” he added...rudaw.net in the past and are currently suspected of fighting with IS in Syria and Iraq. Two youths from Mahabad were reportedly killed on the front lines recent- ly, although there has been no independent verification. basnews.com | 5 villages and 23 hamlets liBerated ekurd.net in serêKaniyê november 5, 2014 turKish soldiers have Become serêkaniyê: The operation launched by YPG/YPJ fighters in east Border executioners Serêkaniyê on 3 November night is continuing. Releasing a statement about the ongoing operation, Kurdish YPG Press Centre said the villages of november 8, 2014 Migran, Timat, Dibê, Duadan and Emadan and 23 hamlets have been Turkish soldiers at the border are acting with complete impunity as they cleansed of IS militants and liberated as part of the operation. The statement target civilians. Since the revolution took place in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) reported that YPG forces also took control of a strategic hill near the village in July 2012, at least 30 civilians have been slaughtered on the border of Alya last night, killing 13 IS militants and seizing large quantities of between Syrian Kurdistan and Turkish Kurdistan. While the Turkish state ammunition belonging to them, as well as the corpse of a militant. embraces the militants, that are the enemies of humanity, it does not hesi- According to the statement, YPG forces also carried out a close range attack tate to target civilians who support the Kobani resistance, who go to pro- with rocket launchers, targeting the gang groups digging a trench around vide humanitarian aid or are maintaining a vigil at the border. Every year Rawiya. YPG said the number of ISIS casualties couldn't be ascertained, the Turkish state extra judicially executes dozens of people on the borders while a dozer belonging to them was destroyed. firatnews.com | that divide Kurdistan. Kader Ortakaya was the latest victim of these attacks. ekurd.net 28 year-old Ortakaya, from Siverek, came from Istanbul about a month ago to join the vigil in Pirsus. Ortakaya, a student at Marmara University, was shot in the head by Turkish soldiers as she crossed the border to support the turKish soldiers attacK artists at Kobani resistance on 6 November. Kader was the only woman activist in KoBani Border the group crossing the border. Three days before that, on 3 November, a civilian from Kobani died in agony in front of watching Turkish soldiers. november 6, 2014 32-year-old Necip Reşad Seydi was next to vehicles in the border area near urfa: Turkish troops have staged a crackdown on artists who formed a the village of Siwêdê in Suruç when he was wounded in the thigh by shots human chain at Suruç-Kobani border today. Real bullets were used in the fired by IS militants...firatnews.com | ekurd.net brutal attack which left four people, including two artists, wounded. Artists affiliated to the Initiative for Free Art have for the last 2 days been joining the vigil in the village of Boydê bordering Kobani in solidarity with the Krg seeKs recognition of isis crimes ongoing resistance at both sides of the border against IS militants continu- as acts of genocide ing their attacks on the besieged town. Artists forming a human chain were also welcomed and supported by the people at both sides of the border, and november 8, 2014 by YPG/YPJ fighters deployed on the Tilşeîr Hill overlooking their area erbil: A Kurdistan Regional Government committee visited Europe last who accompanied their slogans “Bijî Berxwedana YPG/YPJ” [Long live week to campaign for international recognition of ISIS’s crimes against reli- YPG/YPJ resistance] and “Bijî Serok Apo” [Long live Leader Apo]. Turkish gious and ethnic groups as acts of genocide. The KRG High Committee on troops deployed at the border attacked the mass as Ferhat Tunç made a International Recognition for ISIS’s crimes against different religious and statement on behalf of the artists. Soldiers have reportedly fired intense tear ethnic groups in Shengal and other areas of Kurdistan made the week-long gas and real bullets on the mass, while also spreading the crackdown to the visit to raise international awareness and to submit documents and evi- other side of the border. Four people who sustained an injury in the crack- dence to the International Criminal Court (ICC). During the visit, members down have been taken to hospital while many others have been severely of the committee met with the president of the ICC and other organs of the affected by the intense tear gas. Soldiers are reported to have fired tear gas court, several members of the European Parliament in Strasburg and and real bullets on the people at the other side of the border as well. firat- Brussels, officials from the foreign ministries of the Netherlands and news.com Belgium, the Amnesty International office in the Netherlands, the European Commission for External Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, and the International ⇒ 36 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ⇒ Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. At the meetings, mem- services of the late speaker of parliament, the Kurdistan parliament presi- bers of the committee presented documents and evidence on the crimes dency has decided to lower its flag.” Fuad was appointed as the head of the committed by ISIS terrorists and called for moral and legal support from PUK bloc during the first term of the Kurdistan parliament, which was members of international community, the United Nations, European Union established in 1991. He was among the 59 MPs who went on strike to and ICC. The committee also discussed the possible legal protest against the civil war, the statement said. “He was always a champi- mechanisms...krg.org on of brotherhood, unity and protection of the people,” it added. “He played a prominent role in unifying the Kurdish parliament in 1998 iraqi Kurds unaBle to estaBlish towards the peace-process in the Kurdistan region.” rudaw.net independent state: Barham salih KirKuK oil only Be exported november 8, 2014 erbil: Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) former Prime Minister through Kurdistan region Barham Salih said Iraqi Kurds are unable to establish their own independ- november 17, 2014 ent state. Also a leading figure of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Kirkuk: The head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, Rêbwar Talabani, has Salih told “a Conference for Dialogue and Peace” in Erbil that establishing said that the only way to export Kirkuk oil is via pipelines through the an independent state is the demand of almost all political lines and figures Kurdistan Region. Once a decision is made to utilize this route, they can sell but achieving the aim is impossible. He noted there is not enough political 400,000 barrels per day.Talabani revealed that they are trying to restart offi- will for the move and the Kurdish region also suffers from the lack of a unit- cial sales of Kirkuk oil, “The previous pipeline through which Kirkuk oil ed military force after 22 years. He reiterated that besides a united joint mil- was sold is under Islamic State control. The only way to export and sell itary force a strong economic strategy in needed to stand up against possi- Kirkuk oil is through the Kurdistan Region.” He continued, “Kirkuk has the ble threats. kurdpress.ir ability to sell 400,000 oil barrels per day.” Baghdad has agreed to allow Kirkuk’s oil to be piped through Kurdistan as there is no alternative route, and the federal government needs to increase overall oil revenues. kurd- peshmerga waiting for a response press.ir from aBadi’s government on the request of the eight points november 11, 2014 isis evicting Kurdish shaBaKs from erbil: The Secretary General of the Ministry of Kurdistan Regional lands that are given to araB Government, L.t Gen. Jabbar Yawar revealed on Tuesday, that his ministry is waiting for a response from Iraq's federal government on paper made up loyalists of eight points that was delivered to the Minister of Defense, Khaled al- november 21, 2014 Obeidi during his recent visit to the region last Thursday. Yawar said that erbil: The Islamic State group (ISIS) militants are conducting ethnic cleans- “The paper was delivered to the Secretary of Defense concerning the future ing around Mosul, seizing Kurdish properties and lands and giving them security coordination, arming Peshmerga forces, and the subject of to Arabs, a Kurdish official said. “ISIS terrorists have brought 218 families Peshmerga element’s salaries, security and coordination in the implemen- from Ramadi and Beiji to live in Kurdish-Shabak properties surrounding tation of military operations in the Joint Security Cutters, noting that al- Mosul,” said the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP’s) Sa’ed Mamuzein. Obeidi was positive with paper but some of its clauses were outside his “These families are armed, and are against Peshmerga forces, and they are validity and require a decision from the federal government. Yawar said his a total of 618 people,” he told Rudaw. “Shabak-Kurds have fled in fear of ministry had informed the Minister of Defense al-Obeidi that Peshmarga ISIS, leaving behind their belongings which are now seized by ISIS,” forces are willing to provide support of the military processes if Iraqi according to Mamuzein. “ISIS terrorists are cracking down on families, ground forces would be brought to Mosul city. The Iraqi Ministry of searching house-to-house to conscript people by force. Those who don’t Defense began steps form the formation of the Iraqi army and federal police fight have to pay” financially, he said. ”ISIS is getting desperate. This is why battalions which will regain control of the mission to restore Mosul city we are seeing bomb attacks. It is because they are growing weak.” This from the presence of ISIS elements in coordination with the international would not be the first time that Iraqi Kurds have been displaced and Arabs coalition...shafaaq.com | Ekurd.net brought in. Under ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s Arabization pro- gram of the 1970s, many were displaced after Kurdish property owners found themselves with a legal decree that invalidated their claims of own- pyd: the syrian regime only ership without compensation. rudaw.net BomBed us november 12, 2014 gorran: Baghdad ignores arming erbil: The Representative of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, has accused the Syrian regime of only bombarding peshmerga forces requests Syrian Kurdistan [the Kurdish region in northern Syria] and rejected those november 21, 2014 reports that Assad government have helped his party. Gharib Hasso the Change bloc internalized in the Kurdish coalition forces, said that the fed- PYD envoy in Erbil has responded to the recent accusation of Syrian eral government still ignores arming Peshmerga forces with medium and Foreign Minister, Walid Muallem and said labeled Muallem a representa- heavy weapons to face the elements of the Islamic State IS group despite tive of a chauvinist party. Last week, in an interview, Muallem pointed out that Peshmerga follow the federal military system. The member of the bloc that Syrian government has helped Kobani, but Hasso rejected Muallem’s , Amin Baker said that the Peshmerga forces did not seize any heavy statement and accused him by distorting the reality and public opinion. weapon of the Iraqi army last June after the withdrawal of army troops After the Muallem interview, the Kurdistan Region President, Massoud from some areas in Salahuddin, Nineveh and Kirkuk," adding that "the Barzani also criticized the foreign minister and said that Muallem’s views is weapons that exist among Peshmerga troops are mostly medium to light. " a reflection of the current state the Syrian regime is in. “The Syrian regime Baker explained that "instead of asking some politicians for Kurdistan neither helped us nor we asked them for support,” said Hasso from Regional Government to return the weapon of the Iraqi army that the Erbil...basnews.com | ekurd.net Peshmerga forces have and fighting IS on several fronts , it was incumbent on them to pressure the federal government to arm Peshmerga forces." Baker said that "Peshmerga forces are currently in dire need of heavy Kurdistan parliament honors weapons to use them in battles against IS elements who have heavy and former speaKer dr. Kamal fuad sophisticated weapons obtained from the Iraqi army after their withdraw- al." The federal government has banned over the past years Kurdistan november 17, 2014 region from getting heavy weapons from various countries under the pre- erbil The Kurdistan Parliament has lowered its flag to commemorate the text that the reinforcement must be within the Iraqi military system death of Dr. Kamal Fuad, former speaker of parliament, and one of the co- (Ministry of Defense). shafaaq.com | ekurd.net founders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party (PUK). Fuad was born in N N N the city of Slêmanî in 1932, and received his education at Humboldt University in Germany, earning a doctorate in philosophy. The Kurdistan parliament issued a statement saying: To honor and respect the work and 37 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti NovemberNovember 10, 10, 2014 2014 Middle East's borders are being redrawn by force The Islamic State is trying to change the map created after World War I. America's Kurdish allies have a different outcome in mind. and author of “Lawrence in Arabia,” By Charles M. Sennott recently wrote, “The American misad- November 10, 2014 venture in Iraq has proven to be by far www.globalpost.com the more ruinous one,” he recently wrote. “At least its British forebear had the unintended consequence of uniting — HANAQIN, Kurdistan region 'Iraq',— A however briefly — Iraq’s fractured popu- Kwind-swept hilltop of parched, brown lation in opposition to their rule, whereas earth provided as good a vantage point as the more recent occupation spawned any to watch Iraq coming apart. sectarian divides that remained when A skirmish here in early October the US withdrew its forces in 2011. The along the front line between Kurdish result over the last decade has been the forces and the Islamic State, with Iraqi gradual dismantling of the Iraqi nation,” Army troops absent from the mix, offered he added. a glimpse of a national fracturing along or the self-proclaimed Islamic State, the lines of the three main religious or Kurdish Commander Hussein Mansour Fthis history is well known and its les- ethnic groups — Sunni, Shia and Kurd. stands before a detailed topographical sons are as fresh as today’s Twitter feeds. But these new stress cracks in Iraq, map and points to the boundaries of In fact, when the IS fighters were bulldo- which have now widened into what Iraqi Kurdistan in September 2014. zing their way across the border between regional analysts believe are irreparable (Tracey Shelton/GlobalPost) Syria and Iraq in June they were live divisions, actually date back 100 years to tweeting under this hashtag: World War I. #SykesPicotOver. The victorious British and French mate between the legendary Kurdish In a propaganda film produced by IS brought arrogance and ignorance to dra- forces, or peshmerga, and the equally which is titled “The End of Sykes-Picot,” a wing the boundaries of a modern state of determined forces of the Islamic State, or Chilean recruit to the Islamic State’s Iraq that ignored deep ethnic and reli- IS. jihad, who is identified as Abu Safiya, is gious divisions. Their goal in drawing The Kurds, backed by the United depicted raising the black flag of IS at the these lines of control was all too predic- States and its airpower, are taking on IS border. table: controlling the oil fields. advances while simultaneously trying to Speaking to the camera, he says, “As If this all sounds familiar, it’s for good carve out their own independent state in you can see this is the so-called border of reason. The Americans made the same northern Iraq. IS stunned the world this Sykes-Picot. We don’t recognize it and mistake, regional analysts and historians summer when it emerged out of the we shall never recognize it. It is the first say, when they arrived in 2003 without darkness of the war in neighboring Syria border we shall break, inshallah, and it is any serious consideration of the role that and seized Mosul in northern Iraq. With not the last border we will break, inshal- sectarian and tribal allegiances would initial support from the local Sunni lah.” likely play in the vacuum of power left by population, IS quickly established what it Djene Rhys Bajalan, a professor of a toppled dictatorship. calls an Islamic caliphate. history at the American University of After a disastrous war that began in he Iraqi army, which was seen by so Sulaymaniyah, said the historical paral- 2003 and a full pullout of all military Tmany Sunni Iraqis in Mosul as a Shia lels between the current moment and troops in 2011, the US is now paying for militia headed by the Shia-dominated World War I are alive in the rhetoric of that failure to learn the lessons of World central government in Baghdad, offered the ongoing conflict. But as he points War I as the ethnic divisions have drama- little resistance to IS and virtually collap- out, there is a profound difference. tically resurfaced and yielded the dark sed. “When the lines were drawn at the force that is IS. Before the Great War, the Ottoman end of the First World War, they drawn The small battle against IS fighters Empire ruled this part of the world for without the participation of the people. that took place here in October near the 400 years by allowing these three rival The fundamental difference today is that village of Kubashi was hard along the groups to establish three autonomous the people here living in [Iraq] now are in southeast border of Iraqi Kurdistan, not provinces, or vilayets. That is, until a new the process of redrawing the borders far from the Iranian border. Kurdish nation was artificially conceived by a themselves,” said Bajalan. peshmerga forces were positioned on duo of British and French diplomats The Kurds know their history as well, the hilltop with two artillery cannons named Sir Mark Sykes and Francois and they too are setting out to redraw the pointed down into a barren valley where Georges-Picot. lines of World War I and finally achieve about a dozen fighters of the Islamic They famously crafted the 1916 an independent state. They seem to be in State were holed up. Sykes-Picot Agreement which secretly the process of rewriting their own histo- The peshmerga marched the mortars carved up spheres of influence in Syria rical narrative. in and eventually struck the target. A and Mesopotamia, or Iraq as it would The road near Chamchamal has cloud of dust and the echoes of mortar later be called, for the Triple Entente become a corridor of remembrance blasts lingered in the canyon along with powers after they defeated the Ottoman intended to build a timeline of Kurdish a question as to whether or not the action and Austro-Hungarian empires. history which stretches from its ill-fated actually killed the Islamic State fighters. History has repeated itself in Iraq for alliance with the Ottomans against the It was a classic skirmish in a confu- the American empire. British to its long quest for ➥ sing, daily battle that feels like a stale- Scott Anderson, a war correspondent 38 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➥ independence through many years of suffering under the tyranny of Saddam Mobile Hussein. artillery trucks There is a new museum that comme- move after morates the genocidal Anfal campaign clashes on the by Saddam Hussein that killed 180,000 IS/Peshmerga Kurds from 1986 to 1989 including the front line on the use of chemical weapons against civi- outskirts of lians in the Kurdish town of Halabja. Kubashi on Just up the road, there is also a new Monday. bronze relief statue and a park that has (Tracey been erected in the last year dedicated to Shelton/Global Sheikh Mahmoud, the legendary Kurdish Post) fighter in World War I who made a last stand against British forces from a rocky escarpment alongside the road. Kaiwan Azad Anwer, an Iraqi histo- rian, invited us into his library to view old maps and books on World War I and explained that it is on the northern edge tral government under Iraqi President said he believed the Kurdish people of Diyala Province, approximately 50 Jalal Talabani. continue to pay dearly for siding with the miles northeast of Baghdad along the In 2005, she helped to author Article Ottomans. Iranian border. The area runs up to the 140 of the Iraqi constitution, laying the “From the time of Sheikh Mahmoud outskirts of Baghdad and was long a hot- groundwork for the eventual autonomy to today, the mistake haunts us,” Anwer bed of activity for al Qaeda in Iraq, which of the Kurdish region. So far the plan has said. claimed the area as a caliphate back in not been fulfilled. Othman said that the “But after 2003, history has taken a 2005 and 2006. Kurdish parties were now forming a different direction. In siding with the It was this lawless area that provided committee that will draw a new map of United States in 2003 and now against IS, the soil in which the first seeds were Iraqi Kurdistan following the definitions we are ensuring our independence. We planted of what would become IS. The US spelled out in the constitution and that will never have the same Iraq again. And forces combined with the Sunni “independence is inevitable.” anyone who tries to save the old Iraq is Awakening pushed back on IS and had thman knows the topography, and wasting their time,” he added. greatly diminished their organization. Oshe knows the history of the struggle These lines of history do not feel aca- That is, until the war in Syria when they over who will control the northern Iraqi demic or abstract in the barracks of the were able to regroup as a fighting force city of Kirkuk and its vast oil fields if Iraq Kurdish forces under Commander and come together with former Baathist does indeed come undone. Hussein Mansour. military commanders and professional “Both the Ottomans and then the Inside the office, he made small cups soldiers with whom they shared time in British defined Kirkuk as Kurdish of powerful Iraqi coffee on an espresso prison under the American occupation. because a majority there was Kurdish. machine. The sound of distant mortar n Syria, IS also picked up international But when oil was discovered, it became a Ifighters who were coming across the different story. The British began to porous border between Turkey and Syria. construct the northern oil fields and get And when they moved into Iraq and over- yield. So the creation of Iraq was wrong “We will never have ran Iraqi army bases they were suddenly from day one,” she said. in control of American-made weaponry, “It was a big mistake of history. The the same Iraq again. And including armored vehicles, artillery can- Sunni and the Shia have hated each nons, anti-aircraft and tanks. other for 1,400 years. In my time in par- anyone who tries to save Mansour said IS has returned to this liament in Baghdad, I saw this. They will the old Iraq is wasting area because its leaders knows the never live in peace,” she added importance of this pocket of land which “In the next two years, the map of the their time.” stretches to the outskirts of Baghdad. Middle East will change dramatically,” ~Kaiwan Azad Anwer That’s why IS fighters blew up a Othman said. bridge between Khanaqin and Jalawla in President Obama may have succee- early August to try to fracture the ded in keeping a campaign promise to fire and field radios mixed with the ring- Kurdish forces as the militant group is bring home the troops home from what tones of an iPhone 5. He stood before a actively trying to gain a foothold. To he called a “dumb war,” but now the unfi- detailed, topographical map of the area prove the point, Mansour ordered some nished momentum of history is pulling and pointed to the boundaries of Iraqi of his men to fetch large plastic jerry the US back into war in Iraq. Kurdistan. cans they had seized from IS. They were For now, the American involvement e showed where the IS forces were filled with explosive materials, which he is limited to airstrikes and some 1,500 Hchallenging them, and he waved his describes as a uniquely volatile mix of C- advisers on the ground. But most regio- hand across the area that is technically 4 and TNT that are used in powerful nal and military experts are under no under control of the Iraqi state even roadside bombs and suicide bombing illusion that this faltering approach will though, as he explained, the Iraqi army vests. last, and there is a growing consensus has been nowhere to be found. “Airstrikes are needed here for sure,” that the US will indeed need ground “It’s time to fix the lines on this map, said Mansour, who claimed that they troops to succeed in Obama’s vow to to restore them to what they should be. have requested air support from the US “degrade and destroy” IS. And to fix these lines will require blood,” military, but not yet seen any response. “History is unfolding right now,” said says Mansour, dramatically pausing for “I still do not think America unders- the Kurdish commander Mansour. translation and wanting the words to tands what we are up against here, and “America has already proved that it failed sink in. just how big this moment is in the his- to learn the lessons of the past and of “These lines that were drawn through tory of Iraq and in our history as Kurds,” World War I. We know that. But the ques- history. They were drawn 100 years ago he added. tion now is do they understand the pre- by colonial powers who did not unders- few days earlier, I had met with sent, do they really get what is tand who we are and then by a dictator ANarmin Othman, a Kurdish party offi- happening on the ground here?” N who exploited them to divide us," he said. cial in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or He circled the area of the fighting and PUK, who served as a minister in the cen- 39 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 15 novembre 2014 En Irak, le Kurdistan et Bagdad trouvent un accord sur le pétrole L’accord conclu entre gouvernement central et la région autonome du Kurdistan réduit la menace de division face à la menace djihadiste François d’Alançon (à Erbil) L'accord a été www.la-croix.com conclu après des 15/novembre/2014 discussions au Kurdistan entre e n’est pas du troc mais cela y res- le ministre semble. Le gouvernement central C irakien du irakien et la région autonome du Kurdistan ont conclu un accord partiel Pétrole, Adel sur leur différend pétrolier et financier. Abdel Mehdi, et Dans un premier temps, le gouverne- le Premier min- ment fédéral va transférer 500 millions istre kurde, de dollars (400 millions d’euros) au gou- Nechirvan vernement régional du Kurdistan Barzani. (GRK). En échange, la région autonome mettra 150 000 barils par jour (bpj) à la sur plus de 1000 km, de la frontière disposition de Bagdad. « L’accord ne règle pas le fonds du con- syrienne au nord-ouest, à la ville de tentieux mais c’est une mesure de con- Khanakin, proche de la frontière avec Un second paiement d’un milliard de fiance qui contribuera à améliorer les l’Iran, au sud-est. dollars doit suivre en novembre, en relations entre Bagdad et Erbil dans échange de la mise à disposition de leur lutte commune contre les dji- Selon la Constitution irakienne, le 150.000 barils de pétrole par jour au hadistes », note un diplomate. Kurdistan devrait recevoir 17 % du gouvernement fédéral. L’élection, en septembre dernier, de budget de l’État, principalement ali- Haider al-Abadi au poste de premier menté par le pétrole. Le gouvernement LE gouvErnEmEnt régIonAL ministre irakien a ouvert un nouveau central accuse le gouvernement kurde KurdE EndEtté chapitre, après huit ans d’animosité de ne pas respecter les règles et d’ex- entre son prédécesseur Nouri al-Maliki porter directement et à son seul profit Chacun avait intérêt à trouver un com- et le président de la région kurde des hydrocarbures via la Turquie, sans promis. Depuis le début de cette année, Massoud Barzani. reverser ces revenus au budget central. Bagdad ne versait pas les salaires des Bagdad estime que l’énergie produite fonctionnaires kurdes, comme la Nerchivan Barzani, premier ministre dans les régions appartient au pays Constitution l’oblige à le faire. kurde, doit se rendre à la tête d'une tout entier alors que le Kurdistan traite délégation à Bagdad dans les prochains directement avec des compagnies Le gouvernement régional du Kurdistan jours pour tenter de résoudre les ques- pétrolières au motif que le pétrole pro- a certes exporté 34,5 millions de barils tions en suspens : le paiement des duit sur son sol est sa propriété. de pétrole depuis janvier, pour un arriérés dus aux Kurdes sur le budget revenu net de 1,7 millions de dollars 2014, le contrôle du champ pétrolier de unE BouFFéE d’oxygènE pour (1,36 milliard d’euros). Mais ce montant Kirkouk et le contrôle par le gouverne- LA soCIété KurdE ne suffit pas à couvrir ses dépenses de ment régional kurde de ses exportations fonctionnement, sans compter les coûts et revenus pétroliers. À Erbil, la levée du « blocus financier » liés à l’afflux de réfugiés syriens et de de Bagdad signifie d’abord que les fonc- déplacés irakiens et au renforcement LA FAIBLEssE du dIsposItIF tionnaires - environ 700 000 personnes des peshmergas, les forces armées kur- mILItAIrE KurdE dans le Kurdistan irakien -, devraient des, face à la menace des djihadistes de commencer à toucher leurs salaires. Daech (Etat islamique). Le gouverne- En juin, après la chute de Mossoul aux Une véritable bouffée d’oxygène pour ment régional kurde s’est rapidement mains des extrémistes sunnites, les une société qui subit de plein fouet les endetté et les lignes de crédit deve- peshmergas s’étaient empressés de effets de la crise politique avec Bagdad, naient de plus en plus difficiles à trou- combler le vide sécuritaire créé par le le climat d’insécurité généré par la men- ver. retrait des forces armées irakiennes en ace djihadiste et le fardeau des réfugiés. prenant le contrôle de la ville et de la LA LuttE CommunE ContrE province de Kirkouk, des territoires dis- Investissements en panne, commerce LEs djIhAdIstEs putés entre le gouvernement central et avec l’Iran, la Turquie et le reste de la région kurde. l’Irak en chute libre, chantiers de con- De son côté, le gouvernement central struction à l’arrêt, faillites d’entreprises irakien traverse également une période Deux mois plus tard, toutefois, les dji- : les autorités kurdes ont réalisé qu’en financière délicate avec des réserves hadistes se tournaient contre les com- dépit de leurs exportations de pétrole, limitées, la chute des cours du pétrole battants kurdes dans le Sinjar et la elles n’avaient pas les moyens de faire et des exportations de pétrole limitées plaine de Ninive, révélant la faiblesse du cavalier seul en se passant du soutien par le goulot d'étranglement du termi- dispositif militaire kurde. Les peshmer- financier de Bagdad. N nal de Bassorah au sud du pays. gas défendent aujourd’hui un front étiré 40 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 16 novembre 2014 Près de 1 200 morts à Kobané en deux mois 16 novembre2014 - Beyrouth (AFP) journalistes présents à la frontière, a-t-il www.lepoint.fr ajouté. Kobané "est passée de la défense à l'at- taque en raison des raids aériens et du soutien nviron 1.200 personnes, pour la plu- apporté aux combattants kurdes des YPG par Epart des jihadistes du groupe extrémiste les peshmergas (combattants kurdes irakiens) La ville de Kobané en Syrie lors d'une Etat islamique (EI) et des combattants kurdes, et (les rebelles de) l'Armée syrienne libre". attaque, vue depuis la ville turque de ont été tuées en l'espace de deux mois dans la L'OSDH a fait état dimanche d'affronte- Mursitpinar, le 13 novembre 2014 © AFP - ville syrienne de Kobané, a rapporté dimanche ments dans le sud de la ville qui "se poursui- Aris Messinis l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'Homme vent depuis plus de 70 heures", ajoutant d'au- tre part que les combattants kurdes ont fait (OSDH). Kobané. Après s'être emparé de dizaines de vil- exploser un véhicule de l'EI qui circulait dans Outre les combats, qui se poursuivaient lages, les jihadistes, précédés d'une réputation l'est de la province de Kobané tuant trois jiha- notamment dans le sud de cette troisième ville de brutalité inouïe, se sont présentés le 6 octo- distes. kurde de Syrie, frontalière de la Turquie, la bre aux portes de Kobané, suscitant un mouve- Depuis samedi soir, 23 combattants de coalition internationale a mené dans la nuit de ment de panique parmi les habitants qui ont l'EI, dont deux commandants, ont été tués à samedi à dimanche de nouveaux raids aériens fui par dizaines de milliers vers la Turquie voi- Kobané et ses environs, ainsi que quatre com- contre le groupe jihadiste à Kobané. sine. battants kurdes, selon l'ONG. Selon un journaliste kurde syrien, L'OSDH fait état de "1.153 morts à Kobané "Les combattants kurdes avancent lente- Moustapha Abdi, qui se trouve du côté turc de depuis le 16 septembre", date du début de l'of- ment à cause des mines posées par l'EI. Ils ten- la frontière, les avions de la coalition "ont fensive jihadiste. Parmi les morts figurent 712 tent de reprendre les secteurs pris par Daesh mené au moins sept raids nocturnes très jihadistes de l'EI, 398 combattants kurdes et (acronyme arabe de l'EI)", selon le journaliste intenses". 27 civils kurdes, ainsi que 16 rebelles de Abdi. Les explosions ont été entendues à 20 km l'Armée syrienne libre (ASL). I de Kobané, faisant trembler les voitures des Le groupe Etat islamique a lancé une offensive à la mi-septembre contre la région de 19 novembre 2014 130J ainsi que de pilotes entraînés capables de prendre en charge la mission. La guerre en Irak est "Ce que le commandant sur le terrain a dit, en clair, c'est: +Nous allons vous fournir de l'ex- pertise sur ce que vous n'avez pas, mais vous "différente" cette fois-ci avez tout ce dont vous avez besoin pour accom- plir cette mission+", a-t-il poursuivi. "Ainsi, la seule chose que nous avons fournie à ce moment-là a été de l'expertise pour monter le système d'extraction du parachute", a-t-il pré- cisé, pointant la grande différence d'approche par rapport à l'invasion américaine de l'Irak en 2003 et à l'occupation du pays qui a suivi. "Ils font ce qu'ils peuvent et nous comblons les lacunes tout en continuant à renforcer leurs capacités", a ajouté Martin Dempsey, qui dirigeait les soldats américains en Irak lors du précédent conflit. Le président Barack Obama a autorisé au début du mois l'envoi de 1.500 conseillers mili- taires américains supplémentaires en Irak pour entraîner et assister les forces irakiennes, y com- One. AFP / 19 novembre 2014 pris kurdes, dans la lutte contre l'organisation Etat www.lalibre.be "Au lieu de se saisir (du pays), de le posséder islamique, en plus des frappes aériennes de la et ensuite de progressivement y assurer une tran- coalition internationale. es actions militaires menées actuellement par sition, nous disons (aux Irakiens) depuis le départ, Selon le plus haut gradé américain, les forces les Etats-Unis en Irak ont de meilleures écoutez, il s'agit de vous, cela doit être votre cam- L irakiennes "se débrouillent beaucoup mieux" à chances de réussir que lors de la guerre lancée en pagne", a-t-il ajouté. 2003, car les Américains jouent depuis le début un présent face aux jihadistes du groupe Etat isla- Martin Dempsey a cité en exemple un épisode rôle de soutien aux forces locales, a estimé mer- mique. "Mais elles ont toujours de profondes fai- survenu lors de sa visite en Irak ce week-end. credi le général Martin Dempsey. blesses structurelles que nous, mais surtout elles, L'armée irakienne a demandé de l'aide aux Etats- devons surmonter". "Nous adoptons une approche différente" Unis pour parachuter du matériel à 1.300 soldats Avec l'aide de la coalition, "je pense qu'il va cette fois-ci, a expliqué le plus haut gradé de l'ar- kurdes sur le Mont Sinjar dans le nord du pays. continuer à y avoir des progrès sur le terrain" dans mée américaine, lors d'une conférence à Mais le commandant américain à Bagdad a noté les prochains mois. G Washington organisée par le site internet Defense que les Irakiens disposaient d'un avion cargo C- 41 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuisw-Berheaokø Çøpê-Riaistø Stampø-Dentro de la Prensø-Basin Ozeti m¿rrdi [B uovembrer 2014 En Irak, I'armée avance face à Daech En une semaine, elle a fait reculer les djihadistes de l'EI dans trois secteurs du ( pays sunnite >>. Un succès possible grâce à un appui américain et aux milices chiites, allié encombrant pour Washington. ,:!ff¡' GEORGES MALBRUNOT iii ar; t li;¡ t li t¡ ¡ i(¡)[: lii..rr l, i l MOI¡EN-ORIENT L'armée n'a pâs enco- re repris la raffinerie stlatégique de Bai- ji, mais, depuis samedi, elle a brisé le siège de cette vaste emprise convoitée par les djihadistes depuis le début de leur offensive en jtrin pour couquérir . le pays stmnite > d'Irak. Même si tout au long du siège cle Baiji, à 200 kni au norcl de Bagdad, Daech (acronyrne de l'État islamique, en arabe) a pris soin cle ne pas détruile la poule aux æufs d'or que représente ce lieu de production de Les forces de sécurité irakiennes prennent po!ltton autour du village d'Adhalm au cours d'un 300 000 bariìs de pétrole par jour, il déploiement de troupes pour reprendre un barrage, la semalne dernlère, au nord de Bagdad. REUTERs s'agit cl'un iudéniablc. succès poru les forces de sécruité. Srtrtout après leur' Irak depuis dix ans. Or, qui clit Aprrche, ans de chasse arx anciens officiers pro- débâcle qui avait vu quatre des treize di- dit appui uu sol par tles militrúres améri' Sadtlam Hussein, I'almée manque de visions de I'armée se débander devant caùtspour guider et désigner des cíbles. >> cadres compétents, et peut donc cliffici- cles djihaclistes qui mirent la rnain sur de lernent se passer .de ces supplétifs vastes telritoû'es du nord et de l'ouest de Opération maÍns propres chütes, encadrés par Ia Force al-Qods I'Iral<. Un clétail n'â pas échappé aux observa- iranieune, et indispensable à la défetlse Ce succès intervient apr'ès deux autres telü's : ce week-end, le général Dernp- de Bagdad. < Que peut faire le premier eruegistrés depuis une semaine. Me(- sey élait en tenue de combat duì'ant ses rninistre, akxs clue c'est le ministre de credi, I'armée est parvenue à chasser les rencontres'âvec les leaders ilakiens. Si I'lntërieur qui conú'ôle ces milíces'/>>, djihadistes du barrage d'Adhaim, au Washington campe toujouis sul son re- s'interroge un diplomate à Bagdacl. nord de Bagdad. Et vendredi, elle a re- fru d'envoyer des troupes au sol, ì'enga- Conscient qu'il ne vainc¡a pas Daech gagné la ville même de Baiji, à netú kilo- gement américain est plus visible. Une sáns les sunnites, Haida¡ al-Abadi a mètles de la raffinerie. Ces succès ont < nouvelle phtse ,' de la lutte contre commencé cl'agir'. Mercredi, iì a limogé été salués par le chef d'état-major amé- Daech s'est orlverte la selnaine dernière 26 gradés et mjs en retr'âitc dix autres, ricain interarules, le général lVlartin avec un prqmier déploiement hors de des généraux pou'la plupart, restés fi- Dempsey, en visite à Bagdad au cours clu Bagdad d'une cinquantaine de soldats dèles à son prédécesseur Nouri al-Mali- week-encl, et pal Laurent Fabius, qui américains dars Ia base d'Ein Assad au ki, lui-même accrsé d'avoil fortement parla de < progrès remarquøbles rr. Un nord du pays. Ils s'ajoutent ar.lr 3 000 < chütisé,, les forces de sécurité. . Ce compliment qui mit du baume au cæru conseillers dépêchés auprès de l'almée remanientent est oussi une tentative de du premier miriistle Ha'idal al-Abadi, ilakienne, et aux très discrètes forces sédttctit¡n cle I'opinion srnrnite qui n'a phls ulcéré par de récents propos cle François spéciales clont la mission est de traquer confiance rlnns son armée et s'intligne r\e Hollande sur l'inefficacité de I'année les chefs de Daech, à cotmnencer par l'incontpétence des caclres et cle It cornqt- face à l'État Íslamique. Avait-il tort ? Pas Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi. tron régnante n, aÍfi r'rne Richalcl Terzan. forcément. << On nous tlit clue le vent a Mercredi, le barrage d'Aclhaim a été Malgré I'hostilité de no¡nbrerw res tourné en faveur cles Jorces cle sécurité repris après setúement quelques heures ponsables chütes, le plemier mini,stre irol 42 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoiew-Berheaoka Çapê-Riaistø Stampa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti fe ÏIontc 19 NOVEMBSE 2014 l,Too Européensdans BRUXELLES - bureau européen Dans près n virus qui évolue de fÐ % des cas, lescombats co.nstamment en ré- ponse à nos efforts lnternetfouemlt pour Ie maîtriser > : un rôle 22 novembre 2014 Des vétérans canadiens veulent lutter avec les Kurdes contre I'EI wwwlexpress.ch North American Expeditionary Force" pour a été suivie par deux attaques mortelles 22 novembre?Olf mettre en relation ceux qui veulent aider les contre des militaires sur le sol canadien en peshmergas. Outre les anciens militaires, une octobre. Selon la police, ces attaques ont été ¡ ¡ne demi-douzaine d'anciens militaires Canadienne immigrée en Israël est devenue menées de façon indépendante par des radi- Lf canadiens souhaitent partir aider les ce mois-ci la première femme à rejoindre les caux récemment convertis à I'islam, Kurdes à combattre des jihadistes de I'Etat Kurdes qui se battent contre l'EI en Syrie, Un des organisateurs de la "First North islamique dans les semaines à venir. "Nous savons que des Canadiens ont American Expeditionary Force", Ian Plusieurs anciens militaires canadiens rejoint les forces kurdes", a déclaré un porte- Bradbury, a déclaré au "National Post" que le ont I'intention de partir aider les Kurdes à parole du ministère canadien des Affaires groupe avait fourni un soutien logistique à combattre I'Etat islamique dans les semaines étrangères. Mais le gouvernement, a-t-il un ancien combattant de 26 ans, qui s'est à venir, rapporte vendredi la presse cana- ajouté, recommande de ne pas se rendre en rendu la semaine derniène en lrak. dienne. Selon Radio-Canada, une demi-dou- Syrie ou en Irak "Je considère que ce que je fais n'est pas zaine d'anciens membres des forces armées Ottawa dans la coalition différent de ce qu'ont fait des milliers de veulent s'enrôler. Des avions de chasse canadiens partici- Canadiens partis combattre les Allemands Ces vétérans, précise le "National post", pent aux frappes aériennes de la coalition Iors de la seconde guerre mondiale", a expli- ont constítué un groupe appelé le "First internationale emmenée par les Etats-Unis qué le combattant au journal. Source: ATS contre I'EI en lrak. L'entrée dans la coalition 43 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 10, 2014 there is the burden of complying with new rules and regulations as Isis imposes its fundamenta- The brutal reality of life list Islamic ideology. Some of these are inconve- nient, such as the ban on smoking in public, or trivial, such as the removal of all pictures of in Iraq's Mosul under Tom and Jerry from the walls of schools. The imposition of the niqab, fully covering a woman’s face, is deeply resented. One woman Islamic State - 'We are in Mosul, whose name must also be concealed, writes: “Just this evening, with my old mom, I went out to shop and buy medicines in my car dying' with a thin cloth showing my eyes only. What can I do? Last week, a woman was standing beside a kiosk, and uncovered her face to drink a bottle of water. One of them [Isis] approached since isis forces her and hit her on the head with a thick stick. stormed Mosul He didn’t notice that her husband was close to in June, life in her. Her husband beat him up and he ran away, the city has shooting randomly in the sky as the people, in rapidly deterio- sympathy, chased him so they could share in beating him. This is just one story of the bruta- rated with fear lity we are living.” and anger com- monplace, accor- Such examples of open opposition to Isis are ding to the limited because people are terrified of savage many refugees retaliation at its hands. The retired business- man said this sense of dread never left him, who have fled “though generally if you don’t interfere with into Kurdish- them, they don’t interfere with you”. But he controlled irbil recalled public executions in the middle of a roundabout, such as that of the lawyer Sameera Salih Ali al-Nuaimy, who had written on Facebook that the blowing up of mosques and shrines by Isis was “barbaric”. He says he stays For Sunni Arabs still liv- He said actually crossing from Isis-controlled mostly in his house, “going out 10 times in the territory to that under the authority of the past two months”. ing in fundamentalist- Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had not “I was one of the people who hated [Nouri al- controlled Mosul, life is been difficult. Maliki’s] army, but now I would like the Iraqi He had taken the road between Mosul and army to come back,” he says. “People in Mosul sometimes mundane, Kirkuk that was guarded by “a couple of 15- or would welcome them. Anybody would be better sometimes terrifying as 16-year-olds with guns” at a checkpoint. A than Isis, even the Israelis. We are dying.” Kurdish friend sponsored him to enter the Such words may be joy to the government in the occupiers seek to KRG. Baghdad and its supporters in Washington or impose their unyielding Day-to-day life in the city he left behind was Tehran. But while detestation of Isis is common rapidly deteriorating, he said. For 28 days peo- in the Sunni community in Iraq, so too is fear of interpretation of Islam ple had no fresh water or mains electricity. They the Iraqi army and the Shia militias that are the now rely on local generators. Crude oil from main fighting force of the Baghdad government. Mosul province goes to Syria where it is refined, One of its few military successes has been to but the fuel which comes back is poor quality relieve the besieged Shia Turkoman town of By Patric Cockburn and ruins the engines it is used to power. Some Amerli, but the 40 Sunni Arab villages nearby www.independent.co.uk foodstuffs, such as tomatoes, are cheap because have been abandoned by their inhabitants. November 10, 2014 farmers have no customers aside from the mar- There is no good option for the Iraqi Sunni kets in Mosul. community, which knows that it will be puni- RBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan region Life in Mosul for a Sunni Arab – Christians and shed as likely Isis supporters by vengeful 'Iraq',— “It is like a terrible dream,” says a Yazidis have been forced to flee – is a mixture of government soldiers and militiamen if they E normality, inconvenience and fear. man who has just fled Mosul for Erbil, descri- return. Surprisingly, pensions are still being paid by the bing conditions in the city five months after Isis Isis is striking pre-emptively at local leaders in central government in Baghdad and the man I captured it in June.He adds that “from the day Mosul who might resist it in future. Imams met at the weekend was still receiving his. But they started to blow up the mosques people from the mosques have been placed under hated them”, referring to the destruction of the house arrest and replaced by younger clerics Mosque of Younis (Jonah) and other mosques supporting Isis. It does not target potential denounced by Isis “as places for apostasy not opponents randomly, but has its own well-orga- nised security service that seeks to eliminate prayer”. potential enemies before they can act. The man, a small businessman who had been an army officer under Saddam Hussein and is When the former governor of Nineveh pro- now on a pension, was very nervous that any- vince, Atheel al-Nujaifi, announced last month body should learn his name. Some of his family that former army officers in Mosul were waiting have stayed on in Mosul to prevent their house for the Iraqi army to reach the city before rising being confiscated by Isis. Its officials check up against Isis, the Islamic militants held a house-to-house demanding to see documents mass execution of army and police officers it proving that the occupant is the owner. If they held. discover that the real owner has left the city, he Isis may be unpopular in Mosul, but it will be is given 10 days to return or his house is confis- difficult to dislodge. J cated by Isis. Isis fighters take part in military train- ing in Mosul 44 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti SUMMER 2014 Turkey's Energy Strategy: Kurdistan Over Iraq Turkey seeks to position itself at the crossroads of international hydrocarbon transport infrastructure networks. A lack of domestic hydrocarbon resources, a growing demand for energy, and increasing insecurity across the region has led Turkey to deepen its cooperation with Kurdistan. From the perspective of securing energy imports from a stable and trustworthy supplier, this is the right decision, but not one without risk. Recent territorial advances of the newly formed Islamic State threaten to cut the blossoming energy relationship between Turkey and its partner of choice, Kurdistan, before it has had the chance to reach its full potential. under control of the Islamic State. Nicholas Borroz There were several disagreements, however, 04/09/2014 Similarly, there have been attempts to build gas between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the specif- Summer 2014 pipelines that pass through Turkish territory. ic mechanisms of contributing oil and distribut- TANAP, for instance, is a proposed natural gas ing revenue. Both sides argued that the other was www.turkishpolicy.com pipeline that would transport Caspian gas through falling short of fulfilling its end of the bargain. Turkey on to Europe. Additionally, Baghdad and Erbil fought over who had the right to engage oil companies for explo- Ultimately, Turkey aims to access Kurdish natu- ration and production projects, as well as over T urkey’s energy dilemma has been a signif- ral gas; more so than is the case with oil, which is what types of contracts these companies were icant driver for deepening its energy rela- a fungible commodity sold on global markets, offered. Sustainable solutions to these disputes tionship with Kurdistan.[1] However, this devel- Turkey would significantly benefit as a consumer were never achieved, and in 2012, negotiations opment has come at the expense of alienating by having natural gas transportation infrastruc- broke down. Turkey’s longstanding relationship with ture located in its territory. Because natural gas is Baghdad. Kurdistan, in turn, seeks to support its more cumbersome and costly to transport to end- As a result, Iraq cut off budget payments to independence from Baghdad by transporting oil users than oil, countries in which gas pipelines Kurdistan. Although portions of budget payments through Turkey. Deepening ties with Kurdistan terminate can reap consumption and price bene- have periodically trickled to Erbil since then, for makes sense for Turkey from an energy security fits. This is important because, as is the case with the most part, Erbil has been starved of its finan- perspective because Kurdistan has ample sup- many countries, gas as a share of energy con- cial base. For this reason, Kurdistan has desper- plies of oil and gas and is more secure than the sumption in Turkey is set to increase in coming ately sought new ways to independently generate rest of Iraq. Turkey’s strategy to diversify its decades. Turkey’s Ministry of Energy and revenue by transporting its petroleum to global energy supply, however, will depend on the Natural Resources, for instance, estimates that markets. At first, Kurdistan resorted to trucking Kurds’ ability to maintain stability in the face of between 2013 and 2023, Turkey’s demand for oil across its borders. This oil, which went to the threat of the Islamic State. natural gas will rise from approximately 45 bil- Turkey and likely Iran, was then transported on to lion cubic meters (bcm) to nearly 70 bcm annual- markets outside of the immediate region. The TURkEy’S ThiRST foR ly. Laying the groundwork for energy coopera- quantities of petroleum exported were minimal, hydRocaRBoNS tion with oil pipelines, therefore, is the first step however, given the inherent constraints of export- in a long-term strategy of ensuring natural gas ing via truck. With the exception of its reserves of low-grade supply, which in turn facilitates Turkey’s future coal, Turkey lacks significant domestic hydrocar- economic growth. a kURdiSh pipEliNE iS REalizEd bon resources. In 2012, Turkish production accounted for approximately 6.7 percent of oil diSpUTEd oil RighTS In late 2013, Kurdistan dramatically increased its demand and just 1.4 percent of natural gas export capacity by announcing that it had built a demand. In that same year, Iran and Iraq provid- Kurdistan has for many years sought to pursue pipeline connecting its oilfields to the Turkish ed over half of Turkey’s oil supply and Russia greater autonomy from the rest of Iraq, a venture port city of Ceyhan. The news confirmed specu- and Iran provided approximately three-fourths of that began in earnest following the end of the lation that Turkey and Kurdistan had signed Turkey’s natural gas supply. Turkey wants to First Gulf War. The primary mechanism through backroom deals on future energy cooperation. diversify away from these suppliers; Iraq’s turbu- which Kurdistan has attempted to expand its The pipeline was a huge boost for Kurdistan lence makes it undependable, Iran as a supplier autonomy has been by establishing control over because it allowed for the transportation to suffers from decaying infrastructure and interna- its hydrocarbon resources independently of Turkey of far larger quantities of crude than had tional sanctions, and Russia uses its control of Baghdad. Because oil revenues make up the vast previously been possible. Whereas before, hydrocarbon supplies to gain political leverage. majority of government budgets in both Kurdistan was reportedly exporting 40,000 bpd Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq, gaining control of via trucks, Kurdish authorities have stated that To improve its access to oil and gas, Turkey has this revenue stream could facilitate autonomous the pipeline will allow one million bpd of oil sought to develop its status as an energy nexus by development. exports by the end of 2015 (likely an exaggerated building international hydrocarbon transport figure, but still a good indication of the dramatic infrastructure that passes through its territory. Traditionally, Kurdistan has not been able to increase in export potential). Iraq responded by The most prominent and successful example of independently export oil. It has instead needed to threatening legal action against Ankara, Erbil, such infrastructure is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan negotiate the sale of its oil through SOMO, Iraq’s and companies engaged in Kurdish oil transac- Pipeline, which brings Caspian oil to the federally-controlled oil company. In exchange for tions. Mediterranean by way of Turkey. The pipeline contributing to Iraq’s oil exports, Kurdistan has a capacity of over one million barrels per day received a portion of Iraq’s overall federal budg- In June 2014, the oil tanker United Leadership (bpd). Until recently, another oil artery passing et. In theory, Kurdistan was to provide 17 percent left Ceyhan carrying a cargo of Kurdish oil that through Turkey was Baghdad’s often dysfunc- of Iraq’s oil exports and, in return, it would had been transported via the new pipeline. Oil tional Kirkuk-Ceyhan Pipeline; the territory receive 17 percent of the federal budget. market analysts anxiously watched a through which this pipeline runs has since fallen 45 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti a United Leadership’s journey, wondering who reserved for Kurdish oil were filled to their portion of the federal budget. In the interim, would be willing to anger Baghdad by unloading capacity of 2.5 million barrels. Kurdistan has reportedly depended upon signifi- the oil. Nearly two months later, the answer to cant borrowing to cover expenditures, but in the this question remains unanswered; the con- In subsequent weeks, Western media became fix- long term, it desperately needs to earn oil export tentious cargo has yet to make port. United ated with events in Ukraine and then Palestine. It revenues to sustain itself. While it is true that the Leadership is sitting off the coast of Morocco appeared that ISIS’ momentum had stalled and Kurdish region is prospering in some non-oil sec- near Casablanca, where it has been located since that no developments of note were occurring in tors, over 90 percent of its budget before the Moroccan authorities indicated they did not want Iraq. This changed with ISIS’ announcement of breakdown in negotiations with Baghdad depend- to get involved in the skirmish over oil rights the establishment of a caliphate and ISIS’ ed on oil revenue. In this arrangement, Turkey between Erbil and Baghdad. rebranding as the Islamic State. Currently, Iraq holds all the leverage over Kurdistan; whereas it dominates the headlines once more as stories can import oil from global markets, Kurdistan’s United Leadership turned out to be the first of have emerged about the persecution by the economic survival relies upon accessing con- several tankers that left Turkey with Kurdish oil Islamic State of the Yazidi ethnic minority group, sumers via Turkish territory. from the autonomous pipeline. Shortly thereafter, about the increased confrontations between the another tanker unloaded its cargo in Ashkelon, Islamic State and the Kurds, and about Iraqi It is possible that Turkey could use this leverage Israel. A third tanker currently sits off the coast of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s relinquishing of to negotiate favorable oil import deals or transit Texas in international waters after a US judge power. The US has responded by bombing fees for Kurdish oil passing through its territory. ordered marshals to seize its cargo. A fourth Islamic State forces near Erbil, and multiple More likely, though, is that Turkey will use its tanker sits near New Jersey; the original buyers countries have provided airdrops to Yazidi advantage to arrange favorable natural gas import of the cargo stated they will not go forward with refugees. The Kurds have called upon the US to deals once such infrastructure comes into play. As the transaction until it is determined who has the provide support in order to combat Islamic State previously mentioned, Turkey is thirsty for natu- right to sell the oil, Erbil or Baghdad. A fifth advances. ral gas, and importing via pipelines is the pre- tanker recently transferred some of its cargo to ferred method to meet this demand. Although another tanker in the Malacca Strait in an attempt iMpRoviNg TURkiSh ENERgy Kurdistan has yet to develop natural gas export to covertly sell the oil. SEcURiTy pipelines, this is certainly the next step in its ener- gy independence agenda. Should this come to Some observers have pointed to the uncertain fate Favoring Erbil over Baghdad improves the secu- pass, Turkey will then have a compliant natural of the Kurdish tankers as evidence that Kurdish rity of Turkey’s energy supply. Firstly, Turkey gas supplier with abundant reserves at its autonomy aspirations still face significant hur- does not need to import oil from Iraq at all. It can doorstep. dles. But the fact of the matter is that momentum instead import shipments from international mar- is in the Kurds’ favor; as each new tanker leaves kets; oil is a global commodity, and there are aN iMpoRTaNT cavEaT Ceyhan, it becomes more unlikely that Iraq will numerous suppliers besides Iraq that can meet be unable to stop a buyer from purchasing one of Turkey’s demand. It is true that there are some It makes sense from an energy perspective for the increasing number of cargos at sea. This is benefits to being directly linked to an oil supplier Turkey to favor Kurdistan at the expense of Iraq, particularly true because Baghdad is facing much via pipeline, however Iraq’s appeal in this respect but only if Kurdistan is able to provide it with oil larger problems than Kurdish autonomy, namely is minimal because of its inability to consistently and gas. With the establishment of the Islamic a burgeoning caliphate at its doorstep. fill pipelines to Turkey; previously, the Baghdad- State, however, Kurdistan’s prospects as a stable controlled Kirkuk-Ceyhan Pipeline regularly ran energy supplier have diminished. To evaluate if ThE diSTRacTioN of a caliphaTE under capacity due to militant attacks (a fore- Turkey’s energy strategy has paid off, therefore, shadowing of ISIS advances to come). With the observers must wait and see if Kurdistan will be In June 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Islamic State now controlling much of the territo- able to withstand the chaos. With the instability in (ISIS) quickly replaced the Kurds as Baghdad’s ry through which Baghdad’s pipeline passes, not Iraq increasingly taking on regional dimensions, primary concern. Over the course of a few days, to mention the seizure of Kirkuk by the Kurds, it it is difficult to forecast the Islamic State’s evolu- ISIS forces swept in a southeasterly direction is extremely unlikely that Baghdad will be able to tion and how this will impact Kurdistan. from their strongholds in Syria and western Iraq, provide Turkey with oil any time soon. with Iraqi security forces fleeing from their path. As of the time of this writing, multiple energy First Mosul fell, then Tikrit. Media reports were Iraq is also not a viable natural gas supplier to companies in Kurdistan have announced full or rife with accounts of how quickly Baghdad’s Turkey. In theory, Iraq could provide Turkey with partial halts to their operations for fear of ISIS forces melted before the oncoming threat, with significant amounts of gas via as of yet unbuilt disruption. Kurdish President Massoud Barzani stories of soldiers leaving behind their uniforms pipelines. However, this arrangement seems has called for international support to combat the and ISIS taking control of large weapons caches unlikely given the history of security concerns for Islamic State, casting doubt on the Kurds’ reputa- left behind. Then the ISIS advances slowed and oil pipelines in the territory through which Iraqi tion as the force in Iraq that is best able to with- eventually three zones of control were estab- natural gas pipelines would also need to pass. stand the Islamic State’s advances. Refugees are lished: ISIS in the west, the Kurds in the north, Furthermore, it is unclear how soon Iraq would flowing into Kurdish territory, putting strain on and Iran-backed Baghdad in the south. be able to construct natural gas pipeline export an economy that has been cut off from the feder- infrastructures, given the ongoing conflict al budget since late 2012. Concurrently, the threat With Baghdad fighting for its survival, the Kurds between Baghdad and the Islamic State. of sleeper cells in Kurdistan has risen over fears took advantage of the distraction to press forward that Islamic State infiltrators are hidden amongst with their autonomous oil exports. Perhaps the Kurdistan, unlike the rest of Iraq, is in many ways the refugees. There have also been a limited num- most important development in this respect was an ideal supplier of hydrocarbons for Turkey. A ber of ISIS attacks in Kirkuk and, more worri- the Kurds’ seizure of Kirkuk, a symbolically 2012 International Energy Agency (IEA) report, some, in areas near Erbil. Turkey’s energy strate- important city to the Kurds that houses large oil for instance, stated that Kurdistan could poten- gy may still pay off, but the Islamic State threat- reserves. Until ISIS entered the picture, Kirkuk tially export 20 bcm of gas annually (for compar- ens Kurdistan’s dependability as a partner in had lain at the frontier between the zones of con- ison, Turkey consumed 45 bcm in 2012), energy cooperation. N trol between Erbil and Baghdad, and neither side although experts agree this number is likely unre- had clear authority. The Kurds have since alistic. It is also worth noting that in the refer- Nicholas Borroz is a DC-based independent ana- announced their intentions to link Kirkuk to their enced EIA report, this production would not lyst of energy geopolitics and investment strate- nascent pipeline network, presumably with the occur until 2035. However, in all scenarios exam- gies, specializing in energy-related infrastructure. intent to bring its oil to international markets. ined by the EIA, the bulk of overall Iraqi produc- Additionally, Kurdistan issued a statement that tion of non-associated gas comes from Kurdistan. [1] In this article, Iraqi Kurdistan will be referred to Iraq was attempting to illegally prevent its right simply as Kurdistan. In other contexts, the term to export oil, threatening to counter Baghdad Since the 2012 breakdown in oil export arrange- Kurdistan can be used to reference areas associated with legal action. Tanks in Ceyhan that were ments with Baghdad, Erbil has been bereft of its with Kurds in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. 46 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheaoka Çøpê-Rioistø S tampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti fr.lfJonic 20 NOVBMBRI] 2014 Bataille de la dernière chance àAlep Les brigades de IASL tentent de conserver l'accès à la ville, assiégée par l'armée syrienne provisionnés que par hélicoptère Détermlnés hadistes du Front AI-Nosra réagis- "^"'^-'i,[iåTiÏ,]; ou par des chemins détoumés, ex- sent beaucoup plus rapidement. t posés auxtirs adverses. àtenlr la route Fin octobre, ces combattants af- Mais, en novembre zor3, profi- de Costello, filés à Al-Qaida ont expulsé plu- t tant des divisions suscitées au sein sieurs groupes apparentés AS! I-t, du camp rebelle parla montée en s,ynorynn de notamment Harakat Hazzm, de \-. puissance des groupes df ihadistes, survle, þs rcbdþs leurs positions dans la province remonte vers Ia frontière turque, les forces gouvemementales sont d'Idlib. Pour éviter que les combats en zigzaguant entre les positions reparties à lbffensive. Epaulées seÌr€nt þs rangp ne s'étendent, les chefs de Harakat de I'armée syrienne et celles de parìe Hezbollah,la milice chüte li- Hazzm et Al-Nosra dans le gouver- l'Etat islamique (EI). ta route de banaise, elles ont d'abord repris le norat voisin diAlep ont signé un Castello comme on la sumomme, contrôle des environs de l'aéro- Par la bouche du général Zaher pacte de non-agression, Mais ce du nom du restaurant qui marque port intemational d'Alep, au sud- Al-Saket, le chef du conseil mili- rapprochement tactique, motivé son point de départ, est l'ultime est de la ville, Puis, au moyen de taire local, les révolutionnaires par la progression du régime, est voie de ravitaillement des rebelles barils explosifs largués du ciel, les ont reieté l'idée d'un < gel r des mis à rude épreuve par les bom- barricadés dans la moitié est loyalistes se sont mis àgrignoterle combats, avancée par le nouvel bardements de I'aviation améri- d?\lep. Si les troupes régulières, qui territoire de leurs ennemis, pro- émissaire des Nations unies pour caine, qui, outre I'EI, a visé à trois sont à moins de dix kilomètres, vè- gressant lentement mais sûre- Ia Syrie, l'Italo-Suédois Staffan de reprises Al-Nosra. Le refus des naient à couper cet axe vital, les ment parl'est et le nord. Mistura. Ils redoutent qu'une Etats-Unis de frapper les forces du quartiers aux mains des insurgés trêve à Alep ne permette au pou- régime place les brigades soute- se retrouveraient encerclés. n C'est (. Darorganltatlon D voir syrien, qui affecte dttre < in- nues par Washington dans une Ia demière bouteille dbxygène qu'il La chute de la zone industrielle de téressé r parle plan du diplomate positîon de plus en plus inconfor- nous reste r, résume fomah Al-Ka- Cheikl Naijar, en iuillet, puis celle onusien, d'envoyer des renforts table; non seulement face aux dii- sem, un militant de lbpposition du village de Handarat, en octo- vers Deraa, dans le sud du pays, oir hadistes, mais également vis-à-vis rétugié en Turquie. bre, ont coupé les.deux principa- ses troupes ont encaissé plusieurs de leur propre base. Il y a deux ans, à la fin de I'année les lignes d'approvisionnement défaites ces derniers mois, Avec l'EI, Ie front est pour I'ins- zorz, la situation militaire était in- des anti-Assad, les obligeant à se Déterminés à tenir la route de tant gelé. Les soldats du < califat >, versée, Les combattants anti-As- rabattre sur la route de Castello. Castello, synonyme de survie, les qui s'étaient emparés pendant sad venaient de s'emparer de la L'armée syrienne et ses supplétifs rebelles serrent les rangs. Les bri- I eté de plusieurs villages des en- base 46, à lbuest diAlep, la princi- cherchent désormais à atteindre gades estampillées Armée sy- virons d'Alep, concentrent pour pale place forte du régime dans la Zahra et Nubul, deuxvillages chii- rienne libre (Ast), qui reçoivent l'instant leurs efforts sur Kobané, région. Les quartiers contrôlés par tes assiégés parles rebelles, ce qui des armes des Etats-Unis via la la ville kurde, plus à I'est, où ils l'armée ne pouvaient plus être ap- scellerait la prise en tenaille diNep. Turquie, comme Noureddine font face à une résistance plus ar- Zinki, faych Al-Moudiahedin et due que prévu. 24novembrc 2014 Cl elon les comotes Facebook de deux Kobané. ùBritanniques engagé, en Syrie contre Daesh, une quinzaine d'Américains, I)es citoyens Canadiens, Allemands et Néerlandais se bat- traient avec les forces kurdes, menant "une guerre du bien contre le mal". Deux britanniques Britanniques, anciens soldats, combattent actuellement en Syrie aux côtés des kurdes choÍsisseñt le contre le groupe Etat islamique (EI), selon des médias britanniques qui citent leurs pages Facebook et leurs proches. James Hughes, du camp des Worcestershire affirme sur sa page Facebook avoir été membre des forces armées britan- Kurdes niques de janvier 2009 à janv ier 2O 14. ll serait l,anarkshire (Ecosse) combattrait à ses côtés. actuellement dans la Rojava, la partie kurde Tous deux ont rejoint "les Lions de Rojava" A novembre 2014 de la Syrie, où il se battrait pour défendre la qui collabore avec les YPG, la principale www.letelegrammc.fr ville de Kobané, affirme The Guardian. Jamie milice kurde des Unités de protection du peu- Read, originaire de Nervmains dans le North ple kurde défendant Kobané. 47 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheuokø Çapê-Riuista Stampø-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti samedi 22 - din-ranche 23 novër¡bre 2014 La France durcit sa guerre contre Daech Paris a envoyé des Mirage en Jordanie et dépêché des forces spéciales à Bagdad pour guider les bornbardements. 150 xnr noo'T[ Adana ¡ Forces specioles 3l L'opération I * Aep **t * Chammal: ' Dcir ez-lor, #K¡rlrouk un dispositif goukamal * Beijir SYRIE dedie aux BeyrouthE Forces "l Ei uamas specioles frappes F.riloLrdiah n l6olon ,* en Irak 'Iel-Aviv E . El n Joul' Sakahr Amman l-- 6¿7¿. \. IRAK Base d'Azraq (Jor d¿nic) Bassora ¡ Base d'al-Dhafra +rr (É¡nirats unis) arabes SINAI ,,rilir {4+ tie! .¡t.!t \ 6 ch(lsseurs- boutllurliers Miroge 2.000-D -¿r-Fretlote Jeun Bort iV¡i'¡l¡tlti!t !t Ierrltorre sur lequel l'Êtat islanrique EI exerce 50tì empnse * 5:iilfilïlsB?;'o{3n"'*' Zone de peuplement kurtle * ii,l?:åfls: 'Jl?ffiå9¡11.'utitto'' Kurdistân autonorne ir¿kien Après une phase de containment, une rnitraillettses et canons de 20 mm, éqtri- deuième périocle, la contre-attaque, est pés de munitions spéciales porlr percer ALAIN BARLUET ET GEORGES MALBRUNOT envisagée dans quelques mois. Désor- les blindages à très longue distance. (ii) (-. ]'9 r! I ) I tl l I 1. tJ (ù rrr ;l I lr Í L r i r o i. ¡ i mais,,le pilier . bombardernent > du Manquent toutefois les armes antichals, dispositif français sera en Jordanie, le pi- ce que déplorent les Kurdes. guerre lier < rcnseignement placé, Phrs récemment, une dizaine d'élé MOY'EN-ORIENT La contre l'État '> est lui, aux islarnique, alias Daech, monte en puis- Emirats a¡abes unis (EAU) - d'oir opère ments des forces spéciales françaises ont sance, Une lutte menée conjointernent également nn avion de reconnaissance été dépêchés à Bagdarl. Il s'agit de soldats avec I'allié américain, au sein d'une coa- Atlantique 2. d'élite membres des cominandos pala- lition forte d'une quinzaine de pays, ce chutistes de l'air',.le CPA 10. Poul rme double mission. D'abord, participer qui ne va pas sans difficultés. Côté fi'an- Des commandos français au çais, I'engagement militaire a fi'anchi guidage des cibles visées pal les avions de mercredi une nouvelle étape avec I'an- sont déjà sur le terrain combat français dans la guerre contre les nonce du prochain déploietnent de six et préparent uri éventuel djihadistes de Daech. Pas question de dé- Mirage 2000 D srr la base jordanierure engagement ployer des hommes au sol, répète-t-on à d'Azraq près de la frontière irakienne. au sol Paris en expliquant que ce rôle est dévoln Cela rapprochera opporrunément les ap- aux forces locales. La France n'entend pueils français de leul zone d'interven- Les appareils américains sont entrés toutefois pas être absente du théâtle i¡'a- tion, en Irak. En dépit des contraintes de en actÍon en Irak le 8 aott. Deux jours kien, en particulier de Bagdad, le centre en vol, les netü avions Ra- plus tard, une dizaine ravitaillement de commandos du pouvoir-et I'un des pôles d'oÌr les États près français débarquent fale basés à al-Dhafi'a, d'Abu Dhabi, à Erbil pour former membres de la coalition inteinationale pechmergas efTectuent depuis le 19 septembre des les et récolter du renseigne- anti-Daech coordoru:ent leurs efÏorts. rnissions quotidiennes de renseignement meut. A cette date, les légions de Daech Enstdte, ,, les fiorces spëciales sont égale- et de bombaldement sur des cibles stra- ne sont qu'à 25 kilomètres de la < capi- ment présentes dat1'Á lct capitale irakienne tégiques de Daech.'Effet recherché : per- tale > du Ku-rdistan irakien. Il est urgent pour ëtudier le contexte d'un ëventuel ren- nettre anx forces irakiemes et aux corn- d'agir. Les précu,seurs des forces spé- forcement des troupes françaíses au sol , battants kurdes de profiter cles brèches ciales servent d'instructeurs aux com- selon une souLce rnilitai¡e à Paris, Att cas da¡rs la ligne de des battants kwdes ouvertes front djiha- largement sous-équi- oìr. Stationnés dans I'ex-zone verte ul- dístes ponr regagner le terrain perclu. pés. La France leur a envoyé des ar.mes : 48 Reaue de Presse-Press Ranieu)-Berheuokn Çapê-Riaista Stømpa-Dentro de In Prensø-Bøsin Ozeti traprotégée de Bagdad, la dízaine de ,< On s'achemine probablement vers un nes dans la zone verte qui avait été mises commandos de I'ai¡' est en << liaison " déploiement au sol de quelques rnillÍers en sonr¡neil après le retrait américain avec les autorités irakiennes et les mili- d'autres militaíres américains. Obama d'lrak, fin 2011. L'armée ilakienne a ré taires arnéricains dont l'effectif vient r'est pas chaud, maís autour de lui des ceûmlent repris des positions aux djiha- d'être porté à 3000 hom¡nes pour com- voLr pløidmt forrcment en ce sens,>, distes. Mais Français et Américains res- battle Daech. < Nosforces s¡técíales sont ajoute ce spécialiste. tent convainctts que la reconquête dc' là pour examiner quelle serait la nrission Un autre signe intrigue les Français : à Mossonl - la deuxièrne ville d'Irak, tom- juin de - des soldats fi'ançais au sol et quelles unítés Bagdad, des preparatifs ont été lancés bée en denúer aux rnains Daech devraient être cléplovées siunjour une clé- poul réactiver la protection de la FOts nécessitera dn ternps et un soutien in1- císion en ce sens est ptise >), ajoute cette Prosperity (Forwald Operating Base), portant arD( forces irakierures. I source au Figcro. I'une des detx babes militaires américai- Dans ce contexte, les relations û'a¡rco- jouent un rôle < Ils sont américaines clef. samedi 22 - dimanche 23 novembre 2014 leoders en Irak, nous le sommes au Sahel nlr.ís now formons une équipe >> , entend - on souvent du côté des chefs militailes ftançais. Récemment, le général John La progression des djihadistes Allen, le coordinateur américain de la coalition internationale, était à Palis. Le chef d'état-nrajor des anuées, le général a ete freinée en Syrie Pierre de Villiers, s'est rendu plusieuls fois à Washington et entretient une rela- comme en lrak tion proche avec son homologue, Martin Dempsey. l'est, ou dans la carnpagne autour' GEORGES MALBRUNOT d'Alep, deux de ,ses principaux bastio¡ls << Au niveaupoliriclue, comme auniveau gmalbrunot@llef Igaro.f r avec Raqqa, sa < capita-le ,;. Les djilndis- tactique, entre unités très spécialisées, la tes ont bien attaqué récemrnent deux coor¿Iínation est excellente>>, explque plusieurs frappes puits cte pétrole dans la province de Deir' nne bonne soulce. ,, Auníveaustratëgi- APRÈS centaines de contre ses positions et ez-Zor, mais ils ont dfi rapiclement en que, c'est phts compliqué car ily abeau- de la coalition de parmi ses com- céder le contrôle à I'arrnée régrlière. coup de moncle dans la coalitíon >, ajou- des centaines morts freiné dans son Frontalière de I'Irak, la province de Deir te-t-on. En Syrie, Français et battants, Daech a été qu'en ez-Zor est stratégique poru I'EI, qr.d en a Américains coopèrent autoul du pro- avancée, aussi bien en Irak Syrie. < Les déplacements de leurs convois lo- fait sa base a¡rière. Non seulement en $amme < Train and Equip > (Former et gistirlues sont de plus en plus difficiles, raison des puits de ¡rétrole qu'elle abrite, équiper) mis sul pied par Washington, à depuis Bagdad un observa- permettant à Daech de se financer en destination des rebelles modérés sy conunente joint téléphone. vendant de I'hui]ê en contrebande. Mais riens. .. C'est entraínde se mettre enpla- teru occidental au leur artillerie, elle est également parce que les djihadistes y ce >>, souligne une bonne source. En re- Quunt ò frappée dès qu'elle estt'epérée enmorwement. >> cachent quelques-uns de leuls princi vanche, Parjs est moins enclin à Mossoul et de lar- parx dépôts d'armes dérobées à I'almée participer au programme amér'icain Si Daech conserve ges portioris du < pays sunnite >> d'Irak, ilakienne au cortrs de la conquête de .< Train, Advise and Assist >> (Entraîner, subi, ces der- Mossor¡l en juin, Mais après de norn- conseiller et assister) visant à former' I'organisation terroriste a nières semaines, deux défaites mar- breuses tentatives, les djihadistes n'arri- I'arrnée irakierure. << Nous restons pru- vent toujorus pas à prendre le contrôle dents>>, relate une source militaire, quantes lorsque ses combattants ont dt se retirer de la ville de Jourf al-Sakhr au de la ville même de Deil ez-Zor, qu'i-ls << nous sommes déjà en Afrique et nos sud Bagdad, ainsi que de la principale Ba- moy ens sont lírnítés. r, de doivent p^rtaiger avec le régime de raffinerie de pétrole dtr pays, située à char el-Assad. Baiji au nord de la capitale. < Ce qui, à La bataille de Kobané a chambotrlé les llNous sommes déjà charlue foís, fait la diff érence, c' est l' appuí plans fle Daech dans la région au norcl en Afrique et nos moyens aéríen américain, ajoute le spécialiste d'Nep. < Depuis,l'El a dttrenoncer àv at- sont limités militaire. Une foß les Qjihodßtes frappés, taquet d'outres g;-roupes rebelles ñvartx, ¡¡ les forces spécioles irakiennes s'engagent comme Liwu al-Tawhid, proche des Ftères et derrière elles les milices chiítes, mêlées mrsulntans, afin cl'y régner en maÎtre>,' >> En dépÍt de ces En metta-nt I'accent sru son aide aux aux tribus sunnÍtes. décrypte un journaliste à Beyrouth. échecs, les djihadistes ont lancé vendre- laisse¡'le Front Kurdes, Ia France a irrité Bagdad, Elle ne D'autle part, Daech a dû labrauche syrienne d'al-Qaida, veut pas donc pas donner I'impression di une nonvelle offensive, nlajeure, pour al-Nosra, pouvoir sur Ia région d'ldlib à de négliger le pouvoir central i¡akien au s'emparer de laville irakienne de Rama- exercer son I'ouest d'Alep, où al-Nosra a¡nbitiorure de profit dtt Kurdistan. On sait à Paris di, à 100 km à I'ouest de Bagdad. Sa prise à Daech, ap- qu'une recomposition politique de I'Irak leur permettrait d'asseoir leur autorité créer un mini-émiratr face groupe Jound aJ-Aqsa, dirigé passera nécessairement par Bagdad. Et sur la province stratégique d'al-Anbar, puyé par le par le AbdelAziz ål-Qatali. I'on constate que les Etats-Unis ont en- frontalière de la Syrie. Qatarien ont ptt rap- clenché <. trne nouvelle phase r de leur Si les frappes anti-Daech engagement contre Daech en lrak, La souricière de Kobané procher un temps I'EI d'al-Nosra, une pour officialiser une Outre I'envoide I 500 conseillers sup- En Syrie, les troupes cle l'EI sont fixées récente rnédiation Contrairement à al-Nos- plémentaires, Washington a commencé depuis plus de deux mois à Kobané face trêve a échotú. majofité cle SYrÍens, de déployer des homrnes sur le terrain. aux Kurdes, qui ont progressé ces der- ra, composé en Irakiens Mais aussi des équipements, Les Arnéri- niers jours, là encore, grâce au soutien Daech, avec dans ses rangs des reste mal vu par cains ont clésormais de.s drones armés de I'aviatiori américaine. 49 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti kurdistan Regional government 11 NovEMBER 2014 PM Barzani: We will not hand Kurdistan Region’s oil control to SOMO TUE, 11 NOV 2014 22:13 | KRG.org Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (krg.org) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani talked to the press following yesterday’s Parliament session hosting the Kurdistan Region Oil and Gas Council. Prime Minister Barzani said the Region would not hand oil control to the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation, SOMO. He noted the federal government cannot export oil from Kirkuk without involving the Kurdistan Region. He said, “We wish to settle all outstanding issues with Baghdad. However, if we do not reach agreement, the Kurdistan Regional Government has other solutions.” The Prime Minister also affirmed that trading with the ISIS terrorist organisation is national betrayal. sales by March 2015. He explained that Baghdad deducts national expenses applicable to the whole country, plus He informed the press, “When the Iraqi Government stopped expenses for running the federal government, and then sends Kurdistan Region’s budget we were not exporting oil and their the Region’s share from the remaining balance. decision was unilateral. The Kurdistan Region seeks a mecha- nism where such situations would not reoccur”. He said the Peshmerga are part of national defense and therefore they should be included in national expenses and Prime Minister Barzani reiterated that Baghdad has not pro- not covered from the Region’s budget. The Prime Minister vided funds for the salaries of the Region’s civil servants since also said Peshmerga forces are currently deployed to places January. He said, “With the policies we have adopted, we have where defending Kurdistan Region does not require their so far managed to pay salaries to some extent.” He hoped the deployment, if they were not part of Iraq’s defense system. KRG could soon overcome this situation so the issue of salaries would no longer make headlines. He expressed confi- Regarding his meeting with the Governor of Kirkuk, Prime dence the KRG would reach that level. Minister Barzani said they are in touch regularly. He said the Governor of Kirkuk is to visit Turkey and he wanted to consid- Deputy Prime Minister Talabani informed the press that the er the Region’s views before his departure. United States, Britain, and the United Nations are concerned about the situation and they are exerting pressure on the Iraqi Regarding trading with the ISIS terrorist organisation, the Government to honour the promises they made to the Prime Minster said, “We view trading with ISIS as national Kurdistan Region during the government formation process. betrayal.” He made clear the KRG would “seriously work on The Deputy Prime Minister said, “We are in touch with these this issue and will hold anyone involved accountable.” countries on a regular basis and have conveyed our concerns to the United Nations’ envoy in Iraq.” Regarding the plane that was refused permission to land in Slemani last week, Prime Minister Barzani said the plane did Prime Minister Barzani said the Kurdistan Region’s priority not have the required permission from Baghdad. The plane preference is to reach agreement on issues with Baghdad, but flew to Baghdad and there is no further information. if agreement is not possible it does not mean there are no other solutions. He said, “There are other solutions for sure, On the price of fuel, Prime Minister Barzani said he wished the but the Region’s first preference is mutual agreement with price could be lowered but unfortunately it could not be done Baghdad.” under the current situation. He stated, “We hoped to see clearer initiatives from Iraq’s new Deputy Prime Minister Talabani informed the press that the prime minister and new oil minister towards resolving these Council of Ministers approved a bill to seek funds through issues. We still hope the issues will be settled. The Iraqi oil borrowing and it was sent to Parliament. Following the bill’s minister is expected to visit the Kurdistan Region, we are look- passage into law the KRG will seek international loans. He ing forwards to the meeting, and we will decide on the date to added that he visited the UK and UAE to seek loans from inter- visit Baghdad after meeting with him.” national banks as an additional income source. The Deputy Prime Minister said loan money will be used for investment on Prime Minister Barzani noted the Kurdistan Region could earn strategic projects and not for government salaries. its full 17 percent share of national revenue by the end of ### 2015. He added the Kurdistan Region would meet the 11 per- cent share the Region was receiving from Baghdad through oil 50 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 16, 2014 War with Isis: Islamic militants have army of 200,000, claims senior Kurdish leader Exclusive: CIA has the US in seeing the collapse of the government and army in Baghdad, which the Americans had hugely underestimated fostered at vast expense, also works in favour of the number of jihadis, the Kurds. Mr Hussein does not like to talk about it today, who now rule an area but the Kurdistan Regional Government got a the size of Britain nasty surprise in August when it asked the Turkish government for help in stopping Isis only to be told Ankara planned no immediate assistance. It was only then that the Kurds tur- ned to Iran and the US, both of which immedia- Patrick Cockburn tely acted to prevent a complete victory by the Erbil, 16 November 2014 Islamic militants. Iran sent some officers, mili- www.independent.co.uk tary units and artillery while the US started air strikes on 8 August. he Islamic State (Isis) has recruited an r Hussein speculates that the CIA and US Tarmy hundreds of thousands strong, far lar- Holding on: Kurdish chief of staff fuad Mintelligence agencies may only have been ger than previous estimates by the CIA, accor- Hussein with John Kerry in June speaking about "core" fighters in claiming that ding to a senior Kurdish leader. He said the abi- Holding on: Kurdish chief of staff fuad the jihadis had at most 31,500 men under arms. lity of Isis to attack on many widely separated Hussein with John Kerry in June But the fighting over the past five months has fronts in Iraq and Syria at the same time shows afP/getty shown that Isis has become a formidable mili- that the number of militant fighters is at least tary force. "We are talking about a state that has 200,000, seven or eight times bigger than a military and ideological basis," said Mr foreign in intelligence estimates of up to 31,500 board the obstacles to fulfilling President Hussein, "so that means they want everyone to men. Obama's pledge to degrade and destroy Isis. learn how to use a rifle, but they also want eve- General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the rybody to have training in their ideology, in Fuad Hussein, the chief of staff of the Kurdish Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Baghdad on other words brainwashing." President Massoud Barzani said in an exclusive Friday in a surprise visit. He said he wanted "to interview with The Independent on Sunday that A sign of the military professionalism of Isis is get a sense from our side about how our contri- "I am talking about hundreds of thousands of the speed with which they learned to use captu- bution is going". Earlier in the week, he told fighters because they are able to mobilise Arab red US tanks, artillery and other heavy equip- Congress that to defeat Isis an efficient army of young men in the territory they have taken." ment captured after the fall of Mosul on 10 80,000 men would be necessary. Few in Iraq June. The same thing happened in Syria where He estimates that Isis rules a third of Iraq and a believe that the regular army is up to the task, Isis captured Russian-made arms which it third of Syria with a population of between 10 despite winning a success last week by retaking rapidly started using. The most likely explana- and 12 million living in an area of 250,000 the refinery town of Baiji and lifting the siege of tion for this is that IS's ranks contain many for- square kilometres, the same size as Great the refinery, the largest in Iraq. mer Iraqi and Syrian soldiers whose skills Isis Britain. This gives the jihadis a large pool of In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Hussein spel- has identified. Mr Hussein says that the pesh- potential recruits. led out the new balance of power in Iraq in the merga has been impressed during the fighting Proof that Isis has created a large field army at wake of the Islamic militants' summer offensive by Isis's training and discipline. great speed is that it has been launching attacks and the military re-engagement of the US. The "They will fight until death, and are dangerous against the Kurds in northern Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government now faces Isis because they are so well-trained," said Mr army close to Baghdad at the same time as it is units along a 650-mile front line cutting across Hussein. "For instance, they have the best sni- fighting in Syria. "They are fighting in Kobani," northern Iraq between Iran and Syria. Mr pers, but to be a good sniper you need not only said Mr Hussein. "In Kurdistan last month they Hussein said that the US air intervention had training on how to shoot, but discipline in were attacking in seven different places as well enabled the Kurds to hold out when the unex- staying put for up to five hours so you can hit as in Ramadi [capital of Anbar province west of pected Isis assault in August defeated the pesh- your target." Baghdad] and Jalawla [an Arab-Kurdish town merga and came close to capturing the Kurdish close to Iranian border]. It is impossible to talk capital Irbil: "They were fighting with a strategy There is supporting evidence for Mr Hussein's of 20,000 men or so." of fear that affected the morale of everybody, high estimate for Isis numbers. A study by the National Security Adviser's office in Baghdad The high figure for Isis's combat strength is including the peshmerga." before the Isis offensive showed that, when 100 important because it underlines how difficult it s well as terrifying its opponents by publici- jihadis entered a district, they would soon will be eliminate Isis even with US air strikes. In Asing its own atrocities, Isis had developed recruit between five and 10 times their original September, the CIA produced an estimate of an effective cocktail of tactics that includes sui- number. There are reports of many young men Isis numbers which calculated that the move- cide bombers, mines, snipers and use of US volunteering to fight for Isis when they were in ment had between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters. equipment captured from the Iraqi army such the full flood of success in the summer. This The underestimate of the size of the force that as Humvees, artillery and tanks. To combat enthusiasm may have ebbed since the US star- Isis can deploy may explain why the US and them, Mr Hussein says the Kurds need Apache ted air strikes and the Isis run of victories ended other foreign governments have been repea- with their failure to capture Kobani in northern tedly caught by surprise over the past five helicopters and heavy weapons such as tanks Syria despite a long siege. months as IS inflicted successive defeats on the and artillery. Iraqi army, Syrian army, Syrian rebels and The Kurdish leaders are now much more In an impoverished region with few jobs, Isis Kurdish peshmerga. relaxed about Isis because they have a US gua- pay of $400 (£250) a month is also attractive. Moreover, Mr Hussein says that in the ➼ The US and its allies are beginning to take on rantee of their security. The grim experience of 51 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➼ places they have conquered Isis is remodel- community. Hitherto, the US has been hoping dominated by the Shia. ling society in its own image, aiming to educate to repeat its success between 2006 and 2008 in At the moment, the Kurds see little sign of its people into accepting Isis ideology. turning many Sunni against al-Qaeda in Iraq. presence. They have been asking for regular The Kurds have recovered their military self- Mr Hussein ticks off the reasons why repeating troops to defend the Mosul Dam on the confidence in the knowledge that they are this will be very difficult: the Americans then Euphrates so they can use up to 3,000 pesh- backed by the US and Iran. The peshmerga had 150,000 soldiers in Iraq to back up anti-al- merga stationed there, but no Iraqi troops have have taken back some towns lost in August, Qaeda tribal leaders. Isis will savagely punish turned up. "Those who are now defending notably Zumar close to the Syrian border, but anybody who opposes it. "We have seen what Baghdad are the army of the [Shia] parties. To not Tal Afar and Sinjar where 8,500 Yazidis are happened in Anbar to the Albu Nimr tribe [that re-establish a professional army needs time." rose up against Isis]. They stood bravely still besieged on their mountain top. But there Mr Hussein did not say so, but it may be too are limits to how far the Kurds are willing to against the terrorist but 500 were killed. It was a disaster." late to establish a competent cross-confessio- advance even if they succeed in doing so. Mr nal regular army in Iraq. The counter-offensive Hussein says that the Kurds can help an Iraqi verall, Mr Hussein says he does not see by Baghdad is led by the three main Shia mili- army, supposing a non-sectarian one is crea- Oany convincing sign of resistance from the tias which have almost the same ideological ted, but "the Kurds cannot liberate the Sunni Sunni Arabs. Many of them may be unhappy, fervour and sectarian hatred as Isis. Any Arab areas". particularly in Mosul, but this is not translating advance on the battlefield leads to the popula- This is the great problem facing a counter into effective opposition. Nor is it clear what tion deemed loyal to the losing side taking offensive against Isis by Baghdad or the Kurds: outside force could organise resistance. The flight so the whole of northern Iraq has become it will be seen by the five or six million Sunni Iraqi army might be acceptable in Sunni areas a land of refugees. N Arabs in Iraq as directed against their whole but only if it is reconstituted so that is not NovEMBER 18, 2014 can the iraqi-Kurdish oil deal last? Kurdistan and iraq's central government have inked a major but temporary deal over oil exports. By nick cunningham, oilprice.com Sunni militant group, the Kurds moved to November 18, 2014 take control of Kirkuk and its surrounding oil fields. inability to strike out on its own, the KRG urdistan and the iraqi central govern- Armed with new territory and the oil produc- slowed its bid for independence. The Kurds Kment have reached an important tion base to underwrite a new country, the willingness to deal with Baghdad was also agreement over oil. KRG inched closer to independence. reinforced by the threat to Kurdish lands Kurdistan successfully delivered an oil from ISIS, as well as the recent drop in oil Although the deal is only an interim agree- tanker to Israel, a move denounced by prices, which has threatened to spark an ment, leaving larger issues unresolved, the Baghdad. And despite threats of legal economic crisis throughout Iraq. two sides forged a short-term compromise. action against any buyer of Kurdish oil, The interim deal has benefits for both sides. The accord calls for the payment of $500 Kurdistan tried an even bolder move – The KRG could use the cash infusion, million from Baghdad to the Kurdish sending an oil tanker to the United States. allowing it to pay government salaries, and Regional Government (KRG). In return, the The U.S. government had been pressuring the Iraqi government achieves a success by Kurds will turnover around half of their daily the Kurds to work with Baghdad to keep the bringing the country’s oil production back oil production – 150,000 barrels of oil per Iraqi state together, but the KRG believed it under one umbrella, at least partially. day. was on the verge of building a de facto independent state if it could convince buy- The two sides will follow up almost immedi- The two sides have been at an impasse ers to take its oil. ately to work on outstanding issues, with a since the beginning of the year. The KRG Kurdish delegation led by its Prime Minster began exporting oil through Turkey without However, the KRG ran into a roadblock traveling to Baghdad for further negotia- the approval from the central government in when a Texas judge blocked the docking of tions. They will still need to work out months Baghdad. Under Iraqi law, oil must be a Kurdish oil tanker at a port on the U.S. of payments that the Iraqi government did exported under the auspices of a state- Gulf Coast. The ship has been sitting off the not send to Erbil, as well as how Kurdistan owned company. In retaliation for trying to Texas coast since July, unable to make its will sell its oil. sell oil on its own, Baghdad cut off the peri- delivery. odic revenue sharing payments to the KRG, But the deal could contribute to political which under Iraq’s constitution, amounts to The episode, and the failure of the KRG to progress and help rebuild the state of Iraq, 17% of the national budget. legally sell more of its oil on the open mar- at least that is what the U.S. government is But the decision to cut off funds to KRG ket stalled plans for independence. It high- hoping. “This is the first of many steps that only emboldened the Kurdish government in lighted the possibility that the KRG had will be required to reach a comprehensive Erbil to get its oil exports up and running. overreached. agreement,” U.S. State Department spokes- Then came the lightning advance of ISIS in The interim deal between the KRG and woman Jen Psaki said. “The United States June 2014, which exposed the profound Baghdad on November 13 had its roots in will continue to serve as a neutral broker cracks in the Iraqi state. After the Iraqi mili- that failure. The deal was nearly unimagin- and facilitator to the extents desired by the tary ceded large swathes of territory to the able only a few months ago, but with the leadership of both Iraq and the KRG.” J 52 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 20 novembre 2014 laquelle un kamikaze avait fait détoner ses explosifs à l'entrée du QG des forces de sécu- Un attentat-suicide rité, tuant sept personnes et blessant plus de 60. Quelques minutes avant l'explosion hier, une délégation française, conduite par le sénateur Bruno Retailleau et venue livrer 10 à Erbil fait 4 morts tonnes d'aide en faveur des personnes déplacées d'Irak, se trouvait au QG visé à Erbil. « Nous n'étions pas visés, a affirmé M. L’attentat a Retailleau, président au Sénat du groupe UMP, le principal parti de la droite française. eu lieu con- Environ 10 minutes auparavant, nous étions tre le princi- reçus par le gouverneur. » « Quand on est en pal point de visite à Erbil, on n'a absolument pas con- contrôle science du danger. Rétroactivement, ça établi sur la donne des frissons », a-t-il ajouté. route a région du Kurdistan, qui regroupe trois menant au Lprovinces, est habituellement épargnée siège du par les violences meurtrières qui frappent gouverne- quasi quotidiennement une bonne partie du ment. Azad reste de l'Irak. Les forces de sécurité kurdes Lashkari/ affrontent cependant seules, ou aux côtés Reuters des troupes fédérales, l'EI, qui s'est emparé depuis juin de grandes zones au nord de Bagdad, certaines très proches du Kurdistan. Des centaines de milliers de personnes ayant 20 novembre 2014 Hamed. Quatre personnes ont péri dans l'at- pris la fuite ont ainsi trouvé refuge au www.lorientlejour.com taque, dont deux policiers, et 29 ont été Kurdistan. blessées, a indiqué le directeur général du La France a aussitôt condamné l'attentat. « Nous sommes aux côtés de la population et n kamikaze a fait exploser une voiture département de la Santé à Erbil, Saman Barzanchi. Le gouverneur de la province des autorités d'Irak dans leur lutte contre le Upiégée hier à Erbil, la capitale de la terrorisme », a assuré le ministère français région autonome du Kurdistan irakien d'Erbil, Nozad Hadi, a confirmé ce bilan et accusé les jihadistes du groupe État des Affaires étrangères dans un commu- généralement épargnée par les violences, niqué. Le vice-président irakien Ossama al- selon des responsables. islamique (EI) d'avoir mené cette attaque. Sur le lieu de l'attentat, des débris de verre Noujaifi, un sunnite, a appelé hier « les Le kamikaze a lancé peu avant midi citoyens, et en particulier les déplacés à (09h00 GMT) son véhicule contre le princi- jonchaient le sol taché de sang, au côté de voitures endommagées. Erbil, à coopérer avec les services de sécu- pal point de contrôle établi sur la route rité et les aider à faire face aux groupes ter- menant au siège du gouvernement dans Cette attaque, qui n'a pas encore été roristes ».(Source : AFP) I cette ville du nord de l'Irak, a indiqué le revendiquée, est la plus meurtrière à Erbil porte-parole du conseil provincial Hamza depuis celle du 29 septembre 2013, durant Les Kurdes irakiens démunis face à l'EI, dit massoud Barzani PArIs / 19 nov. 2014 / (reuters) port de troupes), les hélicoptères et l'artillerie dont nous avons besoin pour une guerre décisive contre LE PrésIdEnt de la région autonome du eux (l'EI), nous n'avons pas reçu ces types Kurdistan irakien, massoud Barzani, a d'armes", a déclaré le président du Kurdistan. accusé mercredi les pays occidentaux ne pas La France dit avoir fourni des mitrailleuses et des fournir suffisamment d'armes lourdes pour munitions et a promis de fournir des armes aider ses peshmergas pour lutter contre "sophistiquées" aux Kurdes irakiens. Environ 200 l'Etat islamique (EI). membres des forces spéciales françaises sont sur La France, l'Allemagne et le Royaume-Uni ont com- le terrain pour une mission de formation. mencé à livrer des armes aux Kurdes, qu'ils considè- L'Allemagne a dit envoyer des armes pour équiper rent comme un rempart décisif contre l'EI. Mais l'ar- 4.000 combattants kurdes, dont des mitrailleuses, mement des peshmergas, qui date de l'époque sovié- des grenades, des systèmes antichars et des véhi- tique, s'est révélé inefficace contre des djihadistes cules blindés. équipés de matériels pris à l'armée irakienne lors de l'offensive éclair de Le Royaume-Uni a notamment promis des armes antichars, des lunettes l'EI en juin dans le Nord irakien. de vision de nuit, des radars. "Nous aimerions remercier les membres de la coalition (contre l'EI) pour Ces promesses, a dit Massoud Barzani, ne sont pas suffisantes. le soutien qu'ils ont fourni, mais (...) tout ce soutien que nous avons reçu "Y aurait-il un plafond sur les systèmes d'armes lourdes que nous pour l'instant n'est pas au niveau nécessaire" a déclaré Massoud Barzani devrions recevoir en termes de quantité et de qualité ? La réponse n'est lors d'un entretien à la chaîne de télévision France 24 diffusé mercredi. pas très claire pour nous", a-t-il dit. H "Les systèmes d'armes lourdes dont nous avons besoin, spécialement en termes de qualité et de quantité, par exemple les VTT (véhicules de trans- 53 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 19 novembre 2014 L'ONU demande au monde de lutter contre l'État islamique 19 novembre 2014 estime que le groupe État isla- permis de recruter 15 000 com- Associated Press mique retire jusqu'à 1,6 million battants étrangers dans 80 pays. www.ledevoir.com $US par jour du commerce du L'ambassadeur européen Gary pétrole et qu'il a récolté, depuis Quinlan a prévenu que plusieurs «Nous avons vu les limites e Conseil de sécurité des un an, entre 35 et 45 millions ont des passeports européens. d'une approche strictement LNations unies a demandé $US en rançons. Les membres du Conseil ont militaire à ces problèmes», a mercredi aux pays du monde de Le rapport recommande ajouté qu'il faut faire plus pour dit le secrétaire-général des priver le groupe armé État isla- l'adoption de nouvelles sanc- combattre le message des djiha- Nations unies, Ban Ki-moon. mique et d'autres organisations tions, tout en prévenant que cela distes et changer les conditions extrémistes de leurs sources de ne sera pas suffisant pour com- — économiques ou autres — qui financement et d'hommes en lut- battre la menace mondiale du rendent ce discours attrayant. du doigt plusieurs failles «impor- tant contre le commerce illicite du terrorisme. «Nous avons vu les limites tantes» dans les contrôles fron- pétrole, en refusant de verser des Les membres du Conseil de d'une approche strictement mili- taliers ou autres, et qui pour- rançons et en resserrant les véri- sécurité se sont inquiétés que taire à ces problèmes», a dit le raient être refermées pour fications de sécurité. les nouveaux djihadistes soient secrétaire-général des Nations empêcher les ressortissants Le conseil a pris position plus jeunes, plus cosmopolites unies, Ban Ki-moon. d'aller combattre à l'étranger. J après la publication d'un nou- et plus confortables avec les L'ambassadeure lituanienne veau rapport de l'ONU qui médias sociaux, ce qui leur a Raimonda Murmokaite a pointé 19 novembre 2014 Kurdistan irakien : "Nos besoins en armes lourdes ne sont pas satisfaits" 19 novembre 2014 www.france24.com © France 24 | M a s s o u d ans un entretien à France 24, le Barzani, prési- Dprésident de la région autonome du dent du gou- Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani, v e r n e m e n t remercie la coalition qui épaule les régional du Kurdes dans leur lutte contre l'EI. Mais il K u r d i s t a n assure que l'aide fournie n'est à ce jour irakien. pas suffisante. Rôle de la coalition, situation à Kobané, indépendance du Kurdistan… Dans une interview exclusive accordée à France 24, le président du gouvernement régional du Kurdistan irakien, Massoud -Sur l’organisation de l’État islamique le ferons pour Kobané." Barzani, offre son point de vue sur la "Il s’agit d’une guerre idéologique. Nous -Sur l’indépendance du Kurdistan guerre contre le groupe État islamique avons affaire à des terroristes barbares "Le processus se poursuit. Le calendrier (EI). Extraits. qui ne partagent rien, qui s’en prennent va peut-être évoluer mais nous ne fer- -Sur la livraison d’armes à tout. Oui, cette organisation terror- ons pas marche arrière car il s’agit là de iste est la plus brutale et la plus barbare "Nous voulons remercier la France ainsi notre droit. Le peuple kurde va bientôt des organisations que nous avons été que les autres pays membres de la coali- pouvoir décider de son avenir. Personne amenés à combattre, même lorsque tion pour leur soutien. Mais j’aimerais d’autre que le peuple kurde n’a le droit nous combattions le régime irakien." également dire que l’aide apportée de décider de son avenir." n’est pas à la hauteur de nos besoins. -Sur l’envoi de peshmerga supplémen- N N N Nos besoins en armes lourdes ne sont taires à Kobané pas satisfaits pour mener cette guerre. "S’il y a une demande et qu’une oppor- Il nous faut, par exemple, des blindés, tunité se présente, peu importe com- des hélicoptères, de l’artillerie." ment nous nous y prendrons, mais nous 54 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 20, 2014 Pushed by ISIS, Iraq and Kurds Come Closer to a Deal After months of acrimony, Baghdad and Erbil are taking steps to sort out the oil-fueled dispute that threatened to tear Iraq to pieces. oil are moving — and that’s a significant coalition government, said Marina Ottaway, By Keith Johnson achievement," said Matthew Reed, vice pre- a Middle East expert at the Wilson November 20, 2014 sident at energy consultancy Foreign International Center for Scholars. "The big http://foreignpolicy.com Reports. problems have not been tackled. However, it aghdad and Erbil have been at each looks to me that neither side wants to pro- other’s throats for years. The Kurds voke a crisis now, so they will go on for a he Islamic State and the threat it poses to B believe Baghdad has shortchanged them on while with temporary half-solutions," she Iraq’s survival have unleashed a torrent T their share of Iraq’s oil revenues and have said. of nightmares and horror, but there may be sought to increase their own oil production If both sides appear more willing to talk one apparent bright spot: The terrorist and start exporting their own crude. In res- now, it’s not solely because of the departure group’s steady advances appear to be pus- ponse, Baghdad cut off cash transfers to the of the fiercely pro-Shiite Maliki. Both the hing Baghdad and Iraq’s restive Kurdish Kurdish region at the beginning of the year, central government and the regional govern- minority closer to a resolution of the oil dis- leaving the semi-state’s civil servants and sol- ment have financial pressures that are pus- putes that have bitterly divided them for diers scrambling for pay. Under the Iraqi hing them closer together by necessity. years. Constitution, the Kurdish region is meant to raq’s crude oil exports, the main source of Late last week, Baghdad and Erbil rea- receive 17 percent of Iraq’s revenues from oil government income, have suffered both ched a breakthrough of sorts, announcing a I exports; in reality that figure had been closer because of lower oil prices and because of the preliminary deal under which Iraqi to 12 percent in recent years. inability to export hundreds of thousands of Kurdistan will give the Iraqi government Tensions spiked after the Islamic State’s barrels a day from the country’s northern oil about 150,000 barrels of oil a day in offensive began this summer. Iraqi military fields. Iraq slashed spending by more than exchange for $500 million in immediate forces melted, while Kurdish troops held the $30 billion this year, and it still faces a short- cash payments. Kurdish officials said the line and, with the help of U.S. airstrikes, fall of more than $20 billion. It is currently deal, which became effective Wednesday, repelled the Islamic State’s push into their trying to prepare a budget for next year. Nov. 19, paves the way for further talks in territory. The collapse of the Iraqi military "Ramping up joint exports through the Baghdad as soon as next week to address the allowed Kurdish Peshmerga forces to grab north — including Kirkuk and Kurdish oil — real nub of the question that has long poiso- the long-disputed city of Kirkuk, with its big would help dig Iraq out of its financial hole ned relations between the two sides: How oil fields. That prompted more open talk by faster," Reed said. should the revenues from Iraq’s oil income Kurdish officials of independence. The Kurds, meanwhile, are trying to be shared among the different regions? This isn’t the first time the two sides wage a war even as their own budget has "We opened the door so that we can start have seemed close to an oil deal. withered in the absence of their constitutio- negotiations," Fuad Hussein, the chief of Compromise seemed possible in April, but nally mandated funding and while their staff to the president of the Kurdistan then Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s hard- expenses have soared. Although the Kurds Regional Government, said on Thursday line sectarian policies made any long-term began exporting their own crude in January, during a visit to Washington, D.C. agreement difficult. His successor, Haider they have faced a host of legal uncertainties To be sure, it’s a short-term fix for a al-Abadi, has proved more conciliatory; in and have not been able to make up the finan- long-term problem because billions of dol- particular, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, the new oil cial shortfall so far. lars in oil revenue are at stake, as well as the minister, has shown himself to be more wil- "The oil volumes just aren’t there. They trappings of Kurdish independence. One big ling to work with officials in the semiautono- can’t export enough oil soon enough to cover complicating factor: the fate of Kirkuk and mous region. With the old administration, their expenses, especially when fighting a its oil. The city’s ownership has been dispu- for instance, Kurdish efforts to sell oil were war. And so they’re better off reaching a deal ted between Arabs and Kurds for centuries met with threats and lawsuits; today, they with Baghdad if they get steady, sizable pay- and the Peshmerga seized it this summer. are met with negotiations. ments, as promised," Reed said. till, the preliminary deal wouldn’t have Still, the biggest and toughest issues The resilience of the Islamic State, while happened at all without the threat from S still remain to be resolved. at first seeming to bolster the Kurds’ hopes the Islamic State. The whole country is threa- till, the biggest and toughest issues still for independence, now seems to be pushing tened by the terrorist group, and Kurdish and remain to be resolved. Hussein, of the such dreams to the side. Kurdish leaders Iraqi forces — which worked together to take S Kurdistan Regional Government, said that started tamping down independence talk back the strategically important Mosul Dam includes the fate of the estimated $10 billion this autumn. And the Kurdistan Regional — are preparing to mount a joint offensive that Baghdad owes the Kurdish region, as Government’s Hussein stressed that, given against the Islamic State early next year. The well as the Kurds’ ability to legally export the long-term nature of the fight against the Kurdish region, for its part, is terribly cash- their own crude production in the future. terrorist group, also called ISIS, Kurdish strapped, in large part because it has to care Iraqi Kurdistan in recent years has enticed independence may take a back seat for now. for more than 1 million refugees created by plenty of Western firms, such as Exxon Mobil "Our priority is defeating ISIS. Until we the Islamic State’s rampage. And Iraq’s and a host of smaller operators, to drill for oil defeat ISIS, we cannot talk about something finances are reeling, in part because it lost by dangling more advantageous terms than else," he said. J the ability to export crude oil from the big Baghdad does. But the Iraqi government fields around Kirkuk in the wake of the considers those deals by the regional govern- Islamic State’s summer offensive. Keith Johnson is a senior reporter covering ment to be illegal. "This is a place-holder deal, but a mea- energy for Foreign Policy. "I think Iraq and Erbil pulled back from ningful one. What matters is that money and the brink" after Kurdish threats to leave the 55 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaieut-Berheaoka Çøpê-Riaista Stømpø-Dentro de lø Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti Intcrn¡tion.rl ñrr !lork Giurcø THURSDA¡ NovEMB ER 20, 2ot4 In fight for Syrian city, a test for all sides suRuc, TURKEY BYTIMARANGO Even as United States and allied war- planes began to bomb Islamic State fighters besieging the Syrian city of Kobani, officials in Washington cau- tioned that the militants were likely to win control of the town but that was unimportant, because Kobani- was of little strategic value. Nearly two months later, Kobani re- mains hotly contested. The city is virtu- ally deserted of all but fighters, with Kurds holding one side of town under American air cover, and militants the other. The United States and its allies have poured more bombs into Kobani uombs by the United than ánywhe¡e etse ¡lr tfle tigñl ;ã ñ.4 states'led coalition strlking Kobani this week. The battle for the border clty, initlally the group, also known as ISIS or ISIL. ireen ae having little strateglc importance, has become the crux of the Western alliance,s efforts against And the militants have lost more fight- the Islamic State. ers there than on any other battlefield. For both, the fate of Kobani has be- come the defining battle of the broader that has set in sharp relief the long- 'Gen. Lloyd J. A.rsiin, head of the contest - to solidify, or roll back, the standing divisions with Tl.rrkey, which United States Central Command, said borders and ambitions of the so-called has withstóod international pressure to last month that the Islamic State had Islamic State. For Washington, Kobani intervene directly. So compelling is the made a decision that Kobani would be is a crucíal public test of President battle that it has united three Kurdish its main effort. Referdng to the group, Obama's strategy of combining Ameri- factions - the local Syrian Kurdish miti- he said, "As long as he pours, you know, can air power with local ground torces. tia; militants of the Kurdistan Worker's legions of forces there into that area, For the Islamic State, it is a test of its im- Party, or P.K.K., from Türkey; and pesh we'll stay focused on taking him out." age of inevitability and invincibility, and merga fighters from lraq. In a recent video, the Islamic State a tool for recruiting new jihadists. Muhydin Salih, a Syrian Kurd from called Kobani "a haven for every enemy ',ât this point," said Eliot A. Cohen, a Kobani, spends his days on a hilltop in of the caliphate." In the propaganda war rnilitary historian at the Paul H. Nitze T[rkey watching the battle for his that Kobani has become, the group School of Advanced Studies in Washing- hometown, separated from here by cot- tested a new form: It used a British hos- ton and a former Bush Administration ton fields and a border fence. He can tage, John Cantlie, in the role of news official, "the strategic significance is be- even see his house. Atop a nearby hill on correspondent, broadcasting a report cause of the psychological and the pub- a recent morning, another Syrian man from the top of a building in Kobani licity importance." pointed west, where Tl¡rkish tanks were claiming - falsely - that its militants Kobani, a quiet Kurdish communitY positio¡Ied on a ridgeline, idle. He then controlled 90 percent ofthe city and was wlrose population had swelled from pointed south toward Kobani, under on the verge of victory. 60,000 to nearly 400,000 with refugees siege now for nearly two months by the The battlefield is complicated by Tur- from Syria's civil war, has becotire a fo- extremists, where smoke was rising, key's role, which sees some of the Kurd- cus of the many contpeting interests en- "Look at the Ti'trks. They are standing ish factions as terrorists determined ul- meshed in the regional turmoil. Saudi by," he said. 'And the Americans are timately to destabilize Turkey to create Arabia, lran, Jordan and'furkey - all bombing." a Kurdish state. Turkey, some analysts heavily involved in the fight against the The battle began in September as said, has been content to sit back and fighters with the Islamic State romped see two of its enemies Kurdish sepa- Islamic State each have some stake in - - through dozens of villages and ap- ratists and Islamist militants killing the outcome. The focus on Kobani has - peared, in short order, on the verge of one another. angered key Syrian rebel groups that taking Kobani. Türkey has insisted that a group of Mr. Obama is trying to recruit to fight But as the United States and its allies ¡ron-Islamist rebels, with the Free Syri the militants. They have criticized tùe began bombing, and militants kept rush- an Army, also join the fight for Kobani. lack of action against the Syrian govern- ing reinforcements to the front, it sud- These rebel fighters have gone reluc- ment of President Bashar al-Assad, denly became the main battlefield of the But of all those with a stake in the out- tantly, because they see their primary broader conflict. Tirrkey ultimately al- come, there is arguably none as inves- enemy as the Assad government. lowed Iraqi Kurdish fighters to transit its tecl as the Kurds, who see the hope of a Abu Mohammad al-Raqqawi, an ac- territory and the Americans dropped homeland among the rolling farms and tivist from Raqqa, the Islamic State's de weapons and ammunition to pistachio orchards that are still techni- the Kurds, facto capital ir¡ Syria, who is affiliated stalling the Islamic State's advance, cally part of Syria. Kobani is for Kurds a . with the Free Syrian Army unit in Today, the fight has become a war of at- new of Kobani, said the fighters were there fulcrum for a sense nationalism grueling trition, a house-by-house battle. ohly because the Tt¡rks saw them as a 56 Reaue de Presse-Press Reuieu-Berheookn Çøpê-Ríaista S tømpø-Dentro de la Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti proxy to prevent the Kurds from eStab- lishing independefice witlin Syria. Otherwise, he said, they would not be there. "No one is winnipgi' he said. "It is stationary. Why is Kobani, in the eyes of the Americans, more important than Raqqa?" ' He added, with a degree of conSterna- tion, "Kobani is like the battlefield for all the countries' conflicting policies." In Suruc and its surrounding villages in southern Ttrrkey, in normal times a place of rural tranquillity and pastoral charms, life moves to the rhythm of the war next door. In the city center, United Nations trucks and T[rkish armored ve- hicles clog the streets, and Syrian men congregate in the town square. The story here is a chapter of the broader drama playing out across tlte Middle East, as the Islamic State seeks to redraw the map crafted by the West nearly a century ago. This region was once under the Ottoman Empire until a Kurdlsh fighters in Kobanl. The grindlng flght for the clty has brought comparlsons to such new border between Syria and TUrkey crucial battles as Stallngrad and two Vletnamese sites Dlen Blen Phu and Khe Sanh. was drawn after World War I, dividing - families and challenging identities. Dur- ing religious holidays, families would meet at the fence, exchanging gifts. Kobaní itself was built up around a United Nations invoked the memory of which they poured an enormous railroad sfation in the early 20th century, Srebenica, the Bosnian town where amount of resources into a tight with as the Germans,under Ottoman supervi- thousands were murdered by Serbian little strategic value and that history sion, conqtructed a railway line connect- militiamen in 1995 while a United Na- has now largely forgotten. Then, the ing Berlin to Baghdad. The name Kobani tions peacekeeping force stood by, to Americans saw in Khe Sanh echoes of was a butchered version of the German warn of an impending civilian massacre the battle of Dien Bien Phu, which unfol- word for company - "kompanie." The in Kobani. Analysts equated T\¡rkéy's ded more than a decade earlier and French later ruled Syria, and in Kobani refusal to help the Kurds with the Rus- pushed the French out ofvietnam. residents still say "pardon" lyith a sianArmy's standing bywhilethe Nazis "Whenever you go to war, you are French accent and use French numbers. put down the Warsaw uprising in 1944. haunted by ghosts," Mr, Cohen said, Salih Issa, a Kurd from Syria, stood on The Kurds have called the battle their "And you are'haunted by previous con. a mosque rooftop at a border village in- Stalingrad, and the fight, stillunderway, flÍcts," side T[rkey on a recent morning, watch- has already taken its place alongsíde For the United States, the battle for ing the fighting. Decadês ago, his great- Halabja, the Iraqi Kurdish city where Kobani has also underscored another grandfather was buried in the grave- reality of the modern Middle East: yard next to the mosque. "Before the "Wheneveryou go to war, Kurds are reliably, and demonstrably, pro-American. fence, we were all the same,l'he said. you are haunted by ghosts. "The border divided the families." Around midday recently, in a tiny vil- A 1999 Tt¡rkish film, a comedy called And you are haunted by lage on the Tirrkish síde wit} a clearline "Propaganda," told the story of a cus- previous conflicts." of sight to the fighting across the border, toms officer charged with constructing a a baby was napping. His father, a border through his hometown, dividing it Kobani exile named Ahmet Miso, sat between Syria and Türkey, and destroy- Saddam Hussein killed thousands of ci- outside on a plastic chair. ing friendships, marriages and families. vilians in the 1980s with mustard gas, as "In the Middle East, our brothers the , "Borders have caused people trouble a symbol of Kurdish oppression. Arabs are not helping, and the Ameri- ever since nation states wer€ conceptu- "Kobani has emerged as an icon for cans decided to help the Kurds of alized," said Sinan Cetin, the filmmaker. Kurdish resistance and affirmation that Kobani because they care," he said. "Borders are established by complete we are here and we are here to stay," Just then, several large explosions propaganda and I don't believe in them, said Barham Salih, the former prime were heard, and Mr. Miso rushed up to which is why we extensively mocked minister of lraq's autonomous Kurdish the roof to watch the latest American the concept in the film." region. "It has become a unifying sym- airstrikes. He added, "What we see in the events bol for Kurds across the Middle East. In Doïvnstairs, the baby was waking up. that are unfolding in that region today is some ways it has also changed the nar- His name: Barack ObamaAhmet. that reality can be even more comic and rative about the Kurdish people from tragic than we ever imagined." tragedy to that ofresistance." Eric Schmitt contributed reporting trom From the start, history has stalked The Americans, said Mr. Cohen, the Washington, Karam Shoumali from Kobani. Early on, evên though most ci military historian, can look to the Viet- Suruc, Tltrhey, ønd CeylanYeginsu from vilians had alreadybeen evacuated, the nam War and the battle of Khe Sanh, in Istonbul. 57 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuiew-Berheuokn Capê-Riaista Stømpa-Dentro de la Prensø-Bøsin Ozeti l¡¡tcr¡ution¡l Ñtu llork @irrrco NOVEMBER 18,2OI4 tr Nuclear deal with Tehran faces array of obstacles OFFICE OFTHE POOL PIIOTOCRAPI I ßY DAN BALILTY WASHINGTON Ayatollah AJi Khamenèi quashed a much Prime Minister BenJamln Netanyahu of. smaller agreement reached ln 2009, Israel calls lran an'.,exlstentlal threat,', Agreement is seen as test of Obama's strength after So far, Ayatollah Khamenei has ican alliances in the region, one in which avoided making that choice, intelli- Washington would'begin to work on re- losses in midterm voting gional issues with the Shüte Iranian gence assessments by the United States state instead ofwith Sunni SaudiA¡abia. and its allies conclude. rvVhile he has au- BY DAVID E. SANGER, No one has been more outspoken on thorized President Hassan Rorlhani and STEVEN ERLANGER the issue than Saudi A¡abia's former in- his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad AND JODI RUDOREN tellþnce chief, Prince Tt¡rki bin Faisal, ZaûÍ, to negotiate with the United who in recent weeks haS warned that the States and its partners, they believe When President Obama wrote last Saudis will build uranium enrichmentfa- to that the supreme leader may decide month lran's supreme leade¡ Ayatol- cilities to match whatever lran is allowed whether to approve a deal only after his Iah Ali Khamenei, urging him to over- to retain even if the kingdom has no negotiators come home with the details. - come a decade of mistrust and negotiate use for them. That has raised the bpecter That is what happeried with a much a deal limiting Tehran's nuclear ambi of an arms race, even if a deal is struck. tions, it was perhaps the president's last smaller dealin2009, which he killedafter Perhaps the most cornplex political to reach a reconciliation an agreement was reached in Vienna, effort with Iran player is Russia. It has remained a key And surrounding the ayatollah are hard- that could remake the Middle East. elemént of thenegotiating team, despitô ' liners who have opposed any as Today, Mr. Obama needs a foreign accord, its confrontatiorts with the West over policy well as leaders of the Revolutionary accomplishment more than ever, Ukraine. It has been a central player in and he sees time Guards Corps, which is responsible for running out on his hope negotiating what may prove the key to a the military side of the nuclear program. of changing the calculus in a Middle deal: a plan for Iran to ship much of its But Mr. Litwak's observation about East where Americans are, against his low-enriched uranium to Russian terri- ground. how the deal is a proxy for other issues instincts, back on the But the tory for conversion into fuel for the applies equally key forces arrayed against a deal are formi- to the rest of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. just players in the negotiations: Israel, Saudi dable not Ayatollah Khamenei But Russian officials may want to ex- - Arabia, Russia and Western Europe. and the country's hard-liners, but newly tend the talks, keeping any real agree- Israel's prime minister, Benjamin empowered Republicans, some of his ment in limbo and thus Iranian oil off the Netanyahu, has described lran as an fellow Democrats and many of the market, so that it cannot further de- United States' closest allies. "existential threat" for so long that it is press falling prices. hard for American officials to imagine As negotiators head back to Vienna Apart from Mr. Obama, the most un- week for they hope be the any deal Israel would support. For years this what will ambiguous proponents of reaching a a succession of Israeli governments final round of talks, Mr. Obama's top na- deal are the European nations, said put chance have described Iran as just six months tional security advisers the Mark Fitzpatrick, an Iran nuclear ex- or so away from a bomb; last year the of reaching an agreement this month at pert at the International Institute for Netanyahu government opposed even 40 percent to 50 percent. ' 'In the end, this Strategic Studies in London. political the modest lifting of sanctions. is a decision for the lranians," Many Europeans feel little threat from In recent weeks Mr. Netanyahu has Mr. Obama told a small þroup of recent Iran, and believe that Israel, with its own repeated his warning that Islàmic visitors to the White House, a statement "the unacknowledged but widely known nu- that could be true for him as well. State of Iran is not a partner of America, clear arsenal, exaggerates the threat of a it's an enemy of America," and said Is- Yet even if a deal is struck, it will be nuclear Tehran. The notable exception rael would not abide by any arrange- the beginning of an argument rather are the French, whd have publibly argued ment that leaves Iran as a than the end of one. For many of the "threshold" for tougher terms in the negotiations and president's adversaries, nuclear state one poised to build a the details of - say they see their role as to serve, in the weapon in a matter of months or years. whatevqr deal he emerges with how ' wordsof one Westerndiplomat, as,,asig- much warning the \üest would have- if Israeli officials play down their influ- Iran raced for a bomb, for example ence in Congress on the issue and dis- nificant counterweight on the impulse of are almost beside the point. - agree internally on the merits of a deal; Obama to make concessions." "In every nation involved, this negoti- some in the intelligence agencies see But the biggest counterweight to a ne- ation is a proxy for something bigger," advantages to more intrusive inspec- gotiating success with lran may be the said Robert Litwak, a Wilson Center tions in lran, new Republican majority in the Senate scholar and author of "Iran's Nuclear "We have no formal status and no real - including some members, like Senator Chess: Calculating America's Moves." capacity" in the talks, said Yuval Stein- Lindsey Graham, who have argued that "Here, it is a test of Obama's strength itz, the strategic affairs minister who Mr. Obama is overþ eager for a deal. Obama administration officials reject and strategy," he said. "In Tehran it is a has been Israel's prirnary point man, the charge and say that though Mr. proxy for a fundamental choice: Wheth- apart from the prime minister himself, going Obama is hopeful, he would never sign er lran is to continue to view itself on lran. "We can only convince, we can an accord that did not put Iran a year or as a revolutionary state, or whether it's only speak and explain." more away from being able to produce going to be a normal country," which The Saudis have a parallel worryl young enough fuel for a single bomb. many of its people yearn for it to That any deal with Iran would be the "What- ever we negotiate we will have to sell in become. opening wedge to a reordering of Amer- 58 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheaoka Çapê-Riuista Stampa-Dentro de In Prensø-Bøsin Özeti Congress, sooner rather than later," not just stall, Iran's illicit nuclear pro- coml¡ination of falling oil prices, the said one of Mr. Obama's senior gram and prevent lran from ever be- threat of new sanctions, and the possi- strategists, declining to speak on the coming a threshold nuclear state." bility of more sabotage or military ac- record because of diplomatic sensitivi- They would enact new sanctions "if a tion will eventuallylead to an accord. ties. potential deal does not achieve these Yet Ayatollah Khamenei, American goals," "And that works to our advantage in and European intelligence officials say, the negotiating room, because it means It is a view the new Republican major- may be betting that time is on lran's we can sa¡¡ to Zarif," the Iranian foreign ity will back, along with many Demo- side. They have concluded that the su- minister, "'Even if we agreed to lifting crats. Mr. Obama could always veto new preme leader believes the recenü elec- sanctions early, or letting you keep all sanctions, but the ùarnings themselves tion has weakened Mr. Obama, and that your centrifuges in place - and we may make it harder, administration offi- the talks have already led to an ac- wouldn't - Congress would rebel,'" cials feaç to get lran to reach a final knowledgment of Iran's right to enrich That rebellion has started. When agreement. uranium on its own soil - at least in Congress came back into session last Mr. Obama has made clear that in the small amounts - and an understanding week; Senator Robert Menendez, the near term, he would act on his own au- that whenever a final agreement ex- New Jersey Democrat who leads the thority to temporarily suspend sanc- pires, it u¡ill be able to have an industri- Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tions step by step, as the Iranians com- al enrichment ability much as Japan plied with a deal; a vote to repeal those does. and Senator Mark Kirk of lllinois issued sanctions might not come for several a statement saying that co-authors "as years. But he confronts that problem D av id E. Sanger r epor ted Wash- sanctions laws com- lrom of bipartisan that only if there is a deal. If not, American ington, Steven Erlanger London pelled from Iran to the negotiating table, we officials hint, they will press for another and Jodí RudorenJrom Jerusakìm. believe that a good deal will dismantle, extension oI talks - betting that the fclllontc SAMEDI 22 NOVEMDRE 2014 Ioe Biden en visite de déminage en Turquie Levice-présidentaméricain cherche unterrain d'entente avecAnkara contre l'Etat islamique sourde oreille au projet cher à An- turque (TGB, ultranationalistes) ISTANBUL - iorrer pond ante Signe de kara d'une zone tampon, égale- qui les ont iniuriés et badigeonnés T e vice-président américain, ment zone de non-survol aérien la rnontée de peinture après avoir tenté de I )o" Biden, devait se rendre le long de sa frontière avec la Sy- du sentlment leur mettre la tête dans un sac. I-J vendredi zr novembre à Is- rie. Recep Tayyip Erdogan a eu Brièvement ihterpellés, les ul: tanbul. Après une visite en beau exhorter, mercredi, les anti-américain, tranationalistes ont expliqué Ukraine, il rencontrera le premier Etats-Unis à prendre tt des mesu- le 12 novembfe, qu'ils se vengeaient de < Ihffaíre ministre turc, Ahmet Davutoglu, res enfaveur'dela zone dþxclusÍon des cagoules r, un incident sur- et déjeuriera, samedi midi, avec Ie aértenne r, il est peu probable trois mar¡ns venu le 4 iuillet zoo3 à Souleyma- président, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, qu'il soit entendu. L'autre reven- ont été agressés nié (lrak), quand des soldats amé- dans le.palais de Beylerbeyi, sur dication turque, à savoir que la ricains avaient arrêté des mem- les bords du Bosphore. lutte contre le régime de Bachar à lstanbul bres des forces spéciales turques, Cette visite vise à mettre du Al-Assad soit désignée comme leur recouvrant la tête d'un sac. baume sur les relations entre les une priorité au même titre que Dimanche, M. Biden devrait, par deuxpays, mises à malparlaréti- celle contre I'EI, embarrasse rappelé M. Erdogan, mercredi ailleurs, se rendre au Patriarcat cence turque à s'impliquer plus Washington. t9 novembre. orthodoxe pour des entretiens avant dans la coalition interna- La discussion sera épineuse car avec le patriarche Bartholomée tionale qui mène des frappes en Un trold durable Joe Biden a récemment fustigé la portant sur < la liberté religieuse Irak et en Syrie contre les diiha- Un terrain d'entente a quand Turquie pour sa trop grande obli- et le dialogue æcuménique r, un distes de lbrganisation Etat isla- même été trouvé pour l'entraîne- geance envers les djihadistes suiettendu enTurquie. mique (EI). ment et l'équipement de combat- combattant en Syrie, une remar- En préparant cette visite, Ie vice- Sourde aux sollicitations de l'al- tants de lArmée syrienne libre que faite le z octobre devant des président américain a cherché à lié américain, la Turquie n'a tou- (ASt), lbpposition au régime de étudiants de Harvard, qui n'a pas éviter le passage par Ankara, afin iours pas autorisé I'accès de sa Damas. Quarante-huit heures eu l'heur de plaire à Ankara. Sur de ne pas être le premier hôte base aérienne d'lncirlik (sud) aux avant I'arrivée de M. Biden, deux plusieurs dossiers - la Syrie, la étrangeràfouler le marbre d?ll 59 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaie(t)-Berhsaoka Çapê-Riaistø Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti satnedi 22 - dil¡anche 23 novenrbre 20i4 Kilis, le terminus de la peur REPORTAGE Delphlne Mlnoul it @DelphlneMlnoul Envoyee speclale á Kllls (frontlêre 1{ ilis ,l Kilis I >,, En un coup de frein, les portes du nrinibtts s'ouvrent ett accordéon, accou- chant d'une nuée d'anonytnes échappés de I'enfer syrien. Il y a moius d'une henre, ils étaieut I'autre côté cte la frontière, à prier pour leur survie. Les uns fuyant le crachat des bolnbes d'l\ssad, les autres la folie de Daech. D'autres encore, les frappes de Ia coalition. II y a une heure, ils se faisaient peut-être la guerre, cachés iiË- derrière des lignes de front clui ne cessent de " Un Syrien accompagné de son neveu dans le hall du termlnus de Kllls, en févrler dernler. changer. Les voilà maintenant, égaux face à la peur, qui s'engouffi'ent dans le hall du termintls Kilis, à En trois ans et deml, le confllt a falt 6,5 mllllons de déplacés et 3 milllons de réfuglés. quelques encablures de la Sylie, cotnme on se blottit BRYAN DENTON/NYT-REDUX_REA dans les bras rassurants d'ulte ¡rourrice. Le bâtiment rouge brique est eììtouré de carrés 250 knì d'herbe cramés par les pots tl'échappetnent, oÌr pique-niquent quotidiennement des centâines de nouveaux arrivants. La fin cl'un tunnel. Le poi-nt de dépar-t vers tme nouvelle vie, palfois plus incertaine. Dans la foule cle badauds, ttne fetnme tire derrière elle un sac de riz retnpli cle vêtetnents pour l'hiver. Elle ne Mr:r Noirr pleure pas . Ne soruit pas non plus . << Ie me sens légère . Comme tléclnrgée d'unfarcleau. Est-ce que c'est ça, Ie Ankara clébut tlubonheur ? >, ball¡utie Fatmeh, son petit cler- E TURQUIE nier accroché à son longmanteau noir. Les tlois autres trottinent à ses côtés, émerveillés par les néons de la gare routière. C'est la -prernière fois qu'ils quittent la @l Syrie. <. Nous c¡vons toujours habité près cle l'aéroport .. ¡KoÞané d.' Alep, Ily a un an, notre maison a été p4lvérßée par un r¡¡sp r Raqqa banl rl'explosíJs largué par le régíme. Heureusement, now éttotts sor¡is. Por crainte d'un nouveau rctid, nous vers Khan nl-Asscl, au sud-ouest d'Alep, lvl(,!t attons migré E Damas sous contrôle del'Armée synenne libre (ASL). Unevie de ivit:tliter ¡ut¡i L': mßère ò squalter une bÔtßse abandonnée, ssrrs électrí- c it é, ni e au c our ante. Alor s, on ø f íni p ar p æ'tir >, racon - te-t-elle, étonnée qu'on s'intéresse à sonrécit, sibanal da¡s le chahut d'une guerre qui a fait 6,5 millions de déplacés et 3 millions de réfugiés en trois ans et demi, cle I'qider à se faufiler ù travers les sous-bols. C'est un Des allers-retours de plus en plus risqués tenain glissant, infesté de malJrats, et oùles patrouilles Sur unpanneau bleu foncé, Fatmeh dévore du regard turques ont la gâchene Jacile r, murmule-t-elle, en toutes ces destinations autl€s que la leute mort à gardant rur æil attentif sut ses enfants, Sttr le mu'bre laquelle l'avait condamné son pays : Gaziantep, glissant de la gare routière, ils jouent âtt football avec Islahiye, Urfa, Antakya, Istanbul. Sous lcs iuscriptions uae poupée rose, seuljouet rescapé du voyage. < Ki- tul'ques, une âme bienveillante a traduit en arabe les lís J Kilis,l ,, répète le plus petit, en écho à I'arrivée nc¡ms des clifférentes villes. En trébuchant sul celui d'rm autre bus en provenauce de la frontière. Assis sur' jeune prénom été d'Ankara, Fatlneh potlsse un long soupir : << Notre un banc, Ali - un Aleppin dont le a destinationfinale ! >¡ Son époux, dit-elle, y a obtenu un changé - lei observe d'un sourire envietrx. Lui anssi a poste d'ouvrier att noil'. Mais elle I'attenrl toujouls. Ce perdu sa maison lors d'un bombardement. Mais ilne matin, il a emprunté la voie clandestine pendant pourra plus jamais taper dans un ballon: sa jambe qu'elle faisait la queue clurant six hettres, avec son sac droite a été fauchée. Posée sur le sol, dans un sac en de riz et ses balnbins, au poste -frontière cle Bab al-Sa- plastique rouge, sa prothèse est sou seul bagage. << les lanra. .< Il n' a pus de p øs s ep or t. Un passeur lui a pr ontß médecfuw essayent cle sauver mahanche. J'en suís à ma 60 Reuue de Presse-Press Reaieut-Berheuoka Çøpê-Riaista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti * opération enTurquie >> , explique cet habitué des âl- ne. Sur l'écran, on distingue le visage éteint d'tut lers-retorus entre Syrie et Truquie. Un voyage lenclu adolescent, accornpagné d'une pancarte qui indique de pltrs en plus difficile par I'offensive du régime de en lett¡'es aråbes : < Abtlullah al-Bouchí, Crime : ovoir Damas qrú s'obstine à vouloil couper, au norcl, Ia rou- fílrné des positíons tle I'Etat ßIamique pour 500 tívres te de râvitaillement, et pu'l'avancée, à I'est, de l'État turques (envilou 200 euros) pa r vicléo > . < C' était mon islarniqne. ,. À chaque trajet, je rne demande: qui, cousin. Ils I'ont qccusé cl'être un espion parce Et'iI avoit d'Assad et de Drcch, fínirapar m'achever ? Enmême Jílmé unbâtimenl D'qboril, ils I'ont emprßonné pen- temps, clois-jemelaposer ? Après tout, ce sontles deux dant cinq moß. Puß, ils I' ont exécuté, av ont de ctucifier faces d'unemêmepièce ,r, dit-il avec cynisme. sa dépouille pen À chaque trajet, je me demande : qui, d'Assad et de Daech, finira par m'achever ? En même temps, dois-je me la poser ? Après tout, ce sont les deux faces d'une même pièce I ALI, UN RÉFUGIÉ SVRIEI.I 61 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 19 novembre 2014 Erdogan reproche à Washington de refuser ses conditions pour entrer dans la coalition anti-EI Ankara s'est contentée d'au- jihadistes, redoutant qu'un tel soutien ne profite aux rebelles "frères" du Parti des toriser le passage par son travailleurs du Kurdistan, qui mènent territoire de 150 peshmergas depuis 1984 une guérilla contre Ankara kurdes irakiens vers Kobané. Malgré les pressions, la Turquie n'a pas non plus autorisé l'accès de sa base aérienne d'Incirlik (sud) aux avions de la OLJ/AFP, 19/11/2014 coalition qui mènent des frappes contre www.lorientlejour.com l'EI. Ankara s'est contentée d'autoriser le passage par son territoire de 150 peshmer- e président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a gas kurdes irakiens destinés à renforcer le Lreproché mercredi à Washington d'avoir front de Kobané. refusé les conditions posées par Ankara à Le gouvernement islamo-conservateur son entrée active dans la coalition antijiha- turc réclame, pour entrer dans la coalition, diste, sur fond de tensions bilatérales à la Le gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc la création d'une zone-tampon doublée veille de la visite du vice-président Joe réclame, pour entrer dans la coalition anti- d'une zone d'exclusion aérienne le long de Biden. EI, la création d'une zone-tampon doublée sa frontière avec la Syrie, et veut privilégier La coalition internationale dirigée par d'une zone d'exclusion aérienne le long de sa l'entraînement et l'équipement de l'Armée Washington "n'a pas pris les mesures que frontière avec la Syrie, et veut privilégier syrienne libre (ASL), émanation de l'oppo- nous lui demandons", a déploré M. Erdogan l'entraînement et l'équipement de l'Armée sition modérée au régime de Damas. devant la presse, avant une tournée en syrienne libre. REUTERS/Umit Bektas M. Erdogan a exhorté mercredi les Afrique. Etats-Unis à prendre "maintenant des La Turquie refuse catégoriquement mesures concernant la zone d'exclusion bête noire. Contrairement aux Etats-Unis, d'intervenir militairement contre les jiha- aérienne et la zone de sécurité, l'entraîne- elle s'est également abstenue d'aider les distes du groupe Etat islamique (EI), par ment et l'équipement" de l'ASL. I forces kurdes syriennes qui défendent la crainte de favoriser par ricochet le régime ville syrienne de Kobané assiégée par les du président syrien Bachar el-Assad, sa 20 novembre 2014 ligne l'ONG. Pire, 17 personnes tentant de passer la frontière Turquie : une onG critique le triste auraient été abattues par l'armée turque. Un syrien de 14 ans, qui sort réservé aux réfugiés syriens après avoir fait demi-tour en entendant parler turc à la frontière, 20 novembre 2014 a reçu une balle sur le côté de la metronews.fr tête. Ce qui l'a rendu aveugle. "Tirer sur des gens qui fuient un moYen-orIenT - 3,2 mil- conflit et cherchent un refuge est lions de Syriens ont fuit leur ignoble. C'est une violation mani- pays ces trois dernières années, feste du droit international qui ne et la moitié d'entre eux se sont doit pas rester impunie", a déclaré réfugiés en Turquie. mais un l'un des auteurs du rapport. rapport publié jeudi par Amnesty International insiste Amnesty International s'alarme cependant sur l'effort consenti par des conditions dans lesquels ils la Turquie vis-à-vis des réfugiés sont accueillis. syriens – le pays a déjà dépensé 4 Des réfugiés livrés à eux- milliards de dollars (3,2 milliards mêmes, d'autres visés par des tirs Près de 1,6 million de Syriens ont trouvé refuge en Turquie. Photo d'euros) pour faire face à leur à balles réelles. C'est le terrible : ARIS MESSINIS / AFP afflux. Mais l'ONG appelle la constat que dresse l'ONG communauté internationale à Amnesty International à propos camps bien équipés, qui ont atteint les familles sont parfois "assumer une responsabilité des Syriens venus trouver refuge les limites de leur capacité d'ac- contraintes de faire travailler leurs financière" dans cette crise, à l'ap- G dans la Turquie voisine ces trois cueil. Plus de 1,3 million de réfu- enfants. proche de l'hiver. dernières années, dans un rapport giés sont livrés à eux-mêmes", rendu public jeudi. constate l'ONG. Parmi ceux ten- TIrS à bAlleS réelleS Sur les 1,6 million de Syriens tant de survivre en dehors des Les civils Syriens se présen- réfugiés en Turquie, soit la moitié camps turcs, seuls 15 % seraient tant aux postes-frontières turcs de ceux qui ont fuit la Syrie, aidés par des organismes humani- sans passeport "se voient réguliè- "seuls 220 000 vivent dans les 22 taires. Face à un tel dénuement, rement refuser le passage", sou- 62 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti NovEMBER 19, 2014 Kurds need more heavy weapons to face 'brutal' IS group In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Masoud Barzani, president of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, said Kurdish requests from the international coalition for heavy weapons in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group have not been fully met. By Marc PERELMAN, November 19, 2014 www.france24.com Kurdistan peaking to FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman in President the autonomous Kurdistan region in nor- S Massoud thern Iraq, Barzani thanked France and mem- bers of the international coalition for its help Barzani. Photo: in the fight against the IS group. But, he Screen grab from noted, the coalition has failed to deliver on France24 video the quantity and quality of heavy weapons needed to stop the IS assault in Iraq. “All the support that we have received so far is not up to the level that is needed,” said Barzani. “The heavy weapons systems that we need, especially in terms of the quality and quantity, for example the APCs (armoured per- sonnel carriers), the helicopters, the artillery cant gains or losses on either side. and barbaric organisation – even if you com- we need for a decisive war against them – we “The war is not finished,” explained Barzani. pare it with the Iraqi regimes that we fought,” have not received these types of weapons.” “It’s true that the Islamic State has been wea- he said. When asked why Kurdish fighters, who are on kened, but they have not lost complete capa- But even as his peshmerga fighters have been the vanguard of the fight against IS, have not bility of attack.” battling IS militants in Iraq and Syria, Barzani received critical heavy weapons systems, ‘The Kurdish people will decide on their has made territorial gains in Iraq following the Barzani said he had no answers, only ques- future’ collapse of the Iraqi army against the jihadist tions. “Is there a ceiling on the heavy weapons onslaught. Kurdish forces captured the oil-rich A seasoned Kurdish nationalist commander city of Kirkuk this summer as the Iraqi army systems that we should receive in terms of the who has led a long, difficult fight for Kurdish quantity and quality? The answer is not very fled the area, bolstering the Kurdish adminis- rights in Iraq, Barzani noted that the IS group tration’s chances for independence. clear to us.” is the most brutal adversary his people have Barzani’s comments came as Kurdish pesh- faced, worse even than former Iraqi strongman Speaking to FRANCE 24 months after the fall of merga fighters in Syria have been waging a pit- Saddam Hussein. Kirkuk though, Barzani refused to be drawn into a discussion on his administration’s next ched battle against IS for control of the Syrian “It’s a new war, it’s a new tactic and also it’s border town of Kobane. Kurdish fighters, aided political move. “The Kurdish people will an ideological war. These barbaric, horrific decide on their future,” he maintained. by coalition airstrikes, have made progress in terrorists, they don’t spare anything. So this recent days, but there have not been signifi- “Nobody will decide on the future of the terrorist organisation, yes, it’s the most brutal Kurdish people.” G November 20th 2014 ser than any of their cousins to achieving clerical regime’s grip. Dozens have been this goal. With the big oil companies deve- executed for alleged separatism—though Kurdish loping the region’s vast oil reserves, the they have been spared jihadist atrocities. semi-independent Kurdistan Regional In 2015 the threat posed by IS will dee- Government seemed ready to stand on its pen the Iraqi Kurds’ dependence on calculus own feet. Next door in Syria the Kurds set America for their security. The Americans up governments in three enclaves along the will, in turn, nag them to end their squab- Turkish border, establishing separate bles with the Shia-led government in governments in all three. Turkey’s Kurds Baghdad and to agree on a formula for sha- A many-sided equation continued to win greater political and cultu- ring oil revenues. The Iraqi Kurds will also ral rights. reassess their relations with Turkey, their nov 20th 2014 | istanbul But the Kurds’ fortunes were devasta- biggest trading partner and ally. amberin zaman: turkey correspondent tingly reversed when jihadists calling them- Turkey’s failure to help when is attacked economist.com selves Islamic State (IS) burst on to the Sinjar came as a shock to Mr Barzani. His scene. In Iraq they overran the city of Mosul nephew and would-be successor, many hailed 2014 as “the year of the and in nearby Sinjar they dealt the Iraqi Nechirvan Barzani, who is the enclave’s Kurds”, as these long-persecuted and lar- Kurds a humiliating defeat. In Syria the jiha- prime minister, will, however, lobby for gely Sunni Muslim people pursued their dists kept up their onslaught against the close ties with Turkey’s pro-Islamic presi- dreams of self-rule in Iraq, Iran, Syria and most powerful Kurdish militia, the People’s dent, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This will ignite Turkey. In Iraq some 5m Kurds, led by the Defence Units (YPG), despite American air tensions between the Barzanis in ways that tribal scion, Massoud Barzani, seemed clo- strikes. Iran’s Kurds remain firmly under the will be exploited by Iran, whose ➡ 63 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➡ intervention helped to stem the jihadist a deaf ear to Turkish objections. Turkey Ocalan, and the Ankara government tide. feels deeply threatened by the fledgling because of Turkey’s perceived hostility to Turkey will get more involved in Iraqi- Syrian Kurdish entity and has sought to iso- their Syrian brethren. Peace with the Kurds Kurdish affairs, not least to avoid being late it. This is because the YPG and its poli- is crucial to Mr Erdogan’s plans to win their overshadowed by the Americans. This will tical arm, the Democratic Unity Party, are backing for constitutional changes that entail military co-operation, including secu- linked to another Kurdish group, the would boost the presidency’s powers. In rity for a newish pipeline that bypasses an Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has 2015 the Kurds will seek to unite against IS, existing Iraqi grid to carry oil from Kurdish been waging a 30-year armed campaign for but a strongly ingrained tribalism will conti- fields directly to Turkey. self-rule inside Turkey. nue to be exploited by the regional In Syria the Kurds’ resilience against is The PKK keeps threatening to end a powers.I fighters will lead to closer, if tacit, ties bet- ceasefire that underpins peace talks bet- ween the YPG and America, which will turn ween its imprisoned leader, Abdullah NovEMBER 24, 2014 State].” The Kurds recently dispatched a delegation to Baghdad and struck a prelim- the Kurds' lonely inary agreement with the new government of Haider al-Abadi on Kurdish oil deliver- ies to Baghdad in exchange for overdue fight against budget payments. Like the army, however, the reconstructed Iraqi central government exists mostly on the islamic state paper. Festering issues concerning Kurdistan — including whether it will be allowed to export its own oil, whether it coalition on the ground. On the ground we will retain control over the city of Kirkuk by Jackson diehl Kurds are alone.” and on what terms its 150,000-member washingtonpost.com army will become part of an Iraqi national november 24, 2014 U.S. and Iraqi officials might call that guard — remain unresolved. The gulf hyperbole. Iraqi army forces are also fight- between Abadi’s Shiite party and Sunni ow goes the war against the Islamic ing the Islamic State in western Iraq and leaders remains even wider. HState? A useful barometer is the posi- reportedly managed to recapture the strate- tion of Iraqi Kurdistan, which is the most gic Baiji oil refinery last week. Still, n the end, the Kurds still see themselves reliable U.S. ally in the battle — and holds Baghdad’s army remains weak and frag- as alone. The thrust of their lobbying in the longest front against the terrorists. Four mented, with few reliable units. It is still I Washington was to obtain U.S. heavy wea- months ago, two senior Kurdish officials flanked by independent, Iranian-sponsored pons for delivery to Irbil, with or without traveled to Washington to deliver some Shiite militias not under the central govern- Baghdad’s consent. The Pentagon’s res- dire warnings: The Islamic State was still ment’s control. ponse was grudging: There is a plan in the expanding, no military force in the region works to deliver 250 armored vehicles to could stop it and Kurdistan itself was no plan to recruit and train Sunni tribes- Iraq, of which the Kurds would get 25. The longer willing to be part of a shattered Iraq. man for a new national guard remains A administration meanwhile plans to train just that, Hussein pointed out. “This is a nine Iraqi and three Kurdish brigades, in Last week the Kurds, back in town for good idea,” he said. “Maybe it will become the hope that that will be enough to go on another round of lobbying, could cite some a plan. But who is going to implement it? the offensive in northern and western Iraq. big changes. U.S. airstrikes beginning in And how can you create a national guard But U.S. officials still insist that any arms August have stanched the threat of an on territory that is currently being held by deliveries to the Kurds go through the cen- Islamic State offensive overrunning [the Islamic State]?” tral government. Kurdistan’s capital, Irbil, and allowed the recapture of some key ground. Iraq has a The big political change since the summer Like many U.S. military experts — includ- new government with the Kurds’ participa- is the willingness of the Kurds to give Iraq’s ing former defense secretary Robert Gates tion, and negotiations have begun in central government another chance or at — the Kurds see that plan as underpow- Baghdad on settling long-standing sectari- least to postpone open steps toward inde- ered. “Three divisions is 10,000 fighters,” an disputes. pendence. In July the Kurdistan adminis- Hussein said. Mosul, the declared seat of tration insisted it would go forward with a the Islamic State’s caliphate, is a city of Yet the bottom line, as the Kurds see it, is referendum on the territory’s future and more than 1 million people, heavily forti- this: The Islamic State is still entrenched in balked at U.S. pressure to participate in a fied with captured U.S. weapons. “Who is a third of Iraq and Syria, still has the ability new “unity government” in Baghdad. That going to liberate Mosul?” Hussein asked. to carry out conventional military offen- was before the Islamic State’s offensive “We cannot do that without heavy sives and terrorist attacks, and grows more against Kurdistan, the beginning of U.S. weapons — Apache helicopters and dangerous the longer it keeps its sanctuary. airstrikes and the Obama administration’s Humvees, artillery, rockets, sniper rifles.” Worse, the prospect that it will be defeated success in forcing the departure of Iraqi by the U.S.-led coalition as it currently Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. “To liberate Mosul, we need an army with exists is slim. us,” said the Kurd. “Where is that army Now Hussein says, “We are part of this going to come from?” That’s a question the “We have an international coalition, but the Iraqi government, and we hope it suc- Obama administration has yet to answer. coalition is still in the sky,” said Fuad ceeds.” He added: “We will never give up I I I Hussein, chief of staff to Kurdistan our right to self-determination. But our pri- President Massoud Barzani. “We need a ority now is to destroy ISIS [the Islamic 64 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoieu)-Berheuoka Çøpê-Rivista Stømpø-Dentro de la Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti lnfcn¡.rtio¡r¡lñtultork@imcø sATURDAy-suNDAy, NovEMBER zz-23,2ot4 Trekking through Kurdistan region's rival Kurdish movements, if and almost shot by a posse of Kurds Paul Salopek not the dawn of a Greater Kurdistan. neat Mount Karacadag. ("I am going to Yet my boot-level view of Kurdish ftac- kill you," one vigilante hissed into the tiousness suggests how steep that slope ear of my new walking guide - himself may be. To be clear: I have been over- a Kurd - who then frantically dialed a KARS, TURKEY "We have enemies." whelmed by a stunning brand of Kurdish Kurdish politician to rescue us,) Within The old Kurdish woman said this by hospitality that places nearly every minutes it became clear that the real way of running me off. I had trekked in- private home and barn at my dÍsposal. (I object of their wrath was the Kurdish to her mountain hamlet at dusk, hoping am walking with a cargo mule.) But this Hezbollah, a religious party funded by to camp nearby. She waved a hand at kindness freqnently comes entangled in Ankara in part to fight the P,K.K. the stone homes around us. Most were a painful thicket of grievance and suspi- It is hard to blame the Kurds for such empty. There had been a killing be- cion - not just among individual Kurds, flintiness. An accident ofhistory and ge- tween neighbors, The house of the per- but entire villages and families. ography crushed them between the Ot- petrator had been leveled. Fearing re- Walking through a still-mythic Kur- toman and Persian empires for centu- tribution, his relatives had run for their distan must resemble, I imagine, a foot ries. They were obliged by bigger lives. Armed members of the victim's journey through l9th-century Ap- powers to play the role ofan unreliable family were now guarding the place palachia: Kurds appear to share the border gendarmerie, with allthe attend- against their return. The watchmen's same violent honor culture and clannish ant betrayals that come with that job. lonesome campfire seesawed in the tensions as the frontier Scotch-Irish. But cultures of mistrust wear you wind high up on a cliff. Any ramble in the woods can be fraught. down. The Kurdish region of Tbrkey is "It's not safe here," the woman apol- I learned about this geography of beautiful: These days, I tramp past ogized. So I walked on. I slept five miles enmity even before poplars that burn golden under ashy away in a field. winter skies. But it is a forlorn sort of We have enemies. Over the past beauty. I tiptoe through it warily, some- three months, while plodding some 350 times with my hands in the air as a sign miles along the steppe trails, rural back of surrender, roads and modern highways ofTür- The saddest Kurdish fratricide I have key's Kurdish heartland, I've heard encountered involved the korucu - this bleak refrain dozens of times. I am ancesand teeteredintoablood members of the Kurdish "village crossing the world on foot as part of a the conflicts. feud. Someone had ' guard" set up by the T[rkish govern- project called the "Out of Eden Walk." been shot. We ment to battle the P.K.K. They are The idea involves retracing the first hu- couldn't even meet in doomed men, loathed by nationalist man migration out of Africa during the the city of Sanliurfa, population 800,000, Kurds as turncoats. A few weeks ago, Stone Age, and reportini current for fear of bumping into his village foes. the P.K.K, tied one to a telephone pole events at the micro level along the an- (This was a blow He was a highly re- and executed him firing-squad-style. cestral route to South America. sourceful person; he'd saved his rela- They reportedly stuffed a lOlira note in T[rkey, the eighth country on my tives from the vendetta by engineering his mouth for good measure. itinerary since leaving Ethiopia in early a local blackout, then hustling his kin to Last week, three of these militiamen 2013, was supposed to be easy. But safety inside the power company repair ambushed me. I was hiking with my while plodding into eastern Anatolia van.) two walking guides in a forested river this summer, I have been shooed out of Eastern Anatolia is profoundly valley near the plateau town of Agri. I Kurdish villages, interrogated by Kurd- haunted, of course, bymoie infamous vi- was lagging behind, punching text mes- ish vigilantes and nearþ shot twice by olence: Tlrrkey's ruthless suppression of sages into a cellphone. Figures in cam- frightened Kurds. None of this is per- pro-independence Kurdish guerrillas ouflage sprang from behind the trees. sonaI, of course. from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the They screamed at me. They leveled Friendlessness - having enemies - P.K.K. I have inched past countless vil- their Kalashnikov rifles. I flung up my is synonyrnous with Kurdishness. lages depopulated by an insurgencythat hands to the sky. But they kept shout- The world's 30 million Kurds, atough has claimed 37,000lives. But I also have ing. We couldn't understa¡rd each other. and independent mountain people who pushed the mule through many "new" It was the closest I've come to being mostly practice a moderate brand of villages spawned by Kurd-on-Kurd shot since covering the Iraq war. Sunni Islam, are scattered among TUr- brawls. "How old is this place?" I asked "You gave us a scare," one ofthe as- key, Iraq, Syria and Iran - states that Sahmettin Aydin, the muktar, or head- sailants said lateç meaning that he for generations have perfected the tools man, of an ancient-looking outpost called thoughtwe were P.K.K. He clapped my of marginalization, counterinsurgency Pasli, 'About 30 years," he replied. "Our shoulder. He explained that he had en- and manipulation to keep their unruly entire village relocated here after a emies. He urged me to enjoy the Kurdish minorities in check. Lately, murder case in 1987." scenery ofhis fractured land. American military support for Kurds Religion is another source of friction, battling the Islamic State in Syria has especially since the rise of the Islamic pAULsALopEK ís a two-tíme Pulitzer Prize- revived a modest dream ofpan-Kurdish State extremists in neighboring Syria. I winning journalist and o contributor to unity: greater cooperation among the was mistaken for a jihadist infiltrator N atio nal G eo graphic magazíne. 65 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 19 novembre 2014 Au Kurdistan, "Vous et nous combattons le même ennemi" Contenant les djihadistes du prétendu "Etat islamique" sur un front de 1000 kilomètres, Massoud Barzani, président du gouvernement régional du Kurdistan en Irak demeure l'al- lié incontournable de la coali- tion internationale. Pour L'Express, il revient sur les événements tragiques qui ont menacé le Kurdistan irakien. Propos recueillis par Clarisse Feletin Alors que Daech continue de menacer la région, Massoud Barzani, le leader du le 19 novembre 2014 Kurdistan irakien, entend créer, dans les six prochains mois, une armée www.lexpress.fr nationale. REUTERS/Maja Hitij/Pool 68 ans, Massoud Barzani, président du Agouvernement régional du Kurdistan en sive éclair de Daech à Sinjar [près de la fron- depuis une dizaine d'années et jouissons Irak, est un chef de guerre. Fils du légendaire tière avec la Syrie]. Pris par surprise, nous d'une certaine prospérité. Nos peshmerga guerrier Mustafa Barzani, qui lutta en vain n'avions pas les moyens ni l'organisation n'avaient plus combattu depuis longtemps pour l'indépendance du pays, il vit un suffisante pour résister correctement aux et ils n'étaient plus suffisamment entraînés. moment historique. Jamais les rêves d'indé- assauts des djihadistes. Pour les arrêter, à Aujourd'hui, la modernisation et la réorgan- pendance du peuple kurde n'ont semblé si ce moment-là, nous avions vraiment besoin isation de nos forces sont des priorités. Le près de se réaliser. Mais ce territoire grand d'aide et d'armes lourdes, en particulier, car ministre de la Défense de notre gouverne- comme la Suisse, sans accès à la mer et Erbil était en danger. ment régional du Kurdistan doit, dans les enserré par les voisins que sont l'Iran, la Syrie six prochains mois, construire une armée et la Turquie, a-t-il les moyens d'une telle Cet épisode a porté un coup sévère au moral nationale. Nous faisons au mieux pour unifi- ambition? de nos troupes et, bien sûr, de notre peuple. er nos différentes forces : les nôtres, dans le Nous avons vécu ces événements, dans la nord, et celles de l'Union patriotique du Comment avez-vous vécu, en août plaine du Sinjar et à Makhmour, comme de Kurdistan [UPK (1)], de Jalal Talabani, dans dernier, l'offensive des djihadistes de véritables tragédies. Heureusement, à la le sud. Daech, l'"Etat islamique"? Au plus fort de miseptembre, nos alliés ont lancé leurs pre- la crise, ils étaient à 40 kilomètres mières frappes aériennes stratégiques sur Comment peut-on venir en aide aux d'Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan en Irak... les positions de l'ennemi. Ils savent combi- nombreux réfugiés arrivés au Kurdistan en nous, les Kurdes, comptons pour la sta- irakien ces derniers mois? C'était terrible. Leur attaque brutale a com- bilité de la région. Ce soutien aérien a per- mencé en juin, avec la prise rapide de mis de modifier le rapport de forces. Par la C'est un défi humanitaire considérable. Des Mossoul [une ville de près de 3 millions suite, nous avons enfin obtenu les armes centaines de milliers de réfugiés et de per- d'habitants, dans le nord de l'Irak]. Les que nous demandions depuis des semaines, sonnes déplacées cherchent refuge - chré- forces militaires du gouvernement irakien et des forces spéciales amies ont commencé tiens, yézidis, turkmènes, arabes et d'autres du Premier ministre d'alors, Nouri al- à former nos peshmerga à un type de guerre minorités encore. Depuis une décennie, Maliki, se sont effondrées. Nos soldats kur- auquel nous n'étions pas habitués. fidèles à notre histoire, nous avons toujours des, les peshmerga, ont tout de suite occupé Récemment, nous avons été victorieux à la protégé ceux qui étaient persécutés. Je crois le vide laissé par l'armée irakienne en fuite, bataille de Zoumar. Les Américains et les que nous avons manifesté un grand senti- et réoccupé les zones peuplées de Kurdes, Français sont les premiers à nous être ment de tolérance et d'empathie, et je dois afin de les protéger des attaques des com- venus en aide et nous leur en sommes très dire que nous en sommes très fiers. battants de Daech. Cela nous a permis de reconnaissants. Aujourd'hui, nous faisons de notre mieux récupérer l'assiette territoriale que nous pour assurer la sécurité et fournir une aide n'avions cessé de réclamer depuis dix ans. Comment analysez-vous aujourd'hui la de première nécessité, soutenus, bien sûr, déroute, l'été dernier, de vos troupes, les par les organisations internationales. Cependant, tout s'est passé si vite que nos peshmerga? Ils sont pourtant considérés forces militaires étaient étirées à l'excès et comme de redoutables guerriers... Que pensez-vous de la bataille de dotées, pour l'essentiel, d'armes légères. Kobané? Voilà pourquoi, quelques semaines plus Nous avons été victimes d'un faux senti- tard, nous n'avons pas pu contenir l'offen- ment de sécurité. Nous vivons en paix Tout le monde reconnaît que les Kurdes ➤ 66 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➤ de Syrie se battent à Kobané de manière problèmes n'a été résolu. héroïque. Ils sont prêts à résister jusqu'à la mort et tiennent encore la ville aujourd'hui Où en êtes-vous, avec le gouvernement grâce à l'appui aérien de la coalition inter - de Bagdad, concernant le partage des nationale. Ils se battent contre les mêmes gisements et des revenus du pétrole? ennemis barbares qui nous ont attaqués en août dernier. C'est pourquoi, en accord avec Dès le départ, nous avons dit haut et fort nos alliés, nous avons décidé de leur envoy- que nous sommes les propriétaires de tout er les armes lourdes et les munitions dont ce qui ressort de notre sol. En conséquence, ils ont besoin. Elles ont été acheminées par le gouvernement kurde est libre d'exploiter nos propres peshmerga, en plus des armes les réserves de gaz et de pétrole présentes parachutées par les Américains. dans la zone kurde tant qu'il en informe le Des peshmerga convoient des armes à des- gouvernement central irakien. Bagdad n'est tination des assiégés de Kobané, en Syrie, à pas d'accord et interdisait aux compagnies la fin d'octobre. Des peshmerga convoient des armes à qui investissent en Irak de traiter directe- destination des assiégés de Kobané, en ment avec nous. La situation était devenue Avez-vous été surpris par l'attitude de la Syrie, à la fin d'octobre. très tendue en 2009 ; nous étions dans l'im- Turquie, qui a longtemps refusé de laiss- REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis passe jusqu'à ce que des majors comme er passer vos armes? Exxon et Chevron décident de passer outre et d'investir dans notre zone. Nous avons La situation régionale est d'une complexité tions. Nous avons aussi essayé d'exploiter ainsi commencé à développer et exploiter extrême. Nombre de pays voisins ne parta- nos ressources pour construire une nos champs de pétrole. Auparavant, Bagdad gent pas les mêmes objectifs et leurs straté- économie dynamique et établir un climat s'est longtemps obstiné à nous mettre des gies divergent. Nous essayons de promou- stable favorable aux affaires. En assurant la bâtons dans les roues. voir l'unité, comme l'urgence de la situation sécurité sur notre territoire, nous sommes l'exige. Mais c'est une tâche difficile. Le con- parvenus à attirer des investisseurs qui Nous avons dû trouver des moyens pour flit est à niveaux multiples, ce qui rend nous aident à développer la région. Sur le exporter notre production sans passer par chaque action très compliquée. plan diplomatique, nous avons cherché à le territoire irakien. Cela nous a amenés à adopter une approche pragmatique. Nous développer des liens avec la Turquie, pour Avez-vous toujours le projet de créer un entretenons de bonnes relations avec ceux construire un oléoduc qui transporte le pét- Etat indépendant? de nos voisins qui en sont désireux. role du Kurdistan à Ceyhan [port turc]. Le pétrole et le gaz ont permis à notre Bien sûr, nous souhaitons l'indépendance. Nous nous sommes rapprochés de la économie de faire un grand bond en avant. Je pense que nous la méritons. Dans les cir- Turquie, sur la base d'intérêts communs. Nous prévoyons d'atteindre, en 2015, une constances actuelles, ce n'est plus notre pri- Car, que nous le voulions ou non, nous production de1 million de barils par jour. orité, mais nous y travaillerons en bâtissant sommes un pays enclavé. Depuis des notre unité et notre autonomie. Pour le années, notre préoccupation principale a Qu'attendez-vous de la France? moment, notre préoccupation est surtout toujours été la sécurité. Notre survie en de renforcer nos forces militaires avec dépend. Hier comme aujourd'hui, c'est tou- Depuis 1991 [et l'insurrection des Kurdes l'aide de nos alliés afin d'améliorer notre jours le cas. d'Irak, au lendemain de la guerre du Golfe], capacité de dissuasion. la France n'a cessé de témoigner son amitié Quelles sont vos relations avec l'Etat à notre égard. Les Français ont été les pre- Quel rôle ont joué les Américains central irakien? miers à demander une intervention human- lorsque vous avez commencé à essayer itaire en notre faveur lorsque nous subis- de doter votre région d'une certaine Elles ont toujours été difficiles. Des sions les attaques féroces des forces de autonomie? principes prévus par la Constitution iraki- Saddam Hussein. Grâce à l'aide des enne, adoptée en 2005, n'ont toujours pas Britanniques et des Américains, nous avons Après l'intervention de nos alliés améri- été mis en oeuvre. Depuis 2006 et l'arrivée bénéficié d'une protection aérienne. N cains en 2003, nous avons très étroitement au pouvoir du chiite Nouri al-Maliki coopéré avec eux. Nous avons protégé leurs [Premier mi nistre jusqu'en 2014, puis vice- président], beaucoup de questions n'ont forces durant les combats en établissant MAssOuD BArzAnI En 5 DATEs une zone de sécurité qui leur a permis de se pas été résolues. Bien que nous ayons une réorganiser. Grâce à l'intervention de Constitution, Bagdad a toujours été réticent à l'idée de partager le pouvoir, comme ini- 1946 Le 16 août, naissance à Mahabad Washington, nous avons pu créer une véri- (aujourd'hui en Iran). 1979 Succède à son table administration, qui n'était jusqu'alors tialement prévu, dans le cadre de l'Etat irakien. père, Mustafa Barzani, comme leader du pas assez développée. Nous avons aussi mis KDP. 2005 Le 14 juin, élu président de la en place des institutions, avec un parlement Région autonome du Kurdistan (irakien) qui représente les minorités religieuses et Le statut de Kirkouk a été une première pierre d'achoppement : cette ville a tou- par le Parlement régional. 2009 En juillet, les diverses sensibilités politiques des réélu président lors du premier scrutin au Kurdes. jours été essentielle pour nous depuis que Saddam Hussein en expulsa de nombreux suffrage universel, avec 69,6% des voix. 2013 En juin, en raison de l'offensive mil- Depuis la création du nouvel Etat Kurdes, pour les remplacer par des Arabes. Il y a aussi la question du sort de territoires itaire de Daech, le Parlement du irakien, en 2005, quel est votre position- Kurdistan irakien prolonge son mandat à nement stratégique dans la région? que nous revendiquons, qui devait se régler avec l'organisation d'un référendum. Or la présidence de deux ans. cette consultation n'a jamais eu lieu. Le Depuis 2005, trois élections ont eu lieu dans (1) L'UPK est depuis des décennies le parti de bonnes conditions. Nous avons essayé de partage du pouvoir entre les diverses com- munautés ethniques et religieuses est un rival du PDK, le Parti démocratique du nous développer comme une démocratie, Kurdistan, dirigé par Massoud Barzani. bien sûr, en respectant le jeu des institu- autre dossier en suspens. Aucun de ces 67 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoictu-Berheuoka Cøpê-Riaístø Stømpa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti Larmée de Bachar al-Assad reprend pied MARDI 25 NOVEMBRE2OI4 dans le nord de la Syrie et resserre son étau sur Alep oÌr les rebeltes résistent, aidés par les ftappes occidentales contre I'Etat islamique. depuis un mois lunifÍcation des formations ar- mées disparates qui défendent la ville. La coa- lition d'opposition a créé lundi une cellule de crise pour < 68 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheuokø Çøpê-Riaista S tømpa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti la confrontatÍon entre trois protagonistes affai- blß. S¡ÈcE. La formation d'Al-Qaeda historique, i qui vient de reprend¡e le contrôle d'une grande Á¿mes partie de la région d'Icllib et d'en chasser no- tamment les < LES FAITS DU JOUR r Le ¡ocrótaire améric¡ln à l¡ Dófonre, Chuck Hegol, a annoncé sa démission lors d'une intervention commune avec Barack Obama. Cette démission serait en partie liée à des différends sur la stratégie å adopter contre le groupe Etat islamique (El) en lrak et en Syrie, avance le New YorkTimes. r Lo¡ comb¡tt¡nt¡ kurdc¡ ont ¡vancó dans la nuit de dimanche à lundi à Kobané, dans le nord de la Syrie, où ils combattent depuis mi-septembre les jihadistes de I'El. ¡ L'¡vi¡tion ¡móricaino a mcnó g frappec contre I'Etat islamique en Syrie depuis vendredi et t5 frappes en lrak, a annoncé hier le commande- ment central américain, I Âu moin¡ deux Britanniqucs, dont un enc¡en ¡oldat, seraient actuelle- ment en Syrie où ils aurqient rejoint les combattantE kurdes contre le Des habitants d'Alep se hâtent après un bombardement de,lbrmée syrienne effectué groupe Etat islamigue, selon les à l'aide de vieux barils de pétrole transformés en bombe et remplis de morceaux de métal. médias britanniques qui citent leurs pages Facebook. PHOTO RAMI ZAYATREUÍERS < 69 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 21 novembre 2014 Les Kurdes sont les principales victimes des accords Sykes-Picot Khaled Issa des Kurdes contre la domination la Turquie a, depuis le début, 21 Novembre, 2014 turque et prévoit leur droit à un soutenu Daesh (« État islamique www.humanite.fr État indépendant. Mais il n’est ») contre nous, les Kurdes qui pas appliqué et dès l’année sui- résistent à Kobané, c’est moins es Kurdes comptent parmi vante, alors que les Alliés occu- des revendications territoriales Lles principales victimes des pent Istanbul, il est annulé par le que la peur de l’exemple démo- accords Sykes-Picot et des trai- traité d’Ankara, qui donne l’ac- cratique que nous donnons au tés internationaux qui ont suivi tuel territoire du Rojava à la monde par notre organisation, la Première Guerre mondiale, Syrie passée sous mandat fran- notre résistance et la place qu’y jusqu’à l’établissement définitif çais. L’armée française se reti- occupent les femmes, à égalité des frontières de la Turquie en rera sans se soucier du sort des totale avec les hommes. Nous 1939. Lorsqu’en mai 1916, le minorités qu’elle était supposée avons choisi la voie de la plura- Britannique Sykes et le Français protéger, comme les malheu- lité ethnique et confessionnelle, Picot décident du futur partage reux Arméniens. En 1923, le à la différence de cette Turquie de l’Empire ottoman contre qui traité de Lausanne ne mentionne par Khaled Issa, représentant soi-disant laïque mais qui a éli- ils sont en guerre et qu’ils consi- même plus les Kurdes. Par la du Parti démocratique du miné les chrétiens de sa société, dèrent comme vaincu, les fron- suite, en 1926 et 1929, plusieurs Kurdistan de Syrie (PYD) opprime les alevis et a soutenu tières qu’ils tracent passent à rectifications de frontières ont les forces islamistes les plus travers des territoires peuplés lieu entre la Turquie et la Syrie, aujourd’hui encore elle voudrait réactionnaires pour tenter de par des Kurdes qui ignorent tout J comportant à chaque fois des reprendre le canton de Djezireh, mettre la main sur la Syrie. de ces accords secrets. En 1920, concessions territoriales à la plus grand que le Liban et riche pourtant, le traité de Sèvres Turquie : ainsi, en 1929, elle en pétrole! Mais ce qui fait que reconnaît la légitimité de la lutte reçoit 12 villages kurdes, et 21 novembre 2014 d’Alexandrette, rattaché à la Syrie sous mandat français, La Turquie et le syndrome mais rétrocédé par la France sous le Front populaire, sous prétexte qu’il aurait été à majo- du traité de Sèvres rité peuplé de Turcs. En fait, il s’agissait de réintégrer la porté un coup d’arrêt à l’avan- Turquie dans le concert des par Didier Billion, Directeur cée des Alliés sur le terrain. Les nations alors que des bruits de adjoint de l'IRIS (1), spécialiste accords Sykes-Picot, qui étaient bottes se faisaient à nouveau de la Turquie à la base de ce traité, ne seront entendre du côté de 21 Novembre, 2014, appliqués qu’aux parties arabes l’Allemagne. Ce qui me semble www.humanite.fr de l’empire (Syrie, Liban, fondamental, c’est que la Égypte, Irak). Sinon, la Turquie Turquie souffre toujours près la guerre de 1914- aurait été réduite à une petite aujourd’hui du syndrome du A1918, la Turquie s’est portion de territoire autour traité de Sèvres : l’idée qu’elle retrouvée du côté des vaincus et d’Ankara, ce qui était inaccepta- est entourée d’ennemis qui ne les révoltes arabes. De plus, les en a payé le prix par une réduc- ble pour le peuple turc qui s’est lui veulent que du mal et qu’elle Grecs cherchaient à s’émanciper tion de son territoire. Mais cela rallié à Mustafa Kemal pour doit se méfier de tout le monde. à l’ouest, les Kurdes à l’est. n’est pas directement lié aux faire reculer les troupes fran- Ce qui explique peut-être en Après la défaite germano- accords Sykes-Picot. Au çaises et britanniques et imposer partie l’attitude actuelle du pré- turque, le traité de Sèvres, en moment de leur signature, en un nouveau traité : celui de sident Recep Tayyip Erdogan.J 1916, la Turquie était déjà large- 1920, prévoit de partager Lausanne en 1923 où il n’était ment amputée par la présence l’Empire ottoman entre les plus question d’un État kurde. des armées britannique, fran- Européens, les Kurdes et les Par la suite, ni Mustafa Kemal çaise et italienne qui occupaient Arméniens. Il ne sera jamais ni ses successeurs n’ont reven- plusieurs régions et soutenaient appliqué en raison de la résis- diqué de modification des tance de Mustafa Kemal qui a frontières, sauf le Sandjak 70 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti more than 300 thoUSand diSPlaced www.ekurd.net yezidi KUrdS in KUrdiStan region november 24, 2014 Kurdistan region erbil: The Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister’s envoy for peo- ple who fled Islamic State IS group from Sinjar, Dr. Nouri Osman Sinjari, news in brief said that since the capture of the town by ISIS, 263,000 have fled to Duhok, 20,000 to Erbil, 20,000 to Slêmanî, and a few to neighbouring Turkey and Syria. He said many have been rescued from Sinjar Mountain. In an inter- view with KRG.org, Dr. Nouri said the “KRG established this special repre- sentation office to monitor the situation and assess the needs of displaced people who fled ISIS persecution from Sinjar and its environs and who U.S. welcomeS oil deal between sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region due to the takeover of their home- land”. With the arrival of winter rains and colder temperatures their needs iraqi KUrdiStan and baghdad have greatly increased. About 10,000 people, mostly Yezidi Kurds, have november 22, 2014 decided to remain on Sinjar Mountain with Peshmerga and volunteer fight- istanbl: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden welcomed an agreement between ers to defend their homeland. Dr. Nouri Osman Sinjari highlighted insuffi- Iraq's central government and its northern Kurdistan region over the man- cient response by the Iraqi government in meeting the emergency needs of agement of oil exports, a step forward in a feud that has threatened the the displaced people who fled to the Kurdistan Region. The Region is host unity of Iraq. After years of friction, the two sides last week struck a deal in to 1.4 million displaced people from center-south Iraq, including 70,000 which Kurds will give half of their overall oil shipments to the federal gov- Christians and 300,000 Yezidis from Nineveh Governorate, and more than ernment and Baghdad will pay overdue civil servants' salaries in the region. 200,000 refugees from Syria...krg.org | ekurd.net "I was encouraged to see the recent interim agreement between Baghdad and Erbil on managing exports and revenue sharing," Biden told an Atlantic Council summit on energy and the economy in Istanbul on Saturday. Oil KUrdiSh PeShmerga and Shiite has been at the heart of a feud between the Arab-led government in militiaS vie for control of Baghdad and the ethnic Kurdish-run northern enclave, which dispute con- liberated town trol over oilfields, territory and crude revenues shared between the two regions. Baghdad has said it alone has the authority to control exports and november 25, 2014 sign contracts, while the Kurds say their right to do so is enshrined in the erbil: Peshmerga forces have asked the Shiite Badr brigade to handover the Iraqi constitution. Biden also said that Washington supported the develop- control of Saadiya in northern Diyala to the Kurds a day after the town was ment of an oil pipeline from southern Iraq's Basra oilfields to Turkey's liberated from Islamist militants, a Peshmerga spokesman said. “There is Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, a project which Turkey has long advocated the Badr brigade in Saadiya now and we need to negotiate with them in despite reluctance in Baghdad. reuters order to take the town back from that militia force,” Brigadier Ahmed Latif, Peshmerga spokesperson in the area told Rudaw. “They [Shiite militia] helped the Peshmerga in taking back the town,” Latif added. Kurdish Syrian KUrdS SeeKing relation with Peshmerga forces launched a massive attack on the Islamic State (ISIS) in anKara: official Jalawla and Saadiya in the early hours of Sunday morning in which 20 Peshmerga fighters were killed and 49 others were wounded. “Many ISIS november 22, 2014 militants were killed but most of their bodies are lost under the rubble or A Democratic Union Party (PYD) foreign relation commission member said drowned in Sirwan River,” said Latif. Shiite militia leaders claimed to have Kurds in Syrian Kurdistan are eager to have ties with the government in played a major role in the offensive, but on Monday the Ministry of Ankara and said the party sees no problem in relation between Ankara and Peshmerga said that both towns were “liberated only by the Kurdish the Kurdish government in the north of Baghdad. Shirzad Yazidi told Peshmerga forces.” “In Saadiya Iraqi federal troops took part in the offen- Asharq al-Awsat the PYD not only does not oppose to Erbil-Ankara rela- sive, too” Jabar Yawar, Peshmerga ministry chief of staff said in a statement. tion, but also is keen to make ties with Turkey and has asked the Turkish The Kurdish Peshmerga and Shiite militias have clashed on a few occasions government to make ties with the Syrian Kurds self-announced autonomy in the past in Tuz Khurmatu and Amerli where militia groups maintain a in Syrian Kurdistan. He further asked Ankara to change its policies towards heavy presence...rudaw.net Syrian Kurds as it did with Kurds in northern Iraq and said Ankara should learn from its opposing stance towards Erbil but then changing it and mak- ing the Kurdish region one of its key allies. He went on to say that Syrian 230 PeShmerga trained by tUrKiSh Kurds make no threat to Ankara and the Turkish state is better to stall its SoldierS sectarian and anti-Kurdish policies, voicing his hope that Erbil could encourage Ankara to change its stance towards Syrian Kurds. kurdpress.ir november 25, 2014 | ekurd.net Some 230 Peshmerga forces of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have been trained by Turkish soldiers so far in northern Iraq, a sen- ior Turkish Foreign Ministry official has told the Hürriyet Daily News. US congreSS to conSider bill to Turkey has been providing “subsidiary” military training for the arm PeShmerga following Senior Peshmerga forces and the process will continue for as long as necessary, according to the official. Ankara has been conducting the training program Krg viSit to waShington for one month. Meanwhile, Turkey and the U.S. have been trying to narrow november 24, 2014 ‘tactical differences” in discussions for the training and equipping program washington: A four-day visit of senior Kurdistan Regional Government for moderate Syrian opposition groups, according to the same official, who (KRG) officials culminated in the introduction of a resolution to Congress added that any final agreement would have to be approved by Parliament that would authorise the US government to supply military equipment, after a legal examination of the text. The train-equip program envisages the weapons, and training directly to Kurdish Peshmerga Forces. Dr Fuad training of some 5,000 Syrians every year, 2,000 of whom will be trained in Hussein, Chief of Staff to President Masoud Barzani, and Minister Falah Turkey...hurriyetdailynews.com Mustafa, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, concluded their visit to Washington on Thursday with meetings with senior US administration officials and members of Congress. Throughout the week the delegation Syrian government air StriKeS Kill had conducted numerous meetings with members of Congress and were 63 in raqqa: monitoring groUP pleased to see the bill introduced to the House Foreign Affairs Committee November 26, 2014 on the last day of their visit to Washington. Dr Hussein said, ‘We applaud Beirut: At least 63 people, half of them civilians, were killed when Syrian Congress on the introduction of this historic bill, which not only demon- war planes struck the northeastern city of Raqqa on Tuesday, according to strates American commitment to fighting terrorism, but reaffirms the long- the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria. standing alliance between the US and people of the Kurdistan Syrian government officials were not immediately available for comment. Region.’..krp.org Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Britain-based Observatory, said 10 ⇒ 71 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ⇒ war planes struck at least 10 times in Raqqa, a stronghold of the ultra- group against the Peshmerga in the last 24 hours. On Tuesday IS militants, hardline group Islamic State. "The majority of the strikes were in the east- including two suicide bombers attacked the Kurdish positions near the ern part of the city," Abdulrahman said, quoting residents and activists in dam, but they were repelled, leaving several dead behind. rudaw.net | the city. "At least 36 of those killed are civilians. As for the rest, we are not ekurd.net sure yet if they were fighters." Islamic State, which has seized wide expans- es of territory in Iraq and Syria, drove the last Syrian government forces out KUrdiStan Parliament aUthorizeS of Raqqa province in late August. Its fighters seized an air base then, cap- turing and later executing scores of Syrian soldiers...reuters Krg to Sell itS oil november 28, 2014 KUrdiSh PeShmerga laUncheS wide erbil: The Deputy Chairman of the Energy Committee in Kurdistan Parliament, Dilshad Shaaban revealed Thursday, that the parliament offi- oPeration in qare taPe and liberate cially recommended the delegation of the Kurdistan negotiating with foUr villageS Baghdad to demand the share of the region amounted to 17% of the gener- al budget, stressing that the Parliament authorized Kurdistan Regional november 26, 2014 Government KRG to sell oil if the parties did not reach a “final solution”. ource in Diyala revealed on Wednesday, that Kurdish Peshmerga forces Shaaban said, “The Kurdistan Regional Parliament issued a recommenda- launched at dawn Wednesday, a large-scale military operation in Qare tion to the Kurdish delegation negotiator with Baghdad on the budget of Tape sub-district and its suburbs to expel the remnants of Islamic State IS the Kurdistan region, that includes emphasis on Baghdad’s obligation to group militants from the region, while the Iraqi army was able to liberate pay dues to the region from the budget, amounting to 17%.” He also point- three villages south the sub-district. An informed sources aid that “The ed out that, “The Parliament authorized Government of the Territory to sell operation comes to eliminate terrorist elements in Tabaj area and villages in oil in the event of failure to reach a final solution with Baghdad to provide Qara Tapa", noting that Peshmerga forces are making great progress, and financial dues.” Shaaban added , “The KRG can sell its oil, according to Law the IS militants cannot face Peshmerga and they are fleeing in front of it. He No. 5 of 2013, the act to identify and obtain financial benefits for the noted that Peshmerga will announce in the coming hours liberating those Kurdistan region of Iraq from the federal ministries,” elaborating that, “the areas and resolve things in its favor soon. The source pointed out that the Parliament of the Kurdistan region demanded the government to submit a Iraqi army launched an offensive against the IS militants' positions south of draft of the law of Kurdistan firm for the marketing of oil to the parliament Qare Tape, adding that it is also able to liberate al-Saraf , Sari Tapa and al- the region on Wednesday.” iraqinews.com | ekurd.net Awamer villages and expelled IS militants from them. The source did not mention the number of dead and wounded in the ranks of IS militants dur- ing those battles or the sacrifices of Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces. PeShmerga recaPtUre villageS shafaaq.com | ekurd.net from iSiS, Killing 12 militantS november 30, 2014 State of law doUbtS the oil erbil: Kurdish forces have pushed back the Islamic State (ISIS) near Gwer agreement with KUrdiStan region southwest of Erbil in a major assault Sunday morning, killing 12 militants, a Peshmerga commander said. Captain Amin Karim said that his forces november 27, 2014 have taken back the villages of Kushaf and Saqiyah from the ISIS militants. baghdad: The state of law coalition questioned the details of the last oil “The bodies of 12 ISIS militants are in our hands and we destroyed three of agreement between Iraq's federal government and the Kurdistan region, their hummers,” he said. Cpt. Karim added, “A Peshmerga captain was calling for the Ministry of Oil to provide clarification for it. MP, of the state also killed in the fight.” He said that the ISIS militants “are in disarray and of law, Saleh al-Hasnawi said, at a joint news conference with the House of on the retreat, but we don’t want to advance fast due to the booby traps and Representatives Khalaf Abdul Samad and Jassim Mohammed Jaafar bombs.” rudaw.net Wednesday " Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani in the conference with the PM of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu, said that the 150 000 barrels, which the region pledged to provide to federal government is from Kirkuk oil- 11 iraqi KUrdiSh PeShmerga woUnded fields not from the fields of the region, as Barzani pointed that the central in Syria'S Kobani Ministry of Oil waivered Kirkuk oilfields to the Kurds and Kirkuk and its oil subsidiary of the province. " He added, "The central government will november 30, 2014 pay 17% share of the budget, which is valued at more than $ 17 billion com- erbil: As Syrian Kurdish fighters and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces con- pared to $ 4.3 billion, if the value of oil selling at $ 8." He said, "Barzani's tinue to fight Islamic State militants in Kobani of Syrian Kurdistan, it has remarks came when Oglu said that his government has adopted a sales buy been revealed that 11 Peshmerga have been wounded, two of them critical- of Iraqi oil through the Turkish pipeline in the Turkish bank back to the ly. A division of Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga has been in the besieged city of AKP." MP, Abdul Samad asked "whether the agreement included oil of Kobani for more than a month, supporting the Kurdish fighters of the region or not, and whether Kurdistan received approval from the federal People’s Protection Units (YPG) who have resisted the extremist group for govt for export, and how will be the south and center fields revenues, and more than two months. The Peshmerga have been heavily involved in the do the people of the southern and central provinces bear the burden of the clashes, resulting in the injuries to the eleven fighters. They have been budget."...ninanews.com | ekurd.net brought back to the Iraqi Kurdistan region. A Peshmerga soldier in Kobani confirmed the number of the injured and said that the 151 Peshmerga are expected to return to the Kurdistan region on MondayDec.1st, They will be KUrdiSh forceS Kill 124 iSlamic replaced by another division. The soldier, who wished to remain anony- State militantS near moSUl dam mous, revealed that the wounded Peshmerga fighters initially received treatment in Turkey before they were flown back to the Kurdistan Region. november 27, 2014 The first group of Peshmerga entered Kobani via Turkey on October 28th. erbil: Kurdish military commanders said that their forces killed 124 Islamic The Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani has been under attack from Islamic State State (IS) militants, including seven leaders near the Mosul Dam on since September 16th with majority of residents have fled across the border Wednesday. “IS fighters launched a wide scale attack on the Peshmerga to Turkey, and are now facing winter in refugee camps such as those near positions today, in Sahlij village and Ein Mani'a west of the Mosul dam, but suruc. basnews.com | ekurd.net the Peshmerga forces confronted them and repelled the attacks,” said a sen- NNN ior military commander in the area.The commander said that among the killed are seven IS leaders and that the bodies of 70 dead militants are in the hands of the Peshmerga forces. According to the Peshmerga, most of the militants who were killed today were of Uzbek and Chechen nationality. The Kurdish commander named the IS leaders as: Abu Bilal, Abu Baraa al- Turki, Abu Akram al-Turki, Abu Muslim al-Turki, Abu Sumaya al-Turki, Abu Abdul Hmaid al-Turki and Muhamad Rasul Beg al Masri. Only two Peshmerga fighters were wounded in the attack, according to the com- mander. Today’s confrontations were the second attack by the Islamic 72 Reaue de Presse-Press Reuiaa-Berheookn Cøpê-Riaistø S tampa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti MARDI 25 NOVEMBRE zor¿ visible à ldlib, I'un des pre- miers gouvernorats à s'être soulevé militairement contre le régime d'Al-Assad. Ces cléfectiors tiennent aussi à la débandade des rebelles modérés du Front des révo- lutionnaires syriens (tr'RS) et d'Harakat Hazm. Financés et armés par les Etats-Unis et l'Arabie Saoudite, ni salafis- tes, ni jihadistes, ni même Frères musulmans, ils incar- naient aux yeux de Washing- ton l'opposition quasi idéale au régime syrien. Une image renforcée en janvier dernier lorsque le FRS était Parvenu à chasser I'EI de la région. Mais peu à peu, les relations avec Ie FYont al-Nusra se sont lendues, sur fond de lutte poul le contrôle de Ia contre- bande du pétrole avec la Tì¡r- De la frontière turque, des hommes regardent les combats à Kobané, le zó octobre. lJEtat islamique quie, Début novembre, Ie y a perdu 85o combattants du fait des frappes américaines mais reste fort ailleurs. pHoro B.KtLtc. AFp conflit est devenu guerle ouverte. En quelques jours, le Front al-Nusra a chassé Les frappes américaines redistribuent les cartes < gr oup e s étaient armé s p ar le s Etats-Unß et qu'ils allqient ù de disparition terme se tourner contre Al- Qaeda. Le s b ombordements améncqins ont probablement airsÍ à Kobqné. Dqns le reste du cle Raqqa et Dei¡ Ezzor, consntué un déclencheur>>, il y a un mois, que quelques villages à la f-\)était poys, les froppes n'ont eu explique Aron Lund, éditeur f dans Ia nuit du 22 au frontière turque. øucun Et sur le Pløn Poli- U zar"ptembre. Poulla ffiL de Slrinin CYßís pour Ia Fon- nque, le bilan e st dé s astreux. Les frappes américaines ont première fois depuis le début dation Carnegie. IIEI ne pouvait rêver mietx également agi colrune un ar- du conflit, des missiles tirés ,,Accordsn. Egalement visé pour amélÍorer sonimage alors gument idéal pour I'ecruter. par des avions de chasse et par les bornbardements qu' il étciit haï p ar une møj or ité < La møj orité de s i eune s av e c des navÍres américains vi- amér'icains, Al-Qaeda ne pa- de SynÊns. utx grouPes qui combattais ont reioint saient I'Etat islamique (Et) et Qtnnt Je raît en revanche plus en me- rebelles modérés, soutenus I'El ces dernières semnines. Al-Qaeda dans le nord et Wr sure de lutter contre I'EI. Les Même si nous ne sommes Pas I'est de la Syrie. Les fraPPes deux'groupes se cléfient de- les Etqts-Unis, ils sont dé- d'qccord avec eux sur lqma- se sont poursuivies, surtout puis que I'EI a tenté d'absor- sormais dqns une positíon nière dontils ont crééleur cali- à Ifubané, au Kurdistan. En ber Ie Front al-Nusra en internble >>, explique Thomas ce sont des musulmans un mois de bombardements, fat, 2013. En septembre, Abou Pierret, maître dé conféren- sunnites bombcrdés par les environ 850 jihadistes et ces (Ecosse). Mohammad Al-Joulani, le Edimburg Américqins. C' est normal de 50 civils ont été tués, selon à chef du Front al-Nusra, a dé- Dóband¡de. Hormis Itu- les øider>>, explique un jiha- jÍhadistes cidé de passer à I'of- I'Observ¿toite sYrien des bañé, oÌr les recu- diste du Front al-Nusra, la ti- fensive. Il a convo- droits de I'homme (osOH). lent, I'El n'a perdu aucune liale syrienne d'Al -Qaeda. qué la plupart des < 73 Reoue de Presse-Press Reoian-Berheaoka Çøpê-Riaista Stnmpa-Dentro de lø Prensn-Basin Özeti tière turque. < MÀRDI25 NOVEMBRE2OI4 Fabrice Balanche, qpécialiste de la géographie politique de la ffie, analyse la tactique payante de Bachar al-Assad: ¡ < A I'automne20l2, lafinduré- leterro celuiquiestcapablederétablirta : A gime de Bachar al-Assad decont yécuritéleplusrapidementpossÍ- L In'avaitjamaissembléaussi bleàla ble.Parallèlement, lerégimeatout Í proche.Larébellionavançaitdans duconflitrésidedansl'utilisation Aujourd'hui, il contrôle 40% du faitpourempêcher.touievienor- les faubourgs de Damas, progressait d'outils de sciences humaines, po- territoire syrien habité, mais les male dans les zones tenues par les à Alep, contrôlait la longue fron- litiques et sociales inadaptés à une trois quarts de la population ré- insurgés pour éviter qu'une région tièreturque,s'imposaitdansl'Est, .situationdeguerreetparcequele sidente, estimée à 18 millions, correctementadministréenede- parvenaitàtenircertainsquartiers régimed'Al-Assadn'estpasunré- puisque 5 millions sont réfugiés vienne un contre-modèle. Les deHoms, longtempslecæurbat- glme< s'enfufu les éléments cace contre une opposition m¡fs non , pour obliger les civils ¡ Tabqa et les massacres de soldats. par ses divisions et la montée sn fiables, polr éviter qu'ils ne trahis- rcster dans votre camþ. Il est égale- Mais elie a vite resserré les rangs. puissancedel'Etatislamique(EI), sentenpleinephasedereconquête. mentindispensabledemaintenirla Lesforcesquimanquentaurégime il apparalt aujourd'hui'en position Les défections d'officiers supé- sécurité et le bon fonctionnemen¡ sont compensées par le Hezlollah, de force. Spécialiste de la géogra- rieurs et de membres du gouverne- des institutions dans la zone que fort d'environ 20 000 hommes, et phieþolitique de la Swie, directeur ment durant l'été 20L2 n'étaient vous contrôlez pour prouver aux ci- par les volontaires chiites irakiens. du Groupe de recherches et d'étu qu'une purge 74 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheaokn Çøpê- Riaistn Stømpa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Bnsin Özeti insurgés brÍllent I constituerait pour Bachar al-Assad truction n'est pas souhaitable car . Ces derniers, la une victoire symbolique etstraté- Al-Assad sait que, pour Obâma, ce Saoudite et le Qa- gique qui sonnerait le glas de I'in- n'est plus lui le danger, mais I'Etat t chacun leur surrectiondanslenord-ouestdela islamique. D'ailleurs, les Etats- les divisions Syrie. Il suffira ensuite de conteni¡ Unis s'efforcent déjà de modérer les deux frères jumeaux islamistes, les ardeurs anti-Al-Assad de leurs d'Alep est-elle Daech fcutre nom de I'EI, ndlr] er alliés régionaux. durégime? Al Nusra, dans l'.est ou dans quel- Recueíllípar euxième ville du ques poches de I'Anti-Liban þme PERRIN itié détruite, chaîne de montagnesl. Leur des- 'EAN-PIERRE MARDI 25 NOVEMBRE 2OI4 DtPLoMATtE Les Etats-unis ont dt accepter lundi de négocier durant sept mois supplémentaires. /-\ saitpas encore quand et oìr. un programme nucléaire ci- I De quoÍ exciter les républi- vil. Par ailleurs, un autre \J cains américairu, qui depuis point positif est avancé par puissances des ont beau dé- les Midterms de novembre un iliplomate européen sous Ie rouge à rouler tapis la Ré- sont majoritaires dans les couvert d'anonymát : < 75 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 20, 2014 20 kilometres from the city but were driven back by peshmerga forces in co-ordination Suicide car bombing with U.S. airstrikes. Wednesday’s attack was the first major incident in the city since a co-ordinated bom- kills four in Iraq Kurdish bing on the directorate of security in September 2013. At a checkpoint outside of Erbil on capital Wednesday evening, security services were stopping all Arabs and cars with Baghdad registered number plates from entering the Iraqi security forces stand at city. Arabs make up approximately 10% of the site where a suicide Erbil’s population. bomber detonated an explo- Peshawa Ahmed, a young Kurd returning sives-rigged vehicle in the to Erbil from visiting family in Halabja, said Iraqi Kurdish regional capi- security forces normally struck a balance bet- tal Erbil on Nov. 19, 2014. ween maintaining the peace and not discrimi- nating against Arabs. “Tonight it’s different though,” he said. “I hope they [the Arabs] can return home tomorrow.” Campbell MacDiarmid, While many Kurds were stoic, the attack Special to National Post | worried an already edgy international com- November 20, 2014 munity. Many foreign workers were evacua- bomber detonated a car bomb after security ted in August and some had been slow to guards blocked the entrance to the gover- rbil, Kurdistan Region — A fatal suicide return. Tom Robinson, director of local cha- nor’s office. bombing in Erbil has set on edge the nor- rity Rise Foundation said: “All NGO workers E The identity of the bomber was not mally peaceful capital of the Kurdistan region are now basically on lock down.” immediately apparent but the location of the of Iraq. Given the proximity to ISIS, the relative attack in the heart of the capital raised fears The attack occurred at noon on infrequency of attacks indicated the effecti- that more potential attackers may have infil- Wednesday outside the governorate office veness of Kurdish security forces according trated the city. near the city centre. The blast killed four and to some. Samuel Morris, a research fellow at The autonomous region has been a lead injured 29, according to a statement by the Kurdish think-tank Middle East Research ally of the U.S. and other countries, including Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Institute, said: “The fact that this is so far an Canada, who are fighting the Islamic State of Erbil deputy governor Tahir Abdullah isolated incident shows how active the Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS). told local news outlet Rudaw that a suicide Kurdish security services have been.” I In August, ISIS fighters came as close as November 25, 2014 Peshmerga spokesman: the main goal is to retake our Kurdish lands from ISIS rudaw.net — 25/11/2014 By Campbell MacDiarmid RBIL, Kurdistan Region – EKurdish forces fighting along- side Iraqi troops and Shiite militia- men have liberated the two largest areas of Diyala province from the Islamic State (ISIS ), regaining important water and oil supplies and a strategic highway running Secretary-General of the from Baghdad to the Iranian bor- Kurdish Peshmerga forces, der, the Peshmerga spokesman Jabbar Yawar. said. Lieutenant General Jabar Displaced Yazidis, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Yawar said in an interview with was captured by the Peshmerga Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sinjar town, walk Rudaw that the areas of Jalawla alone, but pushing the militants towards the Syrian border in August 11, 2014. (Reuters Photos.) and Sadiya, which were recaptu- out of Sadiya had been a joint red in battles Sunday, had been effort. were liberated and we can say that He added that ISIS fighters under ISIS control for three “These were the two largest ISIS now has no significant pre- had retreated to the Hamrain months. He added that Jalawla areas in Diyala province which sence in that area,” Yawar said. mountain, and that a joint ➡ 76 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➡ operation with the Iraqi Army Telkef and Hamdania, and that number of martyrs,” he disclosed, only source of support for ammu- is underway against them. plans are underway to free without giving numbers or other nition and weapons. We don't Yawar explained why Jalawla Shingal. details. “We don’t know the exact have other sources of support and and Sadiya are strategically “The main goal is to retake number of ISIS killed, but it's a we need more.” important. our Kurdish lands, then we will large number, especially taking Yawar explained that the “There are two dams in this continue fighting ISIS within the into account the coalition airs- Peshmerga had been receiving area that hold a lot of water and international coalition and along- trikes,” he added. instruction in street fighting, sni- supply Jalawla and Baghdad. side the Iraqi government,” Yawar “Peshmerga forces have reco- per training and in bomb detec- Naftahnah, an area rich in oil, is said. vered up to 70 enemy bodies at a tion and defusion. nearby. Moreover, there is an “We can't say how long we time, but other times ISIS forces “The Peshmerga have only important highway which goes will need to win this fight. ISIS have taken their dead with them been receiving this training for from Khanaqin (near the Iranian controls a large area in Iraq – before retreating,” he said. two months, and while already border) to Diyala and Baghdad,” around four provinces, and a large Yawar said that equipment some of the effects of this training he said. “It is a very important area Syria. It will take a lot of and training received from the have begun to appear, it's still trade road which links Iraq to time, effort and fighting to beat West had helped in the war. early and they need more time,” Iran.” them.” “But we cannot say that it is he said. Yawar said that the only Yawar added that 160,000 enough. As long as the fighting Yawar denied that the Peshmerga Kurdish areas left under ISIS Peshmerga forces are involved in continues we will need support. were planning on starting their control are Shingal, Bashika, the war. “We have had a large The international coalition is our own air force. I Islamic State Group Attacks Kobani From Turkey November 29, 2014, BEIRUT —By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press ThE ISlAMIC STATE group launched an attack Saturday on the Syrian border town of Kobani from Turkey, a Kurdish official and activists said, although Turkey denied that the fighters had used its territory for the raid. The assault began when a suicide bomber driving an armored vehicle where the Islamic State group brought in tanks to reinforce their figh- detonated his explosives on the border crossing between Kobani and ters. Turkey, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Nawaf Khalil, a spokesman for Syria's powerful Kurdish Mustafa Bali, a Kobani-based activist, said by telephone that Islamic Democratic Union Party. State group fighters have taken positions in the grain silos on the Turkish side of the border and from there are launching attacks toward The Islamic State group "used to attack the town from three sides," the border crossing point. He added that the U.S.-led coalition launched Khalil said. "Today, they are attacking from four sides." an airstrike Saturday morning on the eastern side of the town. Turkey, while previously backing the Syrian rebels fighting to topple "It is now clear that Turkey is openly cooperating with Daesh," Bali President Bashar Assad in that country's civil war, has been hesitant to said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. Later in the day, aid them in Kobani because it fears that could stoke Kurdish ambitions he said the situation was relatively calm on the border after a day of for an independent state. heavy clashes. A Turkish government statement on Saturday confirmed that one of the The Islamic State group claimed three suicide attacks in Kobani's bor- suicide attacks involved a bomb-loaded vehicle that detonated on the der crossing point, the SITE Intelligence Group reported. The group, Syrian side of the border. But it denied that the vehicle had crossed into quoting Twitter accounts linked to the militants, said the suicide attacks Kobani through Turkey, which would be a first for the extremist figh- were carried out by a Saudi and a Turkmen, adding that one of them was ters. driving a Humvee. "Claims that the vehicle reached the border gate by crossing through The Islamic State group began its Kobani offensive in mid-September, Turkish soil are a lie," read the statement released from the government capturing parts of the town as well as dozens of nearby villages. The press office at the border town of Suruc. "Contrary to certain claims, no town later became the focus of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition Turkish official has made any statement claiming that the bomb-loaded against the militants. vehicle had crossed in from Turkey." Kurdish fighters slowly have been advancing in Kobani since late "The security forces who are on alert in the border region have ... taken October, when dozens of well-armed Iraqi peshmerga fighters joined all necessary measures," the statement continued. fellow Syrian Kurds in the battles. The fighting has killed hundreds of Associated Press journalists saw thick black smoke rise over Kobani fighters on both sides over the past two months. during the attack. The sound of heavy gunfire echoed through the sur- The Observatory said Saturday the latest fighting killed at least eight rounding hills as armored vehicles took up positions on the border. The Kurdish fighters and 17 jihadis. G Observatory said heavy fighting also took place southwest of the town 77 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Iraqi Kurds prepare Sinjar mountain offensive November 23, 2014 - By Isabel Coles -(Reuters) ARBIL, Iraq - Kurdish forces in northern Iraq are drawing up plans to break Islamic State's siege of Sinjar mountain, where hundreds of minority Yazidis remain stranded months after fleeing their homes. Seeking to regain territory and repair pride in his military forces, Masoud Barzani, president of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, is overseeing efforts to retake the mountain, senior party members said. Islamic State attacked the Sinjar area in August, sending thousands of Yazidis fleeing up the mountain, a craggy strip some 40 miles (65 km) long. Hundreds of Yazidis were executed, Iraqi officials and witnesses said, by Islamic State militants who see the adherents of an ancient faith derived from Zoroastrianism as devil-worshippers. A senior U.N. rights official said a general view shows sinjar town which is controlled by the onslaught looked like “attempted genocide”. forces loyal to the islamic state as seen from Mount sinjar Kurdish peshmerga forces have regained between 65 and 75 percent of the august 13, 2014. ground lost to Islamic State in the area since the U.S. began a campaign of air strikes in August, said Halgurd Hikmat, spokesman for the Kurdish of the villages north of Sinjar mountain, because many Arab residents either Peshmerga Ministry. supported Islamic State, or opposed Kurdish encroachment. But Sinjar's awkward geography -- out on a limb to the west, has made it dif- A Yazidi fighter told Reuters by telephone from the mountain that he was ficult to penetrate. one of around 1,500 volunteers there, in addition to a contingent of around "Our priority now is Sinjar," said Hikmat. "A plan will be in place within the 150 peshmerga. Hikmat put the number of peshmerga at 2,000. coming days." "We have received several (types of) small arms from the Kurds, including The strategy was to cut off an Islamic State supply route between Mosul and AK-47s, sniper rifles, mortars and light machine guns," said the volunteer Syria which runs along the southern foot of the mountain, Hikmat said. He fighter, who gave his name as Barakat. did not elaborate. Politically, Sinjar has been damaging for the Kurdistan Democratic Party Controlling Sinjar would put the peshmerga on three sides of Mosul, the lar- (KDP) -- one of two main Kurdish power centers -- whose forces were res- gest city under Islamic State control in northern Iraq, and allow them to ponsible for protecting the area. gain positions for any future offensive to retake the city and nearby areas Since 2003, the KDP has courted and co-opted minorities in the disputed which have been the target of Iraqi and U.S. air strikes. areas along its southern border by providing them with jobs, security and "After that, we must coordinate with Baghdad and the coalition (of Western services in exchange for loyalty. and Gulf Arab states) to get Islamic State out of Mosul," said Hikmat. "The KDP and the Yazidis are inseparable parts of the same body, and that Mosul has become the focus of the government's military efforts because of also applies to the KDP and Sinjar," Barzani, who is also head of the KDP as both its size and its symbolic status after Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al- well as commander-in-chief of the peshmerga, told Yazidi members of his Baghdadi delivered a public speech at the Grand Mosque there in July, last month. Baghdadi, who sees himself as 'caliph' of an Islamic state he has declared in Rival parties have capitalized on the loss of Sinjar to score political points parts of Iraq and Syria, told his fighters they were victorious after years of against the KDP. patience and holy struggle. The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which crossed into Iraq and saved thou- STRANDED sands of Yazidis over the summer has won favor with the minority, many of Estimates of the number of people still stranded on Sinjar mountain -- part whom felt betrayed by the peshmerga. of disputed land claimed by both the Kurds and Baghdad -- vary from Thousands of Yazidis have since been trained by the YPG in Syria, and a 10,000 to fewer than 1,000. small number of guerrillas remain on the mountain, according to fighters Last month, the peshmerga recaptured the town of Rabia, taking control of there. a crossing point into Syria and moving closer to Sinjar. Peshmerga spokesman Hikmat said the YPG would not participate in the Further advances may not come easily. An intelligence officer in the Rabia Sinjar offensive, but that the peshmerga would coordinate with them to pro- area said it would take between two to three weeks to drive Islamic State out tect the area afterwards. H Turquie: le chef des rebelles du PKK espère un accord de paix d'ici cinq mois Istanbul, 30 nov 2014 (AFP) avec les autorités d'Ankara sur un "cadre de poursuite des négociations" qui, a-t-il dit, devrait être rendu public prochainement. Le chef emprisonné du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan Le PKK, engagé dans un conflit avec les autorités d'Ankara qui a fait quelque 40.000 morts a estimé dimanche qu'un accord pouvait être signé dans un délai de quatre à cinq depuis 1984, a décrété depuis mars 2013 un cessez-le-feu qui est globalement respecté. mois avec le gouvernement d'Ankara pour mettre fin à la rébellion entamée en 1984. Mais des tensions sont apparues au cours des dernières semaines entre Ankara et les "Si les parties poursuivent avec détermination et responsabilité le processus engagé, une rebelles kurdes de Turquie, outrés du manque d'empressement du gouvernement islamo- solution démocratique d'importance pour l'avenir de tout le Moyen-Orient peut être trouvée conservateur turc à venir en aide aux défenseurs de la ville syrienne kurde frontalière de d'ici quatre à cinq mois", a déclaré M. Öcalan cité dans un courrier publié par le Parti démoc- Kobané, assiégée par les jihadistes de l'organisation Etat islamique (EI). ratique populaire (HDP, prokurde). De violentes émeutes prokurdes ont fait plus de trente morts début octobre en Turquie, Dans cette lettre rendue publique au lendemain d'une rencontre avec des élus du HDP sur menaçant de faire capoter les pourparlers de paix. G son île-prison d'Imrali (nord-ouest), le fondateur du PKK ajoute qu'un accord a été trouvé 78 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 21, 2014 Turkish premier vows ‘any necessary means’ for Kurdish security on Erbil visit rudaw.net — 21/11/2014 Erbil by ISIS, which killed six and wounded 29. RBIl, Kurdistan Region – In response to whether the EOn his first visit to the Kurdistan Regional Government Kurdistan Region since assuming (KRG) has plans to send additio- office, Turkish Prime Minister nal Peshmerga forces to the Ahmet Davutoglu said his country Syrian-Kurdish city of Kobane, would back Kurdish security “with Barzani responded: “That any means.” depends on the circumstances.” “The security of Iraq is He added that Erbil was prepared important for Turkey as well as to send additional forces. that of the Kurdistan Region,” Turkey has been the land- because of the “shared border” locked Kurdistan Region’s largest and economic interests, the trade partner and a strategic ally Turkish premier said after mee- Pictured: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a press for controversial oil exports ting with Kurdistan Region conference with Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani through a pipeline to the President Massoud Barzani. Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. “We have economic and trade Those relations were severely investments in Iraq which amount he added. The Turkish premier said that tested last summer after ISIS to $12 billion, $8 billion of that in Barzani stressed that Turkish several topics were discussed in forces came close to overrunning the Kurdistan region,” Davutoglu relations with Kurdistan were his talks, including including the Kurdish capital and Ankara said. “close.” The meeting took place humanitarian efforts in the region, ignored Erbil’s pleas for help. The “Turkey will provide support with several Kurdish and Turkish refugees and security concerns. religious fanatics were beaten officials, including the chief of Davutoglu offered his condo- through any necessary means for back by US airstrikes. I the Kurdistan Region’s security,” Turkey’s intelligence agency, lences for those killed in last Hakan Fidan. week’s suicide-bomb attack in November 24, 2014 Pierre European left: PKK Laurent, head of the Party is a partner against ISIS of the European rudaw.net raised its profile: in Kobane, the Left. By Deniz Serinci - 24/11/2014 PKK-affiliated People’s Protection Units (YPG) have been OPENhAGEN, Denmark – supplied with some Western wea- CThe Kurdistan Workers’ Party pons and backed by US-led air However, the terrorist labe- Kobane border, where they visi- must be recognized as a partner by strikes in the war against ISIS. ling delegitimizes the PKK and ted Kurdish refugees. everyone who wants peace and The PKK fought a three- hinders serious negotiations and Another member of EL, opposes the Islamic State (ISIS), decade war in Turkey for auto- strengthens those who don’t want Nikolaj Villumsen, an MP from said Pierre Laurent, head of the nomy for the country’e estimated peace, Laurent argued. the Unity List in the Danish par- Party of the European Left (EL). 15 million Kurds, until a peace “Being on the list of terrorist liament and a member of the “All those who claim peace in process announced last year by its organizations is not an advantage Council of Europe, said that EL the region and consider necessary jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan. and can give arguments to those could become influential and to help the resistance against ISIS The Kurdish group has been who refuse the peace process,” he extend its appeal, referring to the must recognize the PKK as a part- accused of killing civilians in said. fact that it consists of socialist, ner,” Laurent, who is also leader Turkey. Laurent stressed that EL In order to get PKK delisted communist, red-green and left of the French Communist Party, has never “supported any attack as a terrorist organization, the EL democrat parties from different told Rudaw. on civilians,” but referred to the will “systematically” put the issue countries. At a meeting in Athens early fact that Ocalan last year called to on the table in “each mobilization, "But we will, despite some this month EL, whose members end the fighting. each debate, each activity,” lack of support, still argue that the include leftist parties across He agued that the terrorism Laurent explained. PKK should not be on the terrorist Europe, began a campaign to label hanging over the group is “In France, the French com- list because they are fighting in remove the PKK from the unjustified, “since the peace pro- munist party decided to collect the front line against ISIS,” European Union’s terrorist list cess started in Turkey.” signatures of citizens by petition Villumsen said. Some argue that removing the and provide economic and politi- for example. I do believe this “The terrorist designation PKK’s name off the list would cal support for Kobane, the Syrian objective is reachable,” the group simply weakens the fight against make little difference, since the town resisting an ISIS overrun for leader said. ISIS,” he added. Turkish government has already weeks. The EL decided to include the The EL has 27 full members been negotiating with the PKK The PKK has since 2002 been PKK issue within a campaign for and 11 observers. Thirty eight designated as a terrorist organiza- since last year, and is engaged in a Kobane. In early November the members of the European peace process with it despite the tion by the EU and the United EL sent a delegation to the Parliament are affiliated with EL.I States. But recent events have EU’s terror label. 79 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 19 novembre 2014 par Derek harvey La Syrie et l'Irak L'Irak et la Syrie, tels que nous les avons connus, n'existeront plus. Qu'est-ce à dire? Là-dessus, Joel Rayburn a au moins un coup d'avance quand il met en perspective les existent-ils encore? rogatons des Etats syrien et irakien avec les diverses communautés kurdes et sunnites apatrides. La situation actuelle du Liban pourrait nous donner une bonne idée de ce qui nous attend en Syrie: en l'espèce, un équilibre rela- tif des forces entre différents groupes qui, fondamentalement, neutralisent le gouverne- ment central et les Forces armées libanaises. De fait, nous assisterons à l'émergence d'or- ganisations d'obédience religieuse et eth- nique, chacune attachée à une milice domi- nant des zones géographiques spécifiques. Et des instances gouvernementales nationales qui n'ont pas de réel pouvoir. A bien des égards, le Liban peut être considéré comme un Etat de façade où, en réalité, les choses sont contrôlées par de puissantes milices et des intérêts religieux. On assistera peut-être à une telle évolution en Syrie et dans certaines régions d'Irak. Bien avant la crise actuelle, Bagdad a tou- jours eu un mal de chien à exercer son auto- rité dans l'ensemble du pays, soit parce qu'elle est directement remise en question par le gouvernement régional du Kurdistan, Une explosion à Kobané, le 17 novembre 2014. REUTERS/Osman Orsal soit par manque d'intérêt/peur vis-à-vis de Ninive/Mossoul, d'Al-Anbâr, de Salâh ad- sera difficile de restaurer l'autorité de l’Etat Dîn ou d'autres régions sunnites. De même, irakien dans ces régions, sans même parler les provinces de Maysan et de Bassora sont Foreign Policy d'une bonne gouvernance. relativement indépendantes tout en étant Traduit par Peggy Sastre Faisons l'hypothèse que la campagne chiites. 19 novembre 2014 contre l'EI soit une réussite, que l'organisa- A de nombreux égards, la contestation http://www.slate.fr tion perde le contrôle des territoires qui sont qui agite les provinces du sud chiite est d'une actuellement sous son emprise et qu'elle importance bien plus cruciale. Dans le livre redevienne un groupe terroriste obligé d’œu- de Joel Rayburn, un tas de divergences poli- vrer dans la clandestinité. tiques inter ou extra-religieuses/ethniques, Le magazine Foreign Une fois cet objectif réalisé et un calme que beaucoup ont pu louper, ont été mises en Policy a posé a question relatif revenu, le plus difficile consistera à lumière. Son analyse est toujours d'actualité. réintégrer toutes ces communautés et tous Il est possible qu'une insoumission à la à quinze spécialistes ces territoires irakiens au sein d'un Etat fonc- capitale (Sanaa au Yémen, Beyrouth au américains. tionnel –ce qui ne se limite pas aux terri- Liban, par exemple) soit la trajectoire qu'em- toires sunnites que l'EI contrôle actuelle- prunteront la Syrie et l'Irak, mais avec des ment, mais concerne l'ensemble du pays, y zones «gouvernées» par des chefs de guerre, compris le sud et le Kurdistan irakien. des confédérations tribales, l'EI, le Front Al- NoN Pour La SyrIe, La prolifération des milices opposées Nosra, et d'autres. Avec des phénomènes de 1. aujourd'hui à l'EI pose un problème supplé- transfert –les frontières auront aussi peu PaS Sûr Pour L'Irak mentaire pour cette réintégration à long d'importance qu'ailleurs– comme on le voit par Joel rayburn terme. avec la région du Sahel, Boko Haram, etc. Il Comme en 2006-2007, bon nombre de est possible que les frontières reflètent désor- La Syrie n'existe plus, du moins, pas dirigeants irakiens estiment que lorsque la mais des réalités identitaires fondamentales comme nous l'avons connue et je pense que menace EI sera neutralisée (à l'instar de celle –des identités qui comptent et que peuvent l’Etat syrien ne peut être reconstitué à l'inté- que représentait al-Qaida en Irak à l'époque), entretenir les technologies et la mondialisa- rieur de ses anciennes frontières. En d'autres les milices se dissoudront d'elles-mêmes, vu tion actuelles. termes, une nouvelle organisation politique qu'elles n'auront plus de raison d'être. Derek Harvey | Ancien responsable du est en train d'émerger en Syrie et, à mon avis, A mon sens, comme la chose a été prou- renseignement militaire américain et actuel il est hautement improbable qu'il s'agisse vée en 2007, c'est une erreur de le penser. directeur de la Global Initiative on Civil d'un Etat unitaire. Quand la menace que représentait al-Qaida Society and Conflict au sein de l'Université de Mais, selon moi, l'Irak existe toujours et s'est résorbée, les milices n'ont pas déposé les Floride du Sud. Il a été plusieurs années en on peut encore espérer que le pays reste armes, mais les ont tournées vers l’Etat ira- poste en Irak. intact. Il y a donc une différence d'envergure kien qui a frôlé l'effondrement. J'espère que entre la santé de l’Etat irakien et celle de les dirigeants irakiens actuels retiendront la 3.NoN, eT Le ProceSSuS a l’Etat syrien, et j'ai l'impression que notre leçon. stratégie prend cette réalité en ligne de Joel Rayburn | Auteur de Iraq after Démarré DePuIS compte. America: Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance LoNgTemPS Cela étant dit, l’Etat islamique représente Par henri Barkey une menace vitale pour l'unité de l’Etat ira- kien et plus durera leur mainmise sur d'im- eh NoN! La frontière entre les deux pays n'existe plus, ➭ portantes parties du territoire irakien, plus il 2. 80 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➭ mais c'est une réalité qui n'est pas nouvelle, tats espérés, pas la moindre analyse des diffé- roi, cet insigne signifiait «La Jordanie en pre- comme je l'expliquais en 2012. rentes trajectoires possibles et, au final, mier». La Jordanie avant la famille, l'imam, Les Etats irakien et syrien ont perdu le con- aucune unité dans l'effort. la religion, l’ethnie, la tribu, le cheikh –et tout trôle d'un grand nombre de provinces. Du Pour mettre en œuvre une stratégie ce qui est susceptible de concurrencer la point de vue des populations locales, notam- contre l’Etat islamique, il faut d'abord un loyauté envers l’Etat. ment celles très éloignées de la capitale, que processus concerté et résolu de planification Le roi Abdallah, diplômé de l'Académie fait un Etat? Il collecte des impôts et recrute inter-agences. Et avant cela, nous aurons royale militaire de Sandhurst, en Grande- des soldats. Aujourd'hui, il n'y a plus d'impôts besoin de définir le processus et de former Bretagne, comprend à l'évidence combien la à collecter, plus d'infrastructures à construire des planificateurs dans chaque département composante morale est cruciale pour créer un ou à entretenir et, indubitablement, plus de et dans chaque agence. soldat qui se considérera comme un acteur volontaires pour l'armée. Et c'est pour cela Quand nous y serons parvenus, nous légitime et agissant au nom d'un gouverne- que l’Etat n'existe plus. comprendrons que la solution ne réside pas ment légitime. Mais dans d'autres régions de Syrie ou d'Irak, dans des frappes aériennes contre l'EI. Qu'au En Inde, il aura fallu quasiment trois siè- l’Etat survit. Même quand le conflit se termin- contraire, il faut mettre en œuvre une action cles à la Grande-Bretagne pour réussir à era (et, bien sûr, s'il se termine), les Nations inter-agences qui, évidemment, consistera à développer toutes les institutions nécessaires unies reconnaîtront toujours la Syrie et l'Irak, abattre l'EI de toutes les manières possibles, au fonctionnement politique, économique et mais, en réalité, le gouvernement central sera mais qui, surtout, ne s'arrêtera pas là. militaire d'un Etat moderne et immensément incapable de restaurer son autorité pendant Pour commencer, on pourrait se deman- complexe. très longtemps. Dans les régions frontalières, der pourquoi de jeunes Américains vivant à Les accords Sykes-Picot, qui ont jeté les les populations continueront à faire comme si Minneapolis peuvent avoir envie de se bases du dilemme auquel nous devons faire les frontières n'existaient pas. Ce qui s'appli- convertir à l'islamisme radical et resserrer aujourd'hui face en Syrie et en Irak vis-à-vis quera aussi aux régions frontalières kurdes. nos politiques migratoires. Un véritable plan de l’Etat islamique, n'ont pas encore un siè- Henri Barkey | Professeur de relations stratégique intègre des tâches spécifiques et cle, et ce sans qu'aucune sage-femme ne soit internationales à la Lehigh University. implicites à chaque département et à chaque disposée à faire accoucher l'Irak et la Syrie de agence du gouvernement américain. Quand ce qu'une administration britannique des nous n'avons qu'un marteau dans notre boîte plus compétentes a réussi à accomplir en Le vraI ProBLème, à outils, tous les problèmes se mettent à res- Inde. Avec des pressions religieuses qui ne 4. sembler à des clous. Et c'est très grave. La cessent de déchirer l'Irak et la Syrie et une c'eST L'INcaPacITé DeS bonne nouvelle, c'est qu'en mettant le bon légitimité nationale en berne, le sentiment de eTaTS-uNIS à FormuLer processus en œuvre, nous pourrons nous en légitimité du soldat irakien et de son homo- uNe STraTégIe sortir. logue syrien est aussi précaire que la viabilité John Batiste | Ancien général-major de de leur État. par John Batiste l'Armée américaine, commandant entre 2004 Paul Eaton | Ancien général-major de et 2005 de la première division d'infanterie en l'Armée américaine et responsable entre 2003 Je suis d'accord: la Syrie et l'Irak n'exis- Irak et d'une brigade de la Première division et 2004 de la formation de l'armée irakienne. tent plus, pour peu qu'ils aient existé un jour. blindée en Bosnie. Les choses remontent aux accords Sykes- Picot, signés en 1916, et par lesquels des pays comme l'Irak et la Syrie ont été, avec l'aval de 6.ILS exISTeNT la Russie, délimités par la France et le 5.NoN, eT c'eST TouJourS, maIS SoNT à Royaume-Uni. Les frontières ont été tracées PourquoI LeurS arméeS sans le moindre égard pour la composition L'agoNIe ethnique et religieuse de ces régions –un Ne voNT FoNDameNTaLe- par Laurence Pope choix relevant, au mieux, de l'irrédentisme. meNT ServIr à rIeN Un phénomène auquel nous avons aussi par Paul eaton Les deux régimes contrôlent encore leur assisté en ex-Yougoslavie. capitale, mais pas grand-chose d'autre Est-ce qu'il faut fonder la stratégie améri- Dans la plupart des nations occidentales, comme territoire... caine sur une telle vérité? Oui, absolument. transformer un civil de 18 ans en soldat est Ils sont en pleine désintégration, et nous J'en veux comme preuve l'attitude du gouver- assez facile. On les entraîne pour qu'ils n'avons rien pour les remplacer, ni même nement américain en 2001 et sa précipitation gagnent en force physique, on leur transmet aucun moyen d'empêcher la progression de vers la guerre sans la conception préalable les compétences militaires nécessaires à la leur déclin. d'une stratégie mettant fins, moyens et réalisation d'une mission et on accentue ce A mon avis, reconstruire une légitimité méthodes en perspective. que mes collègues britanniques nomment la politique dans le Bilād al-Šām sera l’œuvre Le véritable problème était, et demeure, «composante morale». Cette dernière étape d'une génération entière et il n'existe aucun que le gouvernement américain est incapable de l'instruction militaire demande, fonda- mécanisme international pour défaire un de concevoir une stratégie globale. mentalement, d'avoir confiance dans les ins- Etat-nation moderne. Ce qui signifie que, Le problème, hier comme aujourd'hui, titutions nationales et dans la chaîne de com- dans leur état moribond, la Syrie et l'Irak c'est qu'il n'existe aucun processus de planifi- mandement, du chef de section au comman- seront une source de problèmes pendant cation stratégique inter-agences au sein du dant en chef. Pour un jeune soldat occidental, encore de longues années. gouvernement américain, aucun expert en la composante morale s'échafaude au quoti- Laurence Pope | Diplomate américain à la planification dans les 18 principaux agences dien et se renforce quand il revêt son uni- retraite et départements gouvernementaux et per- forme. sonne en charge de ce processus –ce qui est Dans des pays dénués d'une solide tradi- 7.ceS PayS N'oNT De en soi un scandale. tion démocratique, l'édification de cette com- TouTe FaçoN JamaIS eu Quand le président parle de stratégie, il posante morale représente un réel défi, ce se réfère à ce que conçoit, selon des intérêts que j'ai pu personnellement appréhender, aucuN SeNS politiques, une équipe réduite au sein de la avec mon équipe, lorsque que nous avons dû par anthony Zinni Maison Blanche, pas à un processus concerté reconstruire l'armée irakienne en 2003. et mis en œuvre par toutes les différentes Surmonter 1.500 ans de paternalisme isla- Tout est parti des accords de Sykes-Picot, agences. mique et plus de trois décennies de despo- alors pourquoi leur existence devrait-elle être Et nous récoltons ce que nous semons: tisme baasiste n'est pas une mince affaire. sacrée? Dès le départ, leur délimitation n'avait une stratégie boiteuse qui ne précise aucun En 2003, lors d'une visite dans les rangs aucun sens. Ce pourrait être l'occasion de fixer objectif final et n'arrive pas à synchroniser les de l'armée jordanienne, j'ai remarqué qu'un les frontières et de rassembler des groupes efforts du gouvernement dans son ensemble. général portait un insigne –le drapeau jorda- ethniques. Il n'y a aucune synchronisation inter- nien surmonté du numéro 1. Le général avait Anthony Zinni | Ancien général de marine, agences, aucun cadre, pas de travail d'équipe, expliqué que cela ne voulait pas dire qu'il ex-commandant du Commandement central aucune définition de la mission et des résul- était le numéro 1, mais que, à la demande du des Etats-Unis. ➭ 81 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➭ phase. Notre implication pourrait donc rele- riques. Elles sont le produit de l'époque colo- 8.La SyrIe eST morTe, ver d'un effort d'équilibrage qui, s'il ne résout niale et certaines communautés, notamment pas au final ce conflit, le circonscrit à la les Kurdes, n'ont jamais ressenti d'attache- PeuT-êTre que L'Irak région – d'une manière la moins propice à la ment fort à ces frontières. Elles rêvent d'un auSSI propagation. Kurdistan indépendant. Dans un contexte mondialisé, le risque le En outre, le concept de frontières natio- par Judith yaphe plus évident est que l'une ou l'autre des par- nales est en contradiction avec l'école de pen- sée islamique. Historiquement, les régions Je ne sais pas si la Syrie peut revenir à ties, voire les deux, multiplient les provoca- islamiques ont été organisées selon des l'état dans lequel nous la connaissions avant tions visant à nous attirer et à attiser ceux qui dynasties. Ensuite, il y a le conflit religieux 2011. Il y a eu trop de tueries, trop de haine les soutiennent. Quand de telles provocations entre chiites et sunnites, qui n'a fait que se déchaînée, même s'il est difficile de tout attri- surviendront – et elles surviendront inévita- renforcer ces dix dernières années. Enfin, buer à des racines religieuses et communau- blement – nous devrons réagir. Plus précisé- trois puissances se disputent la suprématie taires. ment, nous devrons les sanctionner. Nos ren- de la région –l'Iran, la Turquie et l'Arabie Depuis les années 1990, les Irakiens seignements n'ont pas à être parfaits, mais saoudite. Pour ces pays, les milices reli- vivent avec des luttes de pouvoir déguisées en notre réaction devra être parfaitement immé- gieuses et ethniques œuvrant en Irak et en conflits religieux, notamment parce que diate, violente et dévastatrice. Et, soit dit en Syrie sont les pions d'une guerre par procura- Saddam Hussein s'est vengé des insurrec- passant, aucune nation ne se construit dans tion. tions, parce que nous ne connaissons rien à la dévastation. Même si les frontières entre l'Irak et la l'Irak, parce que l’Etat islamique se nourrit de Si j'avais eu davantage de place, j'aurais Syrie n'existent plus de facto, il sera très dif- la colère et de la frustration des arabes sun- pu dire qu'on peut sans doute considérer ficile et coûteux pour n'importe quelle partie nites, d'autant plus renforcées par les négli- comme cruel et sans pitié le fait de consigner de redessiner des lignes plus «naturelles», gences américaines, parce que Maliki a com- la région à des décennies de violence. Mais la sans compter que cela ne mettra pas forcé- mis de multiples trahisons et parce que les stratégie est une question de choix. Les isla- ment fin au conflit –notamment parce qu'il activistes chiites et kurdes ne cherchent que mistes extrémistes, comme les modérés qui n'y a pas de frontières naturelles alternatives leur propre profit. espèrent que d'autres résolvent ce conflit qui font consensus. Mais cela pourrait se pro- La réconciliation nationale n'a jamais été pour eux, ont fait les leurs. A nous de faire les duire dans tous les cas, tant que des accords une option. nôtres. David Fastabend | Ancien officier de internes d'équilibrage entre les pouvoirs ne Judith Yaphe | Analyste de la CIA à la l'Armée américaine, directeur de la stratégie seront pas largement acceptés et tant que les retraite, spécialiste de l'Irak (G-5) et chef des opérations stratégiques pour puissances régionales ne s'entendront pas l'armée américaine en Irak lors du «Surge» de pour mettre fin à leur guerre par procuration. 2007 L'Irak possède déjà un cadre politique 9.ILS N'exISTeNT PeuT- accepté par les sunnites, les chiites et les êTre PLuS, maIS oN Ne Kurdes, mais sa mise en œuvre a rencontré aTTeNTIoN avaNT de nombreux et d'importants obstacles. En PeuT rIeN y FaIre 10. Syrie, un tel cadre n'existe pas encore. Et rien par David Fastabend De LeS rayer De La ne dit que les puissances régionales aient la moindre envie d'arrêter leur guerre par pro- L'Irak et la Syrie n'existent sans doute carTe! par James Soriano curation. plus. La stratégie américaine devrait sans A court ou moyen terme, trois trajec- doute changer. Mais le moteur de ce change- Eu égard à l'hypothèse que la Syrie toires s'offrent à l'Irak et la Syrie. La pre- ment ne doit pas être le statut national de la n'existe plus, merci d'examiner les points sui- mière, c'est qu'un adversaire écrase l'autre Syrie ou de l'Irak, mais notre réponse à un vants: par la force, puis le soumette à un régime dic- défi que Clausewitz a été le premier à formu- 1. La Syrie est une idée qu'il faut défendre tatorial. C'est un modèle voué évidemment à ler: par la force. l'échec. La seconde est de continuer sur la «Le premier acte de jugement, le plus 2. Si vous retirez la force, vous retirez voie du conflit et du morcellement. La troi- important, le plus décisif, que l’homme l'idée. sième est un accord politique d'équilibrage d’Etat ou le général exécute, consiste à dis- 3. Si vous retirez l'idée, la Syrie se mor- des puissances au centre et de décentralisa- cerner exactement selon ces critères le genre celle. tion du système politique national. Les puis- de guerre qu’il entreprend: ne pas la pren- 4. Si la Syrie se morcelle, les Alaouites sances régionales auront un rôle crucial à dre pour ce qu’elle n’est pas, ou ne pas vou- deviennent indépendants. jouer, quelle que soit la trajectoire choisie. loir en faire ce qu’elle ne peut pas être en rai- 5. Si les Alaouites deviennent indépen- Quid des Etats-Unis? son de la nature de la situation. C’est donc la dants, ils deviennent les alliés naturels La politique américaine devrait s'atteler à première, la plus vaste de toutes les ques- d'Israël. l'inclusion d'autres puissances internatio- tions stratégiques.» 6. Vu que les nationalistes arabes ne peu- nales, en plus des trois principales puis- Depuis plusieurs décennies, un inquié- vent tolérer le moindre compromis avec sances régionales, et les inciter à trouver un tant fil conducteur court dans toute la région Israël, merci de revenir au point 1. consensus qui, au final, permettra la création et révèle un conflit idéologique –religieux– James Soriano | Ancien officier du Service d'un nouveau cadre politique en Syrie et l'ap- entre chiites et sunnites. Un conflit qui dure extérieur des États-Unis, responsable entre plication de celui qui existe déjà en Irak. depuis toute l'histoire de l'islam, du moins 2006 et 2009 de l'équipe de reconstruction de Zalmay Khalilzad | A été l'ambassadeur dans le monde perso-arabique et qui, s'il a pu la province d'Al-Anbâr et conseiller pour la des Etats-Unis en Afghanistan, en Irak et aux se mettre en sommeil à la chute de l'Empire politique étrangère du Commandement Nations unies ottoman, est aujourd'hui de retour. Avec, à sa Central de l'U.S. Air Forces entre 2010 et disposition, tous les outils propres à la com- 2012. munication et à la guerre modernes. Notre choix stratégique consiste donc à 12.Ne FaISoNS PaS savoir s'il est de notre ressort d'aider le L'erreur De croIre que raISoN De PLuS monde musulman à résoudre ce conflit. La 11. La SyrIe eT L'Irak réponse est non. Pour oeuvrer à uN Notre choix ultérieur demande de savoir N'exISTeNT PLuS qui nous voulons voir gagner. Et mieux: vou- meILLeur ParTage DeS par kalev Sepp lons-nous vraiment voir gagner quiconque? PouvoIrS Tout vainqueur d'un tel conflit serait incité, à par Zalmay khalilzad En faisant comme si la Syrie et l'Irak la fois par l'euphorie de la victoire et les pré- étaient des «non-Etats» (sans même avoir à ceptes de son idéologie, à se tourner ensuite L'Irak et la Syrie doivent faire face à trois le déclarer officiellement), les Etats-Unis ne vers les infidèles. Il vaut mieux pour nous et défis spécifiques. Le premier, c'est que leurs feront que légitimer l'EI et renforcer ses pré- nos amis que nous n'atteignons jamais cette frontières ne sont ni naturelles, ni histo- tentions nationales. Les populations de telles ➭ 82 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➭ régions dénuées d’Etat, sans autre gouverne- Jeff White | A œuvré 34 ans au sein de la êTre LeS INveNTer ment capable de mettre de l'ordre dans leur Defense Intelligence Agency, où il était spé- vie, se tourneront vers l'EI pour y trouver un cialiste des questions militaires du Moyen- Par Thomas Donnelly quelconque degré de stabilité, qu'importe la Orient. Il est aujourd'hui chargé des questions sévérité de leurs lois et de leurs sanctions. de défense au sein du Washington Institute for «S'ils n'existaient pas, il faudrait peut- Un tel soutien populaire, même s'il se fait Near East Policy. être qu'on les invente.» Il est difficile de voir à regret, est la fondation d'un Etat viable. On quelles situations constitueraient une amé- l'a vu en Afghanistan où, dans de nombreux lioration, particulièrement au vu de la mon- tée des mouvements salafistes et des préten- districts, la vacance gouvernementale laissée ceux quI DISeNT par une autorité centrale incompétente et 14. tions iraniennes à l'hégémonie régionale. corrompue a été comblée par les Talibans, un que La SyrIe eT L'Irak Essentiellement deux approches ont régime dur mais effectif. N'exISTeNT PLuS SoNT eN émergé concernant le Levant de l'après- accords Sykes-Picot. Une vise à créer un nou- De plus, une stratégie américaine qui TraIN D'écrIre La laisserait entendre que l'Irak et la Syrie sont vel ordre ethniquement plus cohérent, avec le des zones in-gouvernées et offertes «au plus receTTe D'uNe guerre Kurdistan comme étendard. Mais un offrant» ne ferait que grossir le flot de djiha- Kurdistan ethnique est un pousse-au-crime géNéraLe –une anomalie géographique entourée de ses distes prêts à rejoindre l'EI. par Daniel Serwer Plus inquiétant encore, cela pourrait inci- amis ancestraux. Même le Kurdistan irakien ter l'Iran à envoyer des forces armées dans est, pour une grande partie, l'enfant des excès Admettre ce point serait un cadeau du régime de Saddam Hussein et de l'inter- ces deux anciens pays. L'Iran pourrait parfai- énorme fait à l’Etat islamique, une manœu- tement prétendre vouloir stopper cette vio- vention américaine. vre totalement absurde et contre-productive L'autre option consiste à regrouper des lence chaotique avant qu'elle ne traverse ses si nous souhaitons l'anéantir. Si l'est de la frontières et il n'y aurait aucun problème de mini-États qui ne sont pas viables dans un Syrie et l'ouest de l'Irak se coupent de leurs ordre régional plus global –néo-ottoman, viol de souveraineté, vu qu'une telle souverai- Etats respectifs, il n'y aura plus grand-chose neté n'existerait plus. Non, il faut que la stra- néo-abbasside ou un califat arabe sunnite, pour empêcher l'EI de dominer le reste de dont la conclusion la plus probable est tégie américaine, quelle qu'elle soit, ne cesse son «califat», qui aura ainsi peu de res- de reconnaître l'existence des gouvernements quelque chose qui ressemble d'assez près à sources, mais d'énormes ambitions. Le gros l'organisation État islamique. d'Irak et de Syrie –qu'importe qu'ils soient du pétrole irakien se situe dans le sud de son considérés comme amis ou ennemis. Aucune de ces solutions ne constitue un «chiistan». Et les Kurdes contrôleront à peu succès géopolitique pour les États-Unis, et Kalev Sepp | Diplômé de l'Académie navale près tout le reste. Dans l'est de la Syrie, les américaine c'est un euphémisme. Elles constitueraient champs pétrolifères s'épuisent rapidement. aussi une catastrophe humanitaire de pro- Le califat sera alors un rogaton miséreux et portions gigantesques, incluant, au mini- précaire du «sunnistan», avec comme ambi- mum, des déplacements de population sur 13.IL FauT que La tion la capture de Damas et de Bagdad, capi- une grande échelle, mais aussi probablement SyrIe exISTe, car ceLa tales historiques des anciens califats. Et ce beaucoup de sang versé. Pour le dire autre- sera aussi un repaire pour des terroristes ment, quelque chose de moralement répu- NouS oFFre uNe PorTe internationaux. gnant. Pour finir, je noterais que «l'autodé- De SorTIe La conséquence serait une guerre de tous termination nationale» (c'est à dire, ici, eth- par Jeff White contre tous afin de déterminer les frontières nique/religieuse/tribale) est contraire à des du califat et d'autres Etats nés du morcelle- principes politiques fermement enracinés L'Irak et la Syrie existent toujours et la ment de la Syrie et de l'Irak. Les Kurdes vont aux États-Unis. À part ça, la dévolution est stratégie américaine devrait être formulée en sans doute vouloir revendiquer une partie du une excellente idée. fonction. L’Etat islamique œuvre sans la nord de la Syrie, voire un bout de la Turquie. L'Iran et la Syrie modernes peuvent diffi- moindre considération pour les frontières En Iran, les Kurdes rejoindront tout cilement être considérés comme des abomi- officielles et doit être combattu de la sorte, Kurdistan souverain. La Turquie s'opposera à nations historiques. La région du Tigre et de mais l'Irak et la Syrie sont deux théâtres ce «grand Kurdistan», à l'instar de l'Iran. l'Euphrate a formé un «système humain» d'opération distincts, chacun avec des L'Arabie saoudite ne va pas être heureuse de cohérent depuis très longtemps. En recoller contextes sociaux, militaires et politiques dif- voir l’émergence d'un chiistan à ses frontières les morceaux ne sera pas rapide, facile ni férents et différentes exigences et opportuni- (elle considère d'ores et déjà comme tel le amusant. C'est néanmoins la moins pire des tés pour l'action militaire américaine. gouvernement irakien). Dans l'ouest de la solutions, et de loin. En Irak, l'EI peut être combattu grâce à la Syrie, les Alouites chercheront l'effondre- Thomas Donnelly | Directeur du Marilyn coalition et à la combinaison de diverses ment de l’Etat libanais et intégreront le gros Ware Center for Security Studies à l'American forces irakiennes, en tant qu'unique adver- de ses territoires contrôlés par les chiites. Enterprise Institute. saire, et avec le soutien du gouvernement ira- L’Etat alaouite deviendra un allié résolu de kien. l'Iran et de la Russie. En Syrie, l'objectif d'une coalition serait à L'idée qu'un tel processus puisse être la fois de dissoudre l'EI et d'affaiblir les contrôlé pour que les Américains y trouvent forces du régime. Les Etats-Unis doivent leur compte est un non-sens. Dans les mener leurs opérations sans jamais oublier Balkans, dans les années 1990, nous avons vu l'existence d'une guerre sous-jacente et dis- quelles conséquences pouvait avoir une telle tincte entre les forces du régimes et celles de tentative d'ajuster des frontières à des diffé- la rébellion; en d'autres termes, que l'EI n'est rences ethniques. Le chaos qui émerge seul sur le terrain de jeu. actuellement au Levant promet d'être encore Ainsi, les opérations américaines en Syrie pire, et même bien pire que tout ce que nous devraient aussi viser à limiter la capacité du avons pu connaître jusqu'à aujourd'hui. régime à mener des offensives contre les Daniel Serwer | Professeur à la Johns rebelles, par exemple en imposant des zones Hopkins School of Advanced International d'exclusion aérienne et/ou en détruisant les Studies et auteur de Righting the Balance. Il infrastructures aériennes du régime. Ce qui blogue sur www.peacefare.net et tweete renforcerait la résistance syrienne et galvani- @DanielSerwer serait leur soutien à la coalition dans son combat contre l'EI. Et ce qui préparerait le terrain à une coopération accrue avec les 15.S'ILS N'exISTaIeNT rebelles syriens, via leur formation par l'ar- PaS, IL FauDraIT PeuT- mée américaine. 83 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuiew-Berhwokn Çøpê-Riaistn Stømpø-Dentro de Ia Prensø-Bøsin Ozeti f rrtcr¡utio¡r¡t Ñtu llork @irncø NOVEMBER 24,2014 Iraqi graft imperils [J.S. mission O BAGHDAD Corruption leaves army crippled as billions from U.S. are siphoned off BYDAVID D. KIRKPATRICK One Iraqi general is known as "chicken guy" because of his reputation for selling his soldiers' poultry provisions. Another is "Arak guyj'for his habit of drinking the anise-flavored liquor on the job. A third is "General Deftar," after lraq's 10,000-dinar bill, and is in- famous for selling officer commissions. They are just a few of the faces of the entrenched corruption of the Iraqi secu- rity forces, say lraqi officers and law- makers and American officials. The lraqi military and police forces had been so tþoroughly pillaged by their own corrupt leadership that they all but collapsed this spring in the face of the An Iraqi Army re-enlistment station in the northern vlllage of Qushtapa. "Corruptlon ln the mllitary advancing militants of the Islamic State ls real terrorism," a tawniaker said. despite roughly $25 billion worth of American- training and equipment over the tribes is beyond the scope of their the past l0 years and far more from the And Iraqi soldiers often charge that mission - and so is the problem of mil- treasury. lhey have been turnished with partial i{ary corruption. "Reducing corruption lraqi part Now the corruption and patronage in supplies and cheaply made weapons bel- is not ofthe advisers' role," said an took kickbacks American official involved ; the military threaten to undermine a cause their commanders in the effort, there reason new American-led effort to drive out the or skimmed off the savings. "and is no to believe that extremists, even as President Obama "Ifeach soldier issupposed to get 100 advisors' presence will reduce corrup- has doubled the number of American bullets, he willonlyget 50 and the officer tion." troops heading to lraq. will take and sell the rest," Colonel Veterans of past American operations The United States has insisted that Obeidi said. As he showed off theAustri- in lraq say that by working closely with the lraqi military act as the conduit for an-made Glock handgun he obtained Iraqi battalions, the advisers could help , any new aid and armaments being sup- from United States forces years ago, he reduce the military's troubles with kick- plied for a counteroffensive, including added, "If the Iraqi Army had supplied backs, inllated payrolls and other graft. money and weapons intended for tribal this, the barrel would explode in two It is unclear how large a deployment fighters wi[ing to push the Islamic rounds," thæ would require. Mr. Obama recently State, also kno$'n as ISIS or ISIL, out of As the United States now invests in authorized doubling the number of their homelands. But some of the battling the Islamic State, management American troops in lraq, to 3,000. of the waste and graft within the lraqi weaponry recently supplied bY the Because government-provided armed forces will play a critical role in armyhas alreadyended up on the black weapons have ended up in the hands of the outcome, say current lraqi officials market and in the hands of Islamic State extremists, Iraq's new prime minister, offlcers. may fighters, say Iraqi officers and law- and former Arnerican It Haidar aþAbadi, is trying to require that also help determine the extent of its de- makers. American officials directed each tribal fighter sign for the serial pendence on large numbers of Ameri- questions to the lraqi government, number of any new weapon, to increase can troops, told the Americans, don't give any accountabilit¡ said his spokesman, "I Sunni tribal leaders, deePlY $/eapons through the army not even Many Rafid Jaboori. But lraq milítary officers - mistrustful of the Shiite-dominated mil- one piece because corruption ìs would enact those procedures. - itary, are urging the United States to cir- everywhere and you will not see any of Mr. Abadi recentþ purged 36 top mil- cumvent tlte military's corruption by it," said Col. Shaaban al-Obeidi of the in- itary officers he accused of corruption providing salaries and weapons directþ ternal security forces, a Sunni tribal and unprofessionalism. He was also to the tribes, much as Arnerican forces leader in Anbar Province. "Our people consolidating his power: All were also did dufing the movement will.steal it." "awakening" officers considered personally loyal to seven years before against Al Qaeda in his predecessor and rival, Nuri Kamal Iraqi officers and lawmakers, some Mesopotamia, a precursor t0 the Islam- al-Maliki. As did Mr. Maliki, Mr. Abadi speaking on the condition of anonymity, ic State. named new generals in violation of the say that army and police payrolls are But officials of the Shiite-dominated Constitution, which iequires parliamen- still wildly inflated by.,ghost soldiers,', government say that any AmerÍcan at- tary approval. either conjured entirely by a superior tempts to work directly with the tribes Among those removed was Lt. Gen. officer or just splitting a paycheck with would violate Iraqi sovereignty and ex- Rashid Fleih, the chief of operations in a patron instead showing of up for acerbate sectarian divisions. Anbar Province, known as work. the "chicken American officials say working with gúy." Gen. Sabah al-Fatlawi, known as 84 Reuue de Pr esse-Press Reaiant-B erhwokn Dentro de Lø Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti just gener- "the Arak guy" and the brother of a tion is limited to a few dozen wlrg,gçvçr carne to work and split their close Maliki ally in Parliament, was re- als, "Only a few of the top officers have selefiþswiÍh whoever had gotten them moved as military chief for the city of no corruption," said Amer Tau'ma of hiréd." Buy- Samarra. Gen, Hatem al-Magsusi, a Parliamentls defense committee. Then, 4s,.thg United States began chief of military intelligence known for ing officer titles, shaking down civilians ramping driwh-.its numbers in Iraq in bringing terrorism cases against Mr- and siphoning money from inflated 2009, Mr. Iú'lhllìibegan to reach deep in- Maliki's political rivals, was dísmissed payrolls of "ghost officers" are all "a to the Iraqi ranks to personally direct of- phe' as well. normal thing, this is a continuous ficer appointments to dispense political Gen. Mahdi al-Gharawi, also known nomenon," said Talal al-Zubai, a law- 'patronage. Sunni party who sits on as "Deftar," was removed shortly after maker from a "You had political appointees present his forces' humiliating rout from Mosul Parliament's government-ethics com- at almost every level," Mr. Rayburn in June. He had been the subject oflong- mittee. said, recounting examples as low rank- standing charges of torture and other Dismissing the generals was insuffi. ing as captains. abuses by Human Rights Watch and cient, he argued. "They should be ex' "As Maliki and his allies exerted others, and the government has now ecuted. They destroyed lraq," he said. greater and greater control of the Iraqi frozen his assets. "For the American advisers, tlere is no armed forces, they really millied it for None of the allegations against any of chance their mission will succeed with the money that was going into it," he the generals have been Proved in a lying lraqi commanders." said, "'You want a command or you court, and the four generals declined to United States military officers insist u,ant your son to go to the military comment or could not be reached. that they left the lraqi Army in relative- academy? Well, here is how much it is But Iraqi lawmakers saY Part of the ly good form when they began to with- going to cost.'" military's problem is that no charges draw in 2009. Their close observation Iraqi lawmakers say connections have been brought against any officer during the five previous years of work- granted impunity. over the past ll years, even as the per' ing with the lraqi forces had helped "If you want to punish an officer for what he stole, you find he has political, ost sol- protection within the government and colonel you can't do anything to get him," said in the United States Army who worked Mr, Tau'ma, of Parliament's defense closely with the lraql military at the committee. "It has a demoralizing ef- time and now teaches at tìe National fect when the soldier who takes all the Defense University. "If an lraqi brigade risk against the Islamic State - and without discernible result. or regíment that is supposed to have 700 sometimes doesn't get enough support ry is real ter- guys but there are only 250, that is easy for months - sees his commander tak- al-Mutlaq, a to notice." ing all the money." Parliament's The police force wás different. is even more "It was much harder to get a handle O mar aI-J awo shy contr ibuted reporting. dangerous." on the inflated numbers," he said, No one pretends the military corrup- "where you have fake names, or people November 27,2014 Kurdish Ofticial: Baehdad impeding weapons supplies to Kurds 27llu20t4 50 nations. rudaw.net "ln the constitution the Peshmerga are part of Iraq's Kurdistan Region defense lorces," said Barzani. I ETRBIL, - {t Dlraq's central government is "But Baghdad not only does not t impeding foreign military assis- meet its constitutional responsibi- ç t- I tiance to the Kurdish Peshmerga lities, rather prevents the deli- ¡ it I L forces in their fight lvith the very of assistance to the Jr I Islamic State (ISIS), Kurdistan's Peshmerga," he said. / '1- national security advisor complai- Germany and other Western ned. countries -- among them ltaly, the 2 I Masrour Barzani said that United Kingdom and the United t I Baghdad "impedes the foreign States -- have provided military assistance to the Peshmerga assistance and training to the forces," adding that "this is a vio- Kurdish forces, but only rvith a lation of the constitution." nod from Baghdad. Ms:ts*r.P*r:.q!!!..ç!s!!).!!t:e!.2.vv.!!.L*.,f.gLyis!:.:t:.i!.i*rv..l:.t:st!ie.*..... Barzani met rvith a delegation But Kurdish leaders have from Germany's foreign and complained that Baghdad has ruins government that too defense ministries on Wednesday tried to curb loreign military aid With its own army in tral fears porver the hands the to discuss the rvar against ISIS, to the Kurds, particularly rvhen after a rout by ISIS in June, much in of the Kurds could fuel their aspirations rvhich Erbil is fighting together aircraft bringing supplies are rou- Baghdad has relied on ISIS of independence from Iraq. rvith a US-led coalition of some ted through Baghdad airport. Peshmerga to stop an r advance in the north. But the cen- 85 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 25, 2014 Future uncertain for Baghdad-Erbil oil cooperation Despite a breakthrough deal between the Iraqi fed- eral government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to cooperate on oil exports from northern Iraq, thorny issues remain. Author Mohammed A. Salih November 25, 2014 Iraq's oil minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi (L) meets with Iraqi www.al-monitor.com Kurdistan's Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil, Nov. 13, 2014. (photo by REUTERS) RBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan — While a recent deal between Baghdad and EErbil to export oil from the northern fields is seen by many as a break- Later that day in a Facebook post, she dubbed the agreement a “national through after years of stalemate, the prospect of further progress on oil calamity” because it leaves the KRG free to handle as it pleases the remain- exports still remains uncertain. der of the oil it produces. On Nov. 13, Iraq’s oil minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, and Iraqi Kurdish authori- In an attempt to ward off criticism, the Iraqi oil minister has said the deal ties reached a deal whereby the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will "does not constitute a final solution" but is only a step toward a broader solu- export 150,000 barrels of oil per day. tion. In return, the Baghdad government will possibly deliver as much as $1 bil- "The deal if respected … will guarantee that [the revenues for] up to 1 mil- lion to the KRG, which has been struggling to pay its employees and fund lion barrels of oil per day from [Iraqi] Kurdistan, Kirkuk and northern fields, public projects ever since the central authorities in Baghdad cut its budget will return to the [national government's] treasury; that is tens of billions of in February. dollars that we lost during 2014," said Abdul-Mahdi in a statement dated The very terms of the deal, however, still remain somewhat vague. The Nov. 14. KRG’s official website stated Nov. 13 that the federal authorities in Baghdad Abdul-Mahdi, however, has not said whether the oil will come from Kirkuk's will pay $500 million to the Iraqi Kurdish government, and that the KRG will oil fields and appears to have decided to remain vague on that matter. place “150,000 barrels a day of crude oil” at the disposal of the Iraqi govern- The challenge for Iraqi authorities is to justify the deal as it amounts to an ment. acknowledgement of the KRG's de facto control over the oil fields of Kirkuk, A day later, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil issued a statement reiterating the same an anathema to many non-Kurdish Iraqis. information. But to many in Iraqi Kurdistan, that is already the case. But during a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet "The deal is in Baghdad's interest, otherwise it cannot sell Kirkuk's oil," Davutoglu on Nov. 21, KRG President Massoud Barzani offered new details Sherko Jawdat, chairman of the energy committee in Iraqi Kurdistan's par- on the amount of the payment and where the oil would come from. liament, told Al-Monitor. "This is a preliminary deal and will be followed by “We have agreed that Baghdad will send $1 billion to [Iraqi] Kurdistan bigger steps." through two $500 million installments and in return we will export 150,000 The KRG and Baghdad have been in deep disagreement for much of the barrels of oil per day from Kirkuk,” said Barzani. His statement amounted to past decade over controlling the production and export of oil from Kurdish a bombshell as the figure he gave was higher than previously stated, and he territories. also said the oil will come from Kirkuk's oil fields, a detail not disclosed offi- cially before. rticle 112 of the Iraqi Constitution grants the central government the right Ato jointly manage with provincial and regional governments the "present Earlier, on Nov. 17, Iraq’s oil minister had denied during a parliamentary fields." The term "present fields" is interpreted by Kurds as those that were meeting that the deal was conceived as paying the KRG for giving the oil in operation when the constitution was written in 2005. The vast majority of under its control to the central government. Iraqi Kurdistan's oil fields were explored and developed after that date. But that appears to be how the deal is perceived among its critics. Even though the KRG has had a difficult time selling its oil on the internatio- Saad al-Mutalebi, a member of the Shiite State of Law Coalition and a poli- nal market due to threats of legal action by the Iraqi government and strong tician close to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, described the deal as opposition from the United States, it has adamantly refused to let the Iraqi “unrealistic.” national oil marketing company, SOMO, control oil exports from the “[The deal] will cause problems larger than those that exist at the moment,” Kurdistan region proper, which constitutes the three provinces of Erbil, Mutalebi told Al-Monitor. He has been a vocal proponent for greater powers Sulaimaniyah and Dahuk, in addition to smaller areas of Ninevah, Diyala for the Iraqi government versus the KRG. “The agreement is that the KRG and Kirkuk provinces. allows the government of Iraq to export Kirkuk oil and … the oil in Kirkuk In light of such past opposition, it remains highly questionable whether and belongs to the federal government.” under what terms the KRG will agree to place all the oil it controls — which hen the Islamic State (IS) swept through large parts of northern and now includes Kirkuk and other contested territories — at the disposal of the Wwestern Iraq in June, the Kurdish peshmerga forces brought Kirkuk Iraqi government, as Abdul-Mahdi's statement envisioned. under their firm control as Iraqi army units deserted their posts there, fearing Without a solid agreement over SOMO's role in Kurdish oil exports, it will an IS onslaught. Ever since, oil exports from Kirkuk to the Turkish port city quite likely be difficult for the Iraqi government to maintain the current deal of Ceyhan have stopped, causing the Iraqi government a significant loss of due to heavy pressure from non-Kurdish circles in Baghdad. revenue while it is locked in a brutal conflict with IS. "I don't believe the Kurdistan region will export its own oil through SOMO," The KRG says it now produces around 300,000 barrels of oil per day. Past Jawdat, the Kurdish lawmaker, said. oil figures from the authorities show that before June the Kirkuk oil fields But Jawdat said another solution could be possible in the form of the KRG exported between 300,000 to almost half a million barrels of oil per day, selling its oil and keeping the Iraqi government in the loop on its production depending on the technical capabilities and readiness. and export activities. In that case, he said the KRG will still have to send the Mutalebi’s view is shared by many in Baghdad. During a parliamentary ses- revenues to the federal government's coffers in Baghdad to be redistributed sion on Nov. 17 where Abdul-Mahdi tried to convince the lawmakers about nationally. N his deal with the KRG, he faced harsh criticism, particularly from pro-Maliki Mohammed A. Salih is a journalist based in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. He has writ- lawmakers. ten about Kurdish and Iraqi affairs for local and international media. Hanan al-Fatlawi, a lawmaker and ardent supporter of Maliki, questioned the wisdom of the deal during the parliamentary meeting. 86 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaieu)-Berheaokn Çapê- Riaistø Stømpa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti ieudì 27 novembt e 2014 Les frappes de la Coalition freinent- Daech L'État islamique subit ses premiers revers en Syrie et en Iralç même si I'on est encore loin d'une < victoire >. 1il-ì:' *r'S d. *+ r,*, # ìt, Coalltlon (ícl le 17 novembre) ont falt reculer lgsdjlhadlstes de certaines Kobané, où les combats contlnuent å faire rage, les bombardements de la positlons stratég¡ques, I'armée irakienng, grâce à I'aide des 7u division de I'a¡mée irakienne¡ qul chütes et des tribus sunnites subi de lou¡ds revers cet été lors DELPIIINE MINOUI dminouiCÐlef lgaró,f r milices avait CORRESPONDANTE AU CAIRE ainsi qu'au soutien aérien de la coali- de l'offensive des djÍhadistes. tion. Cette raffinerie, qui fournit 50% Mais, selon Hlsham Hashemi, ce dis- de la demande locale, était assiégée de- positif est loin d'être suffisant, < 87 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheuokn Çøpê- Riaista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensø-Basin Ozeti fcJlfonta lluDI 27 NOVIMBR[ 2014 ATéhérâh, déception T-l l-¡ II' etthéories du complot loué un rôle dans l'absence d'ac- cord sur le clossier nucléaire de Té- héran avec le groupe ( P5 + t > (les LArabie saoudite et Israël sont désignés comme cinq membies permanents du Conseil de sécurité des Nations les responsables de l'absence d'accord sur le nucléaire unies, plus lAllemagne), lundi z4 novembre à Vienne, Alors que Ia date butoir pour les députés ont dénoncé la < gour- pourparlers a été repoussée de Selon le quoüdþn Ies Saoudiensr, explique Babak, mandÍse r des Etats-Unis. Les deux sept mois et que les esPoirs d'une 33 ans, joint à Téhéran. pays nbnt plus de relations diplo- levée des sanctions internationa- IlonyaéEghtesa4 matiques depuis laprise d'otages à les imposées à l'Iran ont été dé- Rlyad cherchalt < Sans lnvltatlon > l'ambassade américaine, en 1929, cir- çus, toutes sortes de théories ( partous Certains quotidiens iraniens sur- peu après la révolution. Selon ces culent. De nombreux Iraniens les nomment lArabie saoudite, pays députés, l'équipe iranienne a t celle ont investi les réseaux sociaux moyens à saboter nrajoritairement sunnite, échoué car elle n'a pas pu imposer tr pour dénoncer I'influence né- quÍ est arrivée à Viennê sans invita- ses conditions, notamment la Ie- faste > de deux Pays dans cet cet accod trbn r. Selon le quotidien Donya-é vée des sanctions. Or Mohammad échec : l'Arubie saoudite, rivale ré- hlstorique > Eghtesad (r< Le Monde de l'écono- favad Zarif,le ministre des affaÍres gionale de l'lran, et Israël. Deux mie >), Riyad cherchait K par tous étrangères iranien et négociateur pays également pris pour cible Ies moyens à sabotercet accordhís- en chefpour le dossier nucléaire, par certains rnédias. peut compte¡ du moins pour le toríque ¡r. Et la réaction du prémier < Les pourparlers ont été Prolon- Pour preuve, ces lraniens rappel- moment, sur le soutien du Guide à le surprise du ministre israélien, Benyamin Né- gés de sept mois. Cela veut dire que lent t'envi voyage suprême, Khamenei, Kurdish deal with Turkeywithin reach but legal guarantees key: Ocalan ISTANBUL November 30,2014 - (Reuters) President Tayyip Erdogan initiated the peace process with Ocalan in zotz with the aim of ending a 3o-year-old insurgency by militants pushing for A SETTLEMENT to end a three-decade insurgency by Kurdish greater Kurdish rights. The conflict has killed 4o,ooo people, most of militants in Tlrrkey could be reached within months if the them Kurds. government puts in place legal guarantees for Kurdish rights' a Kurdish forces allied to the PKK, the People's Defence Units (YPG), are jailed militant leader was quoted as saying on Sunday. meanwhile fighting against the Islamic State insurgents attacking The siege by Islamic State militants of the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani Kobani. The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United on the TUrkish border has risked derailing Turkey's fragile peace process States and European Union. with its own Kurds, who have accused Ankara offailing to protect their The violence spilled over the border on Saturday, according to the ethnic kin. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human fughts, which monitors the Around 4o people were killed when thousands of Kurds took to the war. It said Islamic State fìghters had clashed with Syrian Kurds just streets in October, mostly in Ttrrkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast, inside TUrkish territory. to demonstrate against what they saw as Ankara's refusal to intervene in A Turkish official said Islamic State insurgents had chased a group of Kobani. Kurdish fighters over the border on Saturday, but denied there had been Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant clashes in T[rkey, salng a Turkish armored vehicle had pushed the group, nonetheless said agreement could be found within 4 to 5 months insurgents back into Syria. ifTtrkeyshowed it was serious, according to the pro-Kurdish HDP party, Islamic State militants have detonated four suicide car bombs in Kobani which visited him on his island prison. since Saturday, one of them at the Mursitpinar border crossing. U.S.led "If all sides execute the process correctly, seriously and decisively, in air strikes continued to hit the insurgents' positions around Kobani on maximum 4-S months a major democratic solution can be achieved," the Sunday. HDP quoted Ocalan as salng in a statement, but warned that failure The Observatory said at least 6z fighters had been killed since early on would deepen regional chaos. Saturday, 5o of them from Islamic State. 88 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 28 novembre 2014 Irak: le chef d'une unité d'élite iranienne est arrivé dès la prise de Mossoul Beyrouth (AFP), 28/novembre/2014 cette artère vitale", assure Al-Manar. www.courrierinternational.com Toujours selon la chaîne du Hezbollah, Souleimani "était présent dans les princi- e Hezbollah libanais a affirmé vendredi pales batailles contre l'EI dans la région occi- Lque Ghassem Souleimani, chef d'une dentale d'Anbar, dans les régions kurdes de unité iranienne d'élite, était arrivé en Irak "à Diyala (est), dans la région pétrolière de la tête d'experts libanais et de militaires ira- Kirkouk et dans la récente bataille pour la niens" dès la chute de Mossoul et a depuis raffinerie de Baiji". joué un rôle militaire important. La présence en Irak de Souleimani, qui Le chef de la Force Qods a atterri à dirige la Force Qods depuis 1998, était Bagdad "à la tête d'experts libanais et de connue mais son rôle exact n'est pas encore militaires iraniens, quelques heures après la clairement établi. prise le 10 juin de Mossoul" par le groupe Une rare photographie publiée en octo- Etat islamique (EI), selon le site de la télévi- bre en Iran mais non datée le montre en vête- sion du mouvement chiite libanais pro-ira- ments civils aux côtés de combattants pesh- nien. mergas. Il aurait aussi participé cet été aux C'est la première fois que le Hezbollah combats à Amerli, au nord de Bagdad, et indique que l'Iranien Souleimani, homme de près d'Erbil, capitale de la région autonome l'ombre rompu aux opérations secrètes et du Kurdistan irakien. quasiment invisible depuis son arrivée en En 2008, Souleimani avait été accusé par Souleimani a mis au point un plan avec les Irak, joue un rôle de premier plan dans la les États-Unis d'entraîner les milices chiites militaires irakiens et des miliciens chiites lutte contre les jihadistes de l'EI dans ce qui affrontaient les troupes occidentales "afin de sécuriser Bagdad et ses environs" pays. alors engagées en Irak. quand les jihadistes ont pris le contrôle à Téhéran, auquel le Hezbollah libanais La Force Qods est une unité d'élite des partir de juin de vastes secteurs de l'ouest et est allié, a plusieurs fois nié avoir une pré- Gardiens de la révolution iraniens qui remplit du nord de l'Irak. sence militaire en Irak avant d'admettre à l'étranger des missions de sécurité considé- "Le premier ordre qu'il a donné était de avoir envoyé des armes et des conseillers rées par la République islamique comme sécuriser la route reliant Bagdad à Samarra militaires. nécessaires pour sa sécurité. N (plus au nord) et il a réussi à chasser les jiha- Selon le site de la chaîne al-Manar, distes de l'EI qui occupaient des portions de Irak: 20 combattants kurdes tués dans l'assaut contre l'EI près de la frontière iranienne Souleimaniyeh (Irak), 23 novembre 2014 (AFP) commandant des forces kurdes. "Le nombre de (combattants kurdes) peshmergas tués est de 20 et plus de 40 ont été Vingt combattants kurdes ont été tués dans des combats et par des bombes au blessés dans des combats contre (l'EI) et (par des) bombes à l'entrée et à l'intérieur (de la cours d'une opération lancée dimanche pour reprendre au groupe etat islamique des ville de) Jalawla et à Saadiyah", a déclaré au téléphone à l'AFP Mahmoud Singawi. G secteurs proches de la frontière iranienne, au nord-est de bagdad, a annoncé un Selon l'officier Salah al-Alwani, les combats dans le centre-ville se poursuivent depuis neuf Irak: assauts des heures. jihadistes à Ramadi "Si nous perdons Al-Anbar, nous perdrons l'Irak", a déclaré à la télévision le gouverneur de la province Ahmed al-Doulaimi depuis l'Allemagne, où il est soigné après avoir été blessé et près de Kirkouk par un tir d'obus en septembre. Bagdad, 26 nove 2014 (AFP) Plus au nord, les combattants kurdes affrontaient les jihadistes qui ont lancé une importante attaque dans la province pétrolière de Kirkouk (240 km au nord de Bagdad), selon un com- Les jihadistes du groupe etat islamique (ei) ont lancé mercredi des assauts con- mandant peshmerga Westa Rasul. Les jihadistes "visent Kirkouk et veulent prendre les tre le centre de la ville de Ramadi et près de celle de Kirkouk, défendues par les sites pétroliers". forces gouvernementales et kurdes, selon des responsables. L'attaque a débuté le matin par un assaut des jihadistes sur trois villages à l'ouest de la ville Ramadi est le chef-lieu de la province occidentale d'Al-Anbar, frontalière de la Syrie, de de Kirkouk et les combats ont duré plusieurs heures, ont précisé M. Rasul et deux autres l'Arabie saoudite et de la Jordanie, que les jihadistes cherchent à prendre entièrement pour officiers. asseoir leur autorité sur la province. L'EI a temporairement réussi à s'emparer d'un des villages, mais les peshmergas, appuyés La quasi-totalité d'Al-Anbar est aux mains des jihadistes et l'EI, qui contrôle certains par des frappes de la coalition dirigée par les Etats-Unis, ont réussi à le reprendre, ont-ils quartiers de Ramadi, a lancé vendredi dernier une nouvelle offensive pour prendre la total- précisé. ité la cité, en particulier le centre-ville. Un policier et cinq peshmergas, dont un colonel et le fils d'un homme politique kurde, ont Les combats à Ramadi se déroulent près du siège du gouvernement provincial. "Nous été tués dans les combats, qui ont également fait 28 blessés, ont déclaré des officiers et un défendons et protégeons le complexe gouvernemental", a indiqué le colonel de police médecin. Hamid Chandoukh, ajoutant que les jihadistes n'étaient qu'à quelques centaines de mètres L'EI a lancé le 9 juin une offensive fulgurante dans le nord de l'Irak, s'emparant de vastes du siège. pans de cinq provinces face à une armée en déroute. Les combats ont débuté après le retrait de l'armée et de la police d'Al-Hoz, un secteur allant Celle-ci tente depuis de regagner du terrain avec l'aide des combattants kurdes, de milices du sud de Ramadi jusqu'au centre-ville, a-t-il précisé, ajoutant que des centaines de mem- chiites et de tribus sunnites. Depuis août, elle compte également sur le soutien aérien de la bres des tribus alliées du gouvernement combattaient aux côtés des forces régulières. coalition internationale. G 89 Reaue de Presse-Press Reaíqt-Berhwokn Çapê-Riaistø Stnmpa-Dentro de Ia Prensa-Basin Ozeti lnrcr¡¡¡tion¡rl ñtl llork @inrcø a NOVEMBER26,2OI4 n , nuclear pact slips away from I.J.S. and lran VIENNA o'{--'-'' f,t+tì BYDAVIDE. SANCER, :ì MICHAELR,GORDON 1 AND PETERBAKER È By the time Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart checked into a luxury hotel near the fa- I mous beaches of Oman earlier this month, a long-sought deal that has I eluded tlre last two American presi- dents to roll back Tþhran's nuclear pro- gram seemed to be slipping out of T reach. È With a deadline approaching, Mr. ¡ KeÌry thought the opportunity could be Ê lost unless the Iranians finally offered a rå ¡ breakthrough compromise. But Mo' t ¡f, Ð t i3 dB hammad Javad Zarif, the lranian for- -¡ I t, r* 1å:v. eign minister, came witlt little new. Frustrated, Mr. Kerry said there was no way the United States would accept a Secretary of St¡te John Kerry,left, and the lrani¡n forelgn mlnister, Moharwnad Javad iZarlf' deal that did not curb lran's ability to produce enough fuelforabomb within a fourth from letg in Vienna wlth other dlptomsts lnvolved ln the negodations. year, The conversation grew heated. The two men, patricians in their own cul- to a deal but could not. tures and unaccustomed to shouting, come as a bad deal, the label could stick the end, both were constrained bY In in Congress. hard-line politics at home. An agreement with lran has hovered In the end, both American Mr. Zarif, while friendly, outgoing and achingly out of reach throughout Mr. and lranian ncaotiators were Westernized, had pushed to the very Oba¡na's presidency, tlte foreign poticy limits of his brief; he often warned fhat conetrained by hardJine that could tranbform American re- the final decision would be in tlle hands foal politics at home. lations with one of its most persistent of the supreme leadeç Ayatollah Ali adversaries and reshape the world's And Ayatollah Khamenei, Khamenei. mostvolatile region. American intelligence officials had told found themselves in thekind of confron- FTom the start, the story of the talks President Obama and Mr. Kerry was tation they had avoided during multiple has been one of hopeful signs and heavily influenced by the Revolutionary negotiating sessions over tÏe past year. dashed expectations, bursts of opti- Guard Corps and his own distrust of the was the first time there were mism occasionally piercing clouds of "This Americans. raised voices and some unpleasant ex' skepticism. On T\resday, Ayatollah Khamenei said changes," said an American official, Mr. Obama began reaching out the West had failed to bring Iran "to its who likê others requested anonymity to shortly after taking office in 2009, \{rrit- knees" over its nuclear program, Meet- describe secret diplomacY. ing the first of what would be four letters ing with Muslim clerics in Tehran, Mr. on Monday, as the deadline finally ar- to Ayato[ah Khamenei. It was not until Khamenei dismissed the dÍplomatic and rived, Mr. Kerry left another negotiat' last year's election of Hassan Rouhani, economic pressure that $torld powers table in Vienna, having failed to followed by his choice of Mr. Zarif, that ing have brought to bear on his countrY bridge the divide. doors really began to open and Mr. over its nuclear ambitions. The last-minute offers he expected "In the nuclea¡ issue, America and Obama authorized à seciei chánnel to never arrived. And yet the two diplo- colonial European countries got togeth- the two men.through Oman. mats agreed that they may agree, The talks Yet er and did their best to bring tlte Islamic led to a deal last November and so they settled for a seven-montl to freeze Republic to its knees, butthey could not much of lran's nuclear activity extension of the deadline in hopes that a exchange some do so and they will not be able to do in for sanctions being new approach might enable them to find - bo," Mr. Klramenei's personal webslte lifted while formal talks for a broader the middle ground that has escaPed agreement held. quoted him as saying. were Wendy Sherman, them, Mr. Kerry's position in Vienna was the under secretary of state, led the new Ifanything, the last few weeks under- negotiations persistently complicated by the Republican midterm so that she scored a larger conclugion about the ne. kept going election victory and the fear of feeding even after rupturing a finger gotiations: If the deal had been left to a the narrative that Mr. Obama was a in fall and later breaking her nose on a Kerry and Mr.Zaril, and to their re- glass Mr. weakened president. The bipartisan door in Vienna. spective teams, it probably would have Iran talk in Congress about new sanetions threw several curveballs. Ayatol- The two men haVe developed happened. hung over the American negotiating lah Khamenei said in a speech that lran would a strong working relationship, and the team, Ar¡d so did Israel's constant warn- ultimately increase its capacity produce flare-upin Ornan acouple weeks ago un- ings that Mr. Obamawas at riskof being to enriched uranium tenfòld, rather derscored how much each wanted to get duped. If Israel condemned any out- than decrease it. "Zarif all but 90 Ranue de Presse-Pr ess Reaieut-Berheuoka Riaista S de ln Prensø-Basin Ozeti told us he didn't see that coming," an consider real offers until after the clerics and military elite. The Ameri- American official said. midterm elections. The Americans said cans said Mr. Kerry would also be leav- Mr. Zarif then surprised Mr. Kerry in that was silly; tfie talks were not an is- ing and told reporters to pack their July by proposing in an interview witì sue in the elections. Mr. Kerry became bags. The New York Times that Iran would more heavily involved. He began meet- But in the opening session, Mr. Zarif simply continue tlre temporary lreeze ing with Mr. Zarit, either alone or, to totd Mr. Kerry that there was no point in for seven years or so but dismantle keep the other partners in the loop, in going back to Tehran if there were no nothing. "He's negotiating in public," three-way meetings with Catherine new American offers on the table. Mr. Kerryfumed. Ashton, the European Union envoy to Sounding frustrated, Mr. Zarif told the Another American official said "it the negotiations. official IRNA news agency, "There didn't even accord with what he was Mr. Kerry flew to Vienna last Thurs- $rere no remarkable offers and ideas to saying to us" privately. But it helped day for a final shot at meeting the dead- take to Tehran." give Mr. Zarif room with hard-liners at line. The Americans sensed thatMr.Za- home to extend the first deadline. rif had littte leeway. Mr. Zarif and his DavídE. Sønger and MichaelR. Gordon Negotiators reconvenéd in late aídes warned that after the first meet- reported Jrom Vientw, Peter Bah,er lrom September in New York, but tlre lrani- ing, the foreign minister would fly back Washinglon and Thomqs Erdb r inh. fr om ans told the Americar¡s they would not to Tehran to get a bottom line from the Tehran ln tenr¡ tion¡l ñu llo rk @i¡n es N ovE MBER 26, 2ot4 Keep pushitrg for an lran deal announced lastyear has proved effec- preme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tive. As Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin pointed out, Iran had àbout 200 kilo-' Netanyahu willtry to undermine the grams of 2O-percent-enriched uranium. talks. When the new Congress con- Today, it has none. The number of oper- venes next y.ear, it may push for new ational centriñ.¡ges has been frozen. In- sanctions. There will be talk of "ap- ternational inspections have been re- peasement," the cheap Chamberlain Roger doubled. Not for a decade had tlte pause riff that is a favorite sound bite of button been hit in this way. Yes, Iran naysayers. A sanctions push would be Cohen has received some sanctions relief, extremely foolish. It would constitute a bringing in about $700 million a month, potentÍal talks-breaker that may prod butthat scarcely offsets plunging oil President Obama into a veto. This revenue. would in turn reinforce lVashington IONDoN I wrote last Maythat "un- Why is Israel's ølllor enmplete dß- chatter about "an imperial presiden- reasonable optimism" surrounded nu- mantlement notthewøy to go? Because cy." To which Obama should respond clear talks between Iran and the inajor it is not achievable in the real world; that he's less interested in chatter than powers. Unreasonable pessimism the perfect cannot be the enemy of the the history books. should not surround the failure to reach good. Diplomacy is about tough com- But isn' t lran America's enemy ? Yes, an overall agreement and the decision promise, not ideal outcomes. The nuclç Iran supports Hezbollah. It supports to extend negotiations for seven a¡ know-how attained by Iran cannot be Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Its months. Anwar Sadat, the former undone. The aim must be to ring fence operatives have killed or plotted to kill Egyptian president, believed 70 per- for at least a decade a Americans since the birtf¡ of the Islamic cèqt of the Israeli-Arab conflict was lfyou don't Republic in 1979, especially in the early psyòhological. The same has been years. But lran also has overlapping in- lil¡e the idea true of the American-Iranian confron- terests with the United States in Af- of tation at the heart of the standoff be- Amcricaat ghanistan and lraq. It is a relative is- twèen Tehran and the West. A barrier warwith I¡- land of stability in aviolent Middle has fallen through well over a year of lamic Sta¡e kept below 5 percent. East. Its young population is over- discussions; a 35-year-old trauma has and with I¡- Iran, a signatory of whelr4ingly pro-American. Most of receded. lamic Statc'¡ the Nuclear Non- them place Israel at the bottom of their This immense achievement does not EWOrn enemy, list ofpriorities. The United States does with plenty of strategic in itself assure success. Plenty of Iran, double business ad- people preserved. including Russia. The Middle want enmity Here dovnondi- versaries, are seven questions for the next seven East is stymied. Even a cold American- months that may prove helpful: plomary. Iranian understanding could redraw Why is a deøl still by lar the best op- purposes" at the be- the map of tlre region. tion? Beiause the alternatíves are a hest of a nuclear- Pres ident Hassan Rouhaní seems rea- continuation ofthe relentless buildup of armed nonsignatory of that treaty, Isra- sonable but do e sn' t Khameneí ølI the Iranian nuclear capacity seen over the el. This is reality; deal with it. tran's nu- shots? The supreme leader and the pres- past decade or yet another American clear program has tl¡e emotional reson- ident need each otler. The Iranian econ- war in the Middle East that would do ance the nationalization of its oil had in omy is a shambles. Khamenei needs . little to dent the program, lock in hard- the 1950s. That nationalization prompt- Rouhani to fix it. Rouhani needs Khame- liners for a generation and likely ed a never-forgotten Angto-Amèrican nei as a shield from the toughest hard- prompt an Iranian dash for a bomb, set- coup. Calls for dismantlement are seen liners. The West will never find better in- ting off a regional arms race. If you like in lran through this prism. As Kerry's terlocutors than Rouhani and Zarif. the ldea of the United States at war negotiating partner, Iranian Foreign Are there other reasons to Íovor ø,rl with the Sunni killers of Islamic State Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, said, sccord?Yes.lran is the last sizable and at war rvith Islamic State's srvorn "You are doomed to failure" if you seek emerging market economy not inte- enemy, Shiite lran, this scenario may "a zero-sum game." Setting impossible grated in the global economy. Integrat- hold appeal. If it looks like a nightmare, targets is code for favoring war. ing it will provide a huge boost. The double down on diplomacy. What, are the maindangers now to the môre contact there is between Iran and But doesn't the ëxtension of.tàIhs fa- negotiations 2 The Republican Con- the West, the more moderating forces vor lran? No. The interim agreement gress, hard-liners in Têhran around Su- will be reinforced. 91 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 30 novembre 2014 Syrie: le poste-frontière de Kobane visé par une attaque jihadiste Avec notre correspondant à Istanbul, Jérôme Bastion / 30 novembre 2014 Des voitures http://www.rfi.fr endommagées par une attaque à la bombe de ne attaque violente au véhicule l'EI à piégé menée samedi 29 novembre U Mursitpinar à par l'organisation Etat islamique a visé la frontière pour la première fois le poste-frontière syro-turque le donnant accès à Kobane. Jusque-là, il 29 novembre était aux mains des forces kurdes. 2014 D’après les Kurdes, cette attaque aurait été menée depuis le territoire turc, mais Ankara a fermement démenti que le véhi- cule soit venu de Turquie. Sur les images tournées par les journalistes postés à Kobane, peu après l’attentat, on autre chemin que le court réduit qui relie le ont pour l’instant réussi à défendre chère- voit clairement des combattants armés non poste-frontière turc au poste-frontière kurde ment ce point de passage qui est le dernier identifiés, sous le drapeau turc flottant au- syrien, alors que les environs sont aux lien vital avant un encerclement complet. dessus du poste-frontière du côté turc. Ils mains des Kurdes. Le véhicule est d’ailleurs Mais la situation de Kobane est une nou- tirent depuis le territoire turc vers le parfois décrit comme un blindé léger de l’ar- velle fois critique et la population kurde de Kurdistan syrien. Ce qui accréditerait la mée turque, ce qui aurait trompé la vigi- Turquie se mobilise à nouveau pour dénon- thèse selon laquelle des combattants lance des combattants kurdes. cer l’attitude de la Turquie. islamistes profitent d’une immunité certaine et d’une certaine marge de manœuvre pour L’état-major de l’armée turque, le bureau du Les combats dans et autour de Kobané, opérer depuis la Turquie contre les posi- Premier ministre et des responsables ainsi que les frappes de la coalition interna- tions kurdes en Syrie. locaux ont en tout cas fermement démenti tionale menée par les Etats-Unis dans le le passage d’un véhicule, mais ne com- secteur, ont fait une quarantaine de morts Concernant l’attentat en lui-même, il paraît mentent pas la présence de ces combat- ces dernières 24 heures, dont 28 jihadistes impossible que le véhicule soit venu par un tants armés tirant vers la Syrie. Les Kurdes et 11 combattants kurdes, selon l'OSDH. I Noir, vert, tricolore? "Guerre des drapeaux" en Irak Bagdad, 28 novembre 2014 (AFP) Si le drapeau national irakien rouge, blanc et noir, flotte toujours sur les bâtiments officiels, il est largement éclipsé par les drapeaux religieux ou ethniques. du paViLLon noiR des jihadistes aux bannières colorées des milices chiites, en Les combattants peshmergas du Kurdistan irakien déploient ainsi uniquement leur propre passant par le soleil de l'étendard kurde et les trois couleurs nationales, une "guerre étendard rouge, blanc et vert avec un soleil au centre. des drapeaux" fait rage en irak. Et les milices chiites, alliées de Bagdad, brandissent des bannières religieuses tradition- "Aujourd'hui, en Irak, on peut dire qu'il y a une guerre avec des balles et des... drapeaux. nellement prévues pour l'Achoura, la plus importante célébration chiite. Les deux sont inséparables", constate Ahmed Ali, expert de l'Institut pour l'étude de la guerre. La première autorité chiite d'Irak, le grand ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a appelé à n'utiliser que le drapeau national irakien, mais il a été largement ignoré. Et les bannières chiites ont "Psychologiquement, planter son drapeau a un sens très fort. Ça montre à votre ennemi même remplacé le drapeau national à des check-points de l'armée et sur des véhicules mil- que vous êtes présents dans la zone et ça renforce l'identité de votre organisation", itaires. souligne-t-il. "Certaines milices chiites ont essayé d'exploiter la tradition des bannières de l'Achoura" L'arme est cependant à double tranchant car si le drapeau "peut stimuler le moral des pour "assimiler leur cause à celle d'Hussein", important martyr de l'islam chiite, explique troupes", il est susceptible de leur "plomber le moral quand il est descendu", ajoute cet Nathaniel Rabkin, éditeur de la newsletter "Inside Iraqi Politics". expert. L'omniprésence des drapeaux est devenue lorsque le conflit a pris une nouvelle dimension avec l'offensive fulgurante lancée en juin par le groupe Etat islamique (EI) dans le nord et "De la même manière, les combattants de l'EI utilisent leur drapeau pour se poser en l'ouest du pays. représentants de la religion: comme il arbore le nom de Dieu, ils peuvent dire que quiconque le brûle ou le profane est un ennemi de Dieu", ajoute-t-il. L'armée et la police irakiennes, les forces peshmergas de la région autonome du Kurdistan, des milices chiites et des tribus sunnites tentent maintenant de regagner du terrain. Mais si tous ces acteurs coopèrent parfois contre l'ennemi commun, ils combattent bien souvent Ce drapeau est noir et porte la première partie de la profession de foi islamique: "Il n'y a de séparément. Dieu que Dieu". Au-dessous, dans un cercle blanc, se détachent les mots "Dieu, messager, Les drapeaux symbolisent ces divisions religieuses et ethniques entre les groupes combat- Mohammed", censés représenter le sceau du prophète Mohammed. tants, y compris entre alliés. - 'La fondation de La VictoiRe' - - symboLes ReLigieux - Ce drapeau, omniprésent dans les photos et vidéos de propagande du groupe g 92 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti g jihadiste, "est important pour l'EI car (il représente) un marqueur de son identité dif- bannières sur les collines entourant Kobané, la ville kurde à la frontière turque que l'EI tente férente", estime Aymen al-Tamimi, spécialiste des groupes jihadistes. Une bannière si sym- de prendre depuis trois mois. bolique qu'elle a été adoptée par d'autres groupes jihadistes du monde entier, note pour sa Le 23 octobre, des combattants ont ainsi planté leur drapeau noir sur la colline de Tilsehir, part l'expert Romain Caillet. à l'ouest de Kobané. A peine quelques heures plus tard, une frappe aérienne de la coalition Quand des forces pro-gouvernementales reprennent du terrain aux jihadistes, elles descen- internationale pulvérisait cette bannière hautement symbolique. dent les drapeaux noirs, souvent exhibés ensuite comme prises de guerre. Une habitude Et le lendemain, le drapeau jaune des combattants kurdes des Unités de protection du peu- que l'EI a retourné contre elles un jour, piégeant un drapeau avec des explosifs et tuant ainsi ple (YPG) l'avait remplacée. trois policiers dans le nord de l'Irak. "Hisser les drapeaux est important dans la bataille. C'est la base de la victoire", proclame Dans la Syrie voisine, les jihadistes sont allés jusqu'à s'exposer au feu pour planter leurs un colonel peshmerga. G 28 novembre 2014 Les Kurdes syriennes de Kobané, des femmes à poigne Sous la houlette d’un parti marxiste, les Kurdes syriennes de Kobané se sont mobilisées pour organiser la parité dans les instances dirigeantes d’une région toujours morcelée par la guerre 28 novembre 2014 www.la-croix.com Enterrement de trois combattants kurdes turcs ix ans séparent Fayza Abdi, la quaran- à Kobané – deux jeunes Dtaine, d’Ayse Efendi, une figure des femmes et un homme –, Kurdes de Syrie depuis trois décennies. Alors le 7 novembre 2014. Les que la guerre se poursuit dans la ville de combats se poursuivent Kobané entre djihadistes de Daech (acronyme arabe pour État islamique) et Kurdes syriens dans la ville syrienne de et turcs, ces deux militantes réfugiées à Suruç, Kobané entre djihadistes en Turquie, s’expliquent sur ce qu’elles décri- de Daech et Kurdes vent comme la grande victoire des femmes de syriens et turcs. Kobané. C’était après le départ des troupes de Bachar Al Assad, le 19 juillet 2012. Une administra- tion autonome de transition est alors mise en Avant la guerre, elle était professeur de kurde. devant l’assemblée. » place dans trois zones kurdes de Syrie, organi- Elle travaillait dans l’ONG « L’Initiative des sées en cantons : Afrine, à l’ouest, Kobané et DE RéELLES AvANcéES PoUR LES femmes syriennes ». Aujourd’hui, elle siège au FEMMES Djéziré, à l’est. conseil législatif de Kobané, nouvellement UNE BRIgADE DE coMBATTANTES créé, où a été instaurée « la parité hommes- Ayse Efendi est fière de décisions importantes femmes ». inscrites dans la constitution des cantons, « de À Kobané, « nous, les femmes, avons com- réelles avancées par rapport à ce que nous mencé à nous organiser », raconte Fayza Abdi. Les trois cantons kurdes de Syrie, placés sous vivions sous le régime de Bachar Al Assad » : « Et nous avons créé, pour la première fois en la férule autoritaire et peu démocratique du l’interdiction de la polygamie (par ailleurs peu Syrie, une brigade de femmes combattantes », PYD, sont dotés chacun d’une assemblée fréquente dans le monde kurde, NDLR), l’éga- sur le modèle de celle du Parti des travailleurs locale ainsi que de représentants au sein d’un lité des droits des hommes et des femmes, du Kurdistan (PKK), la guérilla qui milite organe exécutif régional. La direction des trois l’autorité des mères sur leurs enfants et l’inter- pour un statut d’autonomie des Kurdes en cantons est située à Hassakeh, dans le nord-est diction du mariage pour les filles de moins de Turquie. de la Syrie. La toute nouvelle constitution des 18 ans. « Cela n’a pas été aisé, convient-elle. C’est cantons syriens est calquée sur celle du Kurdistan d’Irak. « La démocratie est régie par la loi, la religion nouveau pour les hommes en Syrie et, au n’a rien à voir avec la politique et la justice », début, ils ne l’acceptaient pas. Mais lorsqu’ils AYSE EFENDI, UNE FEMME AU coNSEIL insiste Ayse Efendi. De fait, les tribunaux isla- les ont vues en tenue de combat, le fusil à la DU PEUPLE miques n’existent pas chez les Kurdes main, donner des ordres et se battre, ils ont Ayse Efendi est une figure locale. Née dans marxistes du PYD de Kobané. compris qu’elles pouvaient tout aussi bien être une famille kurde aisée de Kobané, militante UN AvENIR qUI RESTE INcERTAIN des chefs militaires. » de toujours des droits des femmes, elle est Quant aux djihadistes, « ils nous craignent », coprésidente du conseil du peuple de Kobané. « Personne dans le monde n’a donné autant poursuit-elle, car pour eux, c’est déchoir de Elle est aussi l’épouse de Saleh Muslim, le chef d’opportunités aux femmes qu’Öcalan », mourir d’une balle tirée par une femme. « Les du PYD, et la mère d’un « chahid » tombé, il y ajoute Ayse Efendi, qui aime rappeler cette islamistes pensent que les “chahids’’, les mar- a un an et deux mois, ainsi que d’un second phrase du leader du PKK, incarcéré depuis tyrs, vont au Paradis, mais que s’ils sont tués garçon, présent sur le front. « Quand on m’a quinze ans dans une prison turque : « Toute par une femme, ils vont droit en enfer. » apporté la nouvelle de la mort de mon fils, je l’humanité est enchaînée si la femme n’est pas libre. » FAYzA ABDI, UNE FEMME AU coNSEIL n’ai pas pleuré, c’est un cadeau que j’ai fait à LégISLATIF mon peuple », affirme-t-elle. « Tout cela existe sur le papier, modère Les femmes, dit-elle, sont présentes au niveau Sandrine Alexie, de l’Institut kurde de Paris. De petite taille, portant un foulard clair sur les Reste à voir si cela résistera à la guerre qui cheveux, Fayza Abdi est aussi mère de quatre des six commissions chargées de l’organisa- tion, de la défense, de la santé, des femmes, de sévit à Kobané et à l’organisation future de la enfants dont une fille restée à Kobané et un fils Syrie. L’autonomie des cantons syriens est qui combat dans les Unités de protection la paix, et du nettoyage du canton de Kobané. « Les décisions prises conjointement par les reconnue par le Kurdistan d’Irak, mais pas par populaire (YPG), la milice armée du Parti de Damas ». I l’union démocratique (PYD), lié au PKK. hommes et les femmes sont ensuite portées 93 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 30, 2014 iraq's divisions will delay counter- offensive on islamic State "planning and coordination are already under way" for the battle by dominic evans (reuters) for Mosul. november 30, 2014 "I am really not aware of spring english.alarabiya.net offensives. The offensive is on - spring, summer, winter. We countered them in autumn. This aghdad - U.S. air support is an ongoing battle with them." band pledges of weapons and The United States is setting up training for Iraq's army have rai- four training camps for Iraq's sed expectations of a counter- 80,000-strong armed forces - offensive soon against Islamic two around Baghdad, one in the State, but sectarian rifts will ham- Kurdish city of Arbil and the per efforts to forge a military stra- fourth in Anbar. tegy and may delay a full-scale assault. Washington has also set out The Sunni Islamists stormed plans to provide body armor and guns to 45,000 soldiers, 15,000 through northern Iraq in a 48- Members of the Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite fighters take part hour offensive in June, charging Kurdish peshmerga and 5,000 during an intensive security deployment in the town of Qara Sunni tribal forces. virtually unopposed toward the Tappa in Iraq's Diyala province November 26, 2014. outskirts of Baghdad, humiliating REUTERS/Stringer A senior Western diplomat in a U.S.-trained Iraqi army which Baghdad said the training might surrendered both land and wea- take six months, with the first pons as it retreated. round complete in late spring. how quick the coalition will be in optimistic, as Washington and hile he argued that the tide By contrast, even a successful providing heavy arms to pesh- the Sunni tribes are deeply wary had turned against Islamic effort by the Shi'ite-led govern- merga and the Iraqi army." of Shi'ite militia forces. W ment to dislodge Islamic State, State in northern Iraq and was also known as ISIS, from Sunni "certain victory" Iraqi authorities aim to overcome moving against it elsewhere, territory where it rules over mil- The army, Shi'ite militias and the deep rifts between Shi'ites, fighting was likely to stretch into lions of Iraqis would be fiercely Kurdish fighters have made Sunni Arabs, Kurds and other 2016. fought and could stretch well some gains against Islamic groups by absorbing local figh- And without control over the bor- beyond next year. State, pushing back an advance ters into a state-funded National der, Islamic State fighters could toward Kurdish territory in Guard, but the role of that force slip away and regroup in Syria. The Baghdad government relies remains undecided. on Shi'ite militias and Kurdish August and last week recaptu- "It's the balloon theory. You peshmerga to contain Islamic ring towns in Diyala province, on long war squeeze one part and it pops up State - a dependence which the road from Baghdad to Iran. Government adviser Zuhair al- elsewhere," he said. underlines and may even exa- The leader of the pro-Iranian Chalabi told Reuters the army Hawrami, the Kurdish official, cerbate the sectarian rivalry Shi'ite Badr Organisation, whose was in no shape to surge north foresaw a protracted and poten- which opened the door for the fighters battled alongside pesh- and Mosul's mainly Sunni resi- tially inconclusive battle. summer offensive. merga and soldiers in Diyala, dents would resist a campaign "In order to guarantee their U.S. newspapers have cited offi- said they would turn next to the by Shi'ite militias alone. defeat in Mosul we have to cials in Washington saying the Sunni provinces of Salahuddin Instead, a combined force of defeat them in Syria as well," he Americans' training mission aims and Anbar - north and west of army soldiers, Sunni tribes, said. "ISIS cannot be vanquis- to prepare Iraqi troops for a Baghdad - before moving further Kurdish peshmerga and Shi'ite hed. ISIS can be degraded and spring offensive to retake terri- north to Nineveh province, fighters must be assembled - weakened, but this process of tory, including Mosul, northern where Mosul lies. and the open border with Islamic degrading and weakening needs Iraq's largest city and Islamic "We are counting on the support State territory in Syria sealed. years." I State's powerbase. of the Sunni tribal fighters. With "There is a plan, but it can't be emin Hawrami, an official them joining the fight, our victory implemented that quickly," said Hclose to Kurdish leader is certain," Hadi al-Amiri told Chalabi, who is from Mosul. Masoud Barzani, told Reuters Reuters by telephone from Diyala province. inance Minister Hoshyar that Iraqi forces would not be FZebari said Islamic State was ready to take the fight to Mosul, miri said he expected to get still a formidable force but was in Iraq, until late 2015. Aweapons not just from the losing the ability to conduct "There will be no spring or sum- Iraqi government, which may major ground combat because mer (offensive)," he said, adding allocate a quarter of next year's that exposed it to air strikes. that progress depended on $100 billion budget to the mili- Zebari, a Kurd, declined to give government willingness "to reor- tary, but also from the $1.6 bil- details of the military strategies ganize the army, how quickly lion of arms and training which of either the Baghdad govern- they can solve political issues Washington plans to deliver. ment or the semi-autonomous with us and the Sunnis, (and) Both Amiri's assumptions look Kurdish authorities, but said 94 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 25, 2014 More than 100 Canadians have offered to join Kurds in fight against ISIS http://news.nationalpost.com Stewart Bell | November 25, 2014 ozens of Canadians have volunteered Dto fight ISIS in recent days, the founder of a support group said Monday amid reports that military veterans from several Western countries had travelled to Syria and Iraq to take up arms against the extremists. Ian Bradbury said more than 100 people ian bradbury is co-ordinating sol- have contacted him offering to enlist with diers who wish to fight isis. He says Kurdish paramilitary forces since Friday, about half of those who’ve contacted when the National Post reported that a for- him so far didn’t meet his require- mer Canadian infantryman had left Alberta ments. recruits have to have served to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Al- in combat before and shown that Sham. they can deal with the stress. “The majority so far have definitely been Canadian,” said Mr. Bradbury. Former sol- Canadian dillon Hillier, right, who has diers from the United Kingdom, United Chronicle-Herald, he described the Kurdish joined Kurdish forces in iraq, is shown States, Australia, New Zealand and Norway government as a “warlord coalition” and this week in Kurdistan. facebook had also expressed interest in joining forces said Canadian volunteers could end up with the Kurdish fighters, he said. fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Al- Qaeda. The response came after Dillon Hillier, a will not be paid, although “things could retired corporal who left the Princess “Under no circumstances should Canadians change down the track.” It suggests volun- Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in March, condone, let alone champion, individual teers bring $5,000 and travel to Irbil, the said in an interview with the Post that he volunteers such as Hillier fighting alongside Kurdish capital in Iraq. had arrived at a Kurdish Peshmerga base in foreign forces. Instead, save your praise for northern Iraq to join the battle against ISIS. those in uniform serving our national inter- Canada has sent six CF-18 fighters to ests,” he wrote. Kuwait to participate in air strikes against “I think that there were a lot out there ISIS and has airlifted weapons to local thinking exactly as Dillon had been,” said Mr. Bradbury agreed that some armed fac- forces. Almost 70 Canadian soldiers are Mr. Bradbury, an Ottawa veteran who tions fighting ISIS were problematic. helping train the Iraqi military. Canadian recently launched the 1st North American “However, the Kurdish Peshmerga are not, officials say the assistance has stalled the Expeditionary Force to assist volunteers and I would encourage everyone to research ISIS advance. heading abroad to fight ISIS. “It’s really tug- and educate themselves prior to establish- ging at a lot of guys’ heartstrings.” ing an opinion,” he said. But frustration over the limited Western military response to ISIS atrocities appears He said about half of those who contacted While hundreds of Western extremists have to have prompted some veterans to volun- him were being screened; the others did not left their home countries over the past two teer. The October killings of two Canadian meet his requirements. “They have to have years to join armed Islamist groups such as Forces members in Saint-Jean-sur- at least military training and deployment. ISIS, more recently Westerners have begun Richelieu, Que., and Ottawa by extremists They have to have functioned in a conflict making their way to the region to fight with may also be a factor, Mr. Bradbury said. environment before and proven to be able to factions at war with ISIS. deal with those stresses.” “That’s made it real for a lot of people Over the weekend, The Observer reported again,” he said. “They had left and taken on Mr. Bradbury said he hoped to provide them that two British men had joined the YPG, new lives and it still sits within them, that with equipment and logistical support. He the Kurdish armed group fighting ISIS in defender lifestyle. And regardless of what said he was finalizing arrangements with Syria. A popular Facebook page called The else they were doing when that happened, it the Peshmerga to receive foreigners in Lions of Rojava has also been encouraging fully hit home for them and it definitely capacity-building roles such as training and foreigners to join the anti-ISIS fight. made it all real for them. mentoring. A Peshmerga Facebook similarly tells “So I think that had a great impact.” I But military analyst Scott Taylor has come Western volunteers how to join, saying they out against the idea. Writing in the Halifax will have to supply their own weapons and 95 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti November 28, 2014 To promote wins against IS, Iran's Soleimani emerges Quds Force Cmdr. Qasem Soleimani has been advising Iraqi Shiite militias with some success in the fight against the Islamic State. Author Ali Mamouri November 28, 2014 Translators Sami-Joe Abboud Sibel Utku Bila www.al-monitor.com n the last few months, the Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani Iwent from being a mysterious man who made no public appea- rances to a commander whose photos and videos were broadcast after each Iraqi army victory against Islamic State (IS) forces. Soleimani was no longer the “shadow commander,” as Dexter Filkins called him in a 2013 New Yorker article. Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, began his emergence into the public eye in Iraqi military and political settings after Mosul fell to IS in June. Al-Monitor has learned from Iraqi political sources that Soleimani has been undeniably engaged in political and military deci- sions related to Iraq's fight against IS. Qasem soleimani, the head of iran’s Quds force, poses with Soleimani purposely wanted his photos to be published to publicize Kurdish fighters in iraq in this undated photo. (photo by his presence on the military front. The first photo appeared after Iraqi twitter/@Mojtaba_fathi) forces broke the siege against the city of Amerli. The image reportedly was taken there. Other photos are said to be from Jarf al-Sakhr, al- Iran is apparently using Soleimani to relay to its allies that it is the only Dalouiah and other Iraqi regions liberated from IS. party they can rely on. It is also saying that at the end of the day, wha- In such photos, Soleimani typically wears simple military attire, tever the political differences among its allies or with Iran, Tehran without weapons or equipment, and sits or stands among fighters affi- remains their one and only protector. For example, Iran continues to liated with Shiite militias or sometimes with militia leaders, like Hadi al- support the Palestinians despite the considerable tension between Amiri, the head of the Badr Organization. them over events in Syria. In an open letter from Soleimani to the Soleimani usually has a smile on his face. He does not appear sur- Palestinian people during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in July, rounded by Iranian security. None of the photos show him with Iraqi Soleimani stressed Iran’s firm position in terms of “proceeding with army forces or commanders. This might be explained by a lack of determination to support the resistance and help it win so that life for confidence in the Iraqi army, which is composed of a variety of ele- Zionists turns into a hell.” Soleimani paid tribute to the fighters in all ments from different backgrounds and had failed in several battles the Palestinian resistance battalions “who are teaching the enemy, against IS, chief among them the fall of Mosul. and those who stand behind the enemy or conspire with it from afar Given the army's track record, one can understand Iran’s preference or near, the deepest lessons of confrontation.” for supporting Shiite militias instead of focusing its efforts on rebuil- he Iranian message to the region is a declaration of confidence in ding the Iraqi army. The fact is that Iran followed the same pattern at Tvictory against rival powers. Those knowledgeable of Iranian rhe- the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, when it empowered military toric would likely interpret those allegedly collaborating with the forces parallel to the national army, namely the Islamic Revolutionary enemy to be the anti-Iranian Arab regimes in the region. Guard Corps and the Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed Iranian-US relations are the most important aspect of the message (Basij). Iran used these forces to restore domestic order and repel the Iran is conveying through Soleimani as icon. Iran wants to be recogni- previous Iraqi regime’s attacks against it. zed by the West as a regional power whose position must be taken oleimani's emergence proffers multiple meanings and sends a into account in all matters involving the area. It played such a role Svariety of messages back to his Iranian homeland as well as to the under the shah, but the West and its allies rejected the notion after the region and the international community. The photos and news of vic- Islamic Revolution. tories under Soleimani's advisement have been published generously It seems Iran is now reaping the fruits of its efforts over the last three on Iranian news websites to prove the validity and success of the decades to realize its regional objectives. The United States has general policy adopted by the Islamic Republic. They suggest that the begun to show flexibility toward Iran and the regional role it plays. This Iranian people should trust in the regime and be patient, including on is due to the unwillingness of the Barack Obama administration to the nuclear issue and relations with the international community, so return to the region, the current vacuum permitting the expansion of the goals of the revolution can be achieved. extremists organizations in the area and the inability of other regional Iranian politicians began frankly and openly talking about their coun- powers — specifically, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — to fill the void. try's regional role by using Soleimani as a role model for credibility Riyadh and Ankara are both accused of contributing to the emergence and success. In an interview with Al-Mayadeen, Adm. Ali Shamkhani, of extremist groups in the region, so the scope of their influence there secretary-general of the Supreme National Security Council, said, is limited. N “How can Kobani be bombed, and how can the war continue to rage there, knowing that Amerli was liberated in two days, Hamrin in one Ali Mamouri is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Iraq Pulse. He is a researcher day and Jarf al-Sakhr in two days? What is the hidden agenda of this and writer who specializes in religion. He is a former teacher in Iranian uni- propaganda? What is the real goal behind this propaganda of rallying versities and seminaries in Iran and Iraq. He has published several articles related to religious affairs in the two countries and societal transformations 42 countries and then 60? Does it aim at fighting IS or seeking to and sectarianism in the Middle East. develop a new political architecture in the region? 96 Reaue de Presse-Press Reoimt-Berheuoka Capê-Riaistn Stømpa-Dentro de ln Prensa-Bøsin Ozeti - -MoNoe NOVEMBRE diplomatique 20I4 américain, ont rapidement fait de la ville kurde et de ses défenseu¡s les symboles de N" 728- 61'année. Novembre 2014 la lutte conhe une OEI devenue ente-temps I'incarnation du mal absolu pourune large partie des opinions occidcntales. Mais la ïurquie voisine, mernbre de l'Organisation ENrnE LA TuReurE nr f IneN dutr¿ité de I'Atlantiçe nord (OTAN), s'est refusée à toute intervention contre les assaillants por¡r ne pas renforcer le PKK, quitte à relancer le conflit avec celui-ci sur Les Kurdes, son propre territoire. Ainsi, en I'espace de deux mois, les Kurdes sont apparus aux yeux du monde co¡nrno le dernier rempart contre I'OEL combien Ces traditionnels oubliés de la scène proche-orientale balisent désormais I'ultime limite à I'expansion septentrio- nale de l'organisation transfrontalière de divisions ? djihadiste que les puissânces occidentales et leurs alliés déclarent vouloir anéantir, tout en excluant de I'affronter au sol. Alors que leurs revendications n'ont jamais été clairement Cette représentation, abondamment juste, reconnues, les populations kurdes d'Irak et de Syrie sevoient relayée et globalement présente dans son expression la plus élémentaire propulsées enpremière ligne des combats contre I'Organisøtion l'inconvénient d'envisager I'espace kurde de I'Etat islamique, en particulier depuis le siège de Kobané. comme un bloc homogène. Le face-à- Un soutien unanime defaçade masque mal les jew d'influence face récent avec un ennemi commun n'á des Occidentaux, des Turcs et des lraniens, qui ont cimentë pu estomper que partiellement des lignes de fraçture cqnsidérables. Le monde des ølliances antagonistes et toujours combattu la cause latrde. kurde reste frqgmenté. Ses,ppteurs poli- * tiques et militaires évoluent dans des jeux Prn Allrr.¡ Knv¡,u d'alliances historiquement divergents. (ire I' encadré ci-conlre). DBpuls l'été 2014, I'espace kurde En Syrie, trois zones de peuplement Représentant environ 75 o/o,de la concentre les sollicitudes médiatiques et kurdejouxtent la frontière avec la Turquie. population de Syrie, les Kurdes y sont juillet 2012 diplomatiques. En Irah après la conquête Autonomes de facto depuis dépourvus de toute reconnaissance par I'Organisation et le retrait du régime de Damas du nord de Mossoul de l'Etat ofrcielle, et parfois de nationalité. Par le islamique (OEI) et ses alliés de l'insur- du pays, ces enclaves sont à leur tour rection sunnite débutjuin, le gouvemement sorties de I'ombre avec I'offensive menée biais des mouvements éfudiants, cert¿ins regional du Kurdistan a fait l'objet d'un à la mi-septembre par I'OEI sur la plus ont été aux avant-postes de la lutte contre appui international inédit, I-leffondrement réduite et isolée d'entre elles, autour de le régime de M, Al-Assad. Mais, à partn de l'autorité de Bagdad dans le nord du la ville de Kobané. Comme les régions de20l2, la révolution syrienne se dégrade pays et la chute de la deuxième ville ira- d'Afrin, dans le nord-ouest du territoire en une gueffe civile à coloration confes- kienne n'ont toutefois suscité que peu de syrien, et de la Djézireh, dans le nord- sionnelle. Les régions kurdes de Syrie réactions concrètes. En revanche, la débâcle est, Kobané est dominée depuis plus de - nommées Rojava par les nationalistes militaire kurde de la mi-août devant une deux ans par le Parti de l'union démo- kurdes - font I'objet d'une rivalité nouvelle offensive des troupes du califat cratique (PYD) (voir la carte page 5). prononcée enhe doux principaux pôles : autoproclamé de M. Abou Bakr Al- le PKK et le Parti démocratique du Baghdadi a enhalné une réponse instan- Grâce à un pacte de non-agression avec Kurdistan @DK) de M. Massoud Barzani, tanée des puissances occidentales, Etats- le régime de M. Bachar Al-Assad, cette principale force du Kurdistan irakien, Unis en tête. formation politique, appuyee par les com- battantes et les combattants des Unités Aupremier semestre 2012, M. Barzani Le martyre des yézidis de la région de de protection du peuple (YPG), a pu s'im- regroupe sous sa houlette une multitude Siqjar, I'exode des cfuétiens des plaines poser dans les régions de peuplement de petites formations politiques kurdes de Ninive vers les régions sous contrôle kurde de Syrie. Or le PYD et I'YPG sont dispersées et rivales au sein du Conseil kurde et I'avancée des troupes de I'OEI des émanations locales du Parti des tra- national kurde de Syrie (CNKS), ouver- vers Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan irakien, vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), en conflit tement partisan de la chute du régime. ont mobilisé une coalition inattendue par avec I'Etat turc depuis 1984 malgré le Dans le même temps, le PKKrenoue avec son ampleur (l). Les bombardements cessez-le-feu de2013, plus que jamais Damas, dont il avait été I'allié sous Hafez aériens ont permis de sanctuariser rapi- remis en cause. Al-Assad (2). Son parti frère, le PYD dement les régions kurdes, tandis que les peut s'assurer une position dominante au peshmergas (combattants kurdes) bénéfi- I-lencerclement de Kobané et la progres- Rojava en s'appuyant sur un appareil ciaient de livraisons directes d'armes et sion des djihadistes, en dépit des bombar- militaire qui manque aux autres forma- de programmes d'entralnement conduits dements aériens sous commandement tions kurdes. par des conseillers américains. A partir de juillet 2012,le PYD crée (l) LíreAlain Grestr, <"Guent conte le terrorisme", * Joumaliste. aclelll>>, Le Monde diplomatique, ootobro 2014. dans les régions passées sous son contrôle 97 Reuue de Presse-Press Reuieu)-Berhcnokn Çapê-Riaistø Stømpa-Dentro de In Prensø-Bøsin Özeti Théâtre des affrontements,entre djihadistes et combattants kurdes des institutions à sa main. Se présentant comme une troisième voie entre le régime Blngöl o et l'opposition, il met en avant un modèle politique conforne au corpus idéologique du PKK. Le Rojava est devenu la vihine . Van de l'< autonomie D yarbak r. par le fondateur Siirt Urfa t Öcalan, depuis s Gaziantep,' a a TURqUIE Mardin dlun modèle fondé sur une forte ,s'agit Kobané o décentralisation, qui implique le refus de Derik " I'Etat-nation, I'inclusion des minorités Afrln Kamechlíyé. a\ a o d â".e parité ethniques et religieuses ainsi que la a Ras Al-Aih entre hommes et femmes. Mais ce modèle Alep masque mal la mainmise du parti sur les \ Hassaké' \ a Erb¡l et l'éviction de ses rivaux. Rakka institutions a Sinjar a SYRIE Zone de peuplement kurde I-? atout du Deir-Ez-Zor Pétrole o Zone d'influence du PKK I a T-t '. Zone de repli des combattants du PKK, Kirkouk F{ cessez-le-feu jeu suite à l'¿ccord de IRAK I)xcrv du politique kurde syrien, avec le gouvernement turc (201 3) le CNKS de M. Barzani se trouve alors autonomes kurdes syriennes créées par le PYD écartelé entre une opposition arabe Régions syrienne rétive à toute reconnaissance du ) Région autonome du Kurdistan iraklen de fait national kurde, des accords Région contrôlée de facto par le PDK et I'UPK gouvernement jamais honorés avec le Principales offensives kurdes PYD et une dépendance totale vis-à-vis 4 en 4 Prlncipales offensives de l'OEl contre les terrltoires kurdes du PDK. Or celui-ci est de moins 0 1oo km Bagdad moins enclin à prendre le risque d'une Sour(es ; Noria Research ; AFP ; The Econonist. o confrontation directe avec le PKK. Ces rivalités tendent à s'articuler au rapproche des acteurs sunnites, favora- un axe proturc dominé par le PDK et un jeu d'opposition régional issu du conflit bles à I'opposition syrienne et soutenus axe pro-iranien dominé par le PKK. Les en cours. Le PDK a pris le contrôle du parAnkara. Symétriquement, le PKK et rivaux kurdes irakiens de M. Barzani, et secteur énergétique dans le Kurdistan ses alliés, ennemis historiques d'Ankara, notamment I'Union patriotique du Kur- irakien. Il compte sur les intérêts bien conservent des relations de bonne irttel- distan (UPK), se rattachent dans une compris de la Turquie en matière d'hy- ligence avec le régime syrien, signent certaine mesure à ce second axe, se drocarbures pour faire de la région kurde une trêve avec son protecteur iranien tout montrantplus conciliants que le PDKvis- autonome une puissance exportatrice de en ehtretenant des relations semi-offi- à-vis de Bagdad, de Téhéran comme du plein droit, échappant au contrôle de cielles avec Bagdad. PYD. Cette configuration aprevalu malgre Bagdad. Dans son opposition à I'Etat I'enhée en vigueur début 2013 du cessez- central irakien et au gouvernement chiite Se dessine ainsi au sein de I'espace le-feu entre le PKK et laTtuquie. de M. Nouri Al-Maliki (3), le PDK se kurde et à des degrés d'intégration divers Un tel jeu d'alliances reste pertinent après la chute de Mossoul. Le PDK, qui Des vocations djihadistes entretient des relations avec certains chefs de I'insur¡ection sunniþ voitd'abord dans es formations politiques et militaires séculières qui dominent un espace I celle-ci une occasion favorable sur le I- kurde extrêmêment divers ne représentent pas I'ensemble des courants chemin de I'indépendance du Kurdistan politiques qui le traversent. Très majoritairement sunnites, ces populations irakien (4). Mais I'offensive inattendue d'origine indo-européenne ne sont aucunement immunisées contre I'islamisme de radical et les vocations djihadistes. I'OEI sur les zones qu'il contrôle dans les territoires venant d'échapper à l'autorité jusqu'au Au Kurdistan irakien, la région d'Halabja abritait début des de Bagdad bouscule la donne. Alors même groupes qui années 2000 des djihadistes armés kurdes accueillirent Abou que les peshmergas rcculent et qu'Erbil Moussab Al-Zarkaoui, I'ancien chef d'Al-Qaida en lrak, décédé en 2006. Le est menacée par I'avancée des djihadistes, Front Al-Nosra comme I'Oganlsation de I'Etat islamique comptent un contingent I'alliance stratégique contractée avec la important de combattants kurdes, parmi lesquels on retrouve des officiers Tlrquie se révèle inopérante pour la sécu- supérieurs qui padicipent à la bataille de Kobané. rité du Kurdistan irakien. Par ailleurs, les réseaux de recrutement djihadistes en Turquie sont loin d'être absents des villes majoritairement kurdes. Durant le siège de Kobané, des Le gouvernement turc a d'abord paru combats de rue ont opposé les partisans du PKK aux membres de la mouvance favorable à I'insurrection sunnite ralliée à islamique kurde. En cas d'installation en Turquie d'un climat de violence insur- la bannière de I'OEI contre Bagdad. Mais, rectionnel durable, il y aurait autant à craindre des affrontements des émeutiers en définitive, il refuse toute aide milit¿ire police que groupes politiques avec la des violences entre kurdes opposés. à ses alliés kurdes du PDK, brisant une A. K. relation de confiance qui avait fait de ce parti le meilleur sinon I'unique soutien de 98 Reuue de Presse-Press Reaiew-Berheuokn Çøpê-Riaistø Stampø-Dentro de ln Prensa-Bøsín Ozeti laTluquie dans son environnement régional immédiat. Fournissant immédiatement les armes qu'Ankara avait refusé de livrer, Tehéran s'impose alors comme la nouvelle puissance régionale de référence pour le présence gouvernement kurde d'Irak. Les forces en CNKS. Conseil national kurde de Syrie, regroupant diverses forcss C'est cependqnt dans les régions contô- polltiques kurdes, sauf le PYD, sous le panainage de M. Massoud Bazani. lées par I'UPK et lews marges immédiates Favorable à la chute du régime de M. Al-Assad. que lapénéhation de I'influence iranienne ÇfK. Gouverne,mgnt régional du Kurdistan irakien, présidé par au Kurdistan irakien a été la plus sensible. M. Massoud Bar¿ani et bénéficiant:d'un statut d'autonomie au sein de Situées dans le sud-est du territoire auto- la Bépublique d'lrak. nome, ces dernières abritent des commu- OEl. Organisation de l'Etat islami{Le. Sas origines remontent à 2006, nautés chütes tudsnènes au sein desquelles quand des combattants créent l'Etat islamicpe en lrak (Ell), qul se réclame des milices confessionnelles pro.iraniennes d'Al-Qaida. Défait en 2007-2008 par les forces américaines et loyales à ont pu se développer et opérer sans êtie Bagdad, I'Ell se reconstitue puis paûicipe aux combats en Syrie à partir gênées par lespeshmeryas à afrliés I'UPK de 201 1. ll rompt avec Al-Qaida et, en 2013, devient I'Etat islamique en Des interventions ponctuelles des forces lrak et au Levant (EllL). ll proolame le califat en juin 20't4. iraniennes ont été signalées dans ces (rak), par mêmes régions. PDK Parti démocratique du furdistai'i fondé en 1946 Moustafa Bazani. Dírigé par son flls Massoud, ce parti est proche de I'opposition syrienne et soulenu par la Tuquie, Orphelin de I'alliance turque, affaibli politiquement, le PDK a pu compensor PKK Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan, fondé en 1978 par M. Abdullah le renforcement relatif de ses rivaux Öcalan. Oryanisation politique et militaire des Kudes de Turquie, d'origlne de kurdes en captant I'essentiel I'aido marxiste-lénlniste, en guene contre Ankara depuis 1984. Un cessez-le- profitant occidentale et en du soutien de feu a été signé en 201 3 et des négociatlons sont en cours avec le gouver- la coalition formée pour contrer I'OEI. nement turc. La formation politique de M. Barzani PYD. Parti I'union branche contrôle la capitale Erbil et son aéroport, dq démocratique, syrienne du PKK. ll se présente comme une trcisième voie ente le régime et l'opposition syrienne. porte d'enhée obligée dg I'aide interna- tionale. Elle canalise ainsi en sa faveur UPK. Union patriotique du Kudistan (lrak), rósultant d'une soission du le soutien apporté par les Etats-Unis et PDK en 1975 et qui domine le sud de la région autonomê. Elle est plus plusieurs Etats européens à I'ensemble conciliante envers Damas, Bagdad et Téhóran. des Kurdes d'Irak. Dans le même temps, YPG, Unités de protection du peuple, orgånisation combattante I'UPK reste à l'êcart; quant au PKK, du PYD. considéré par les Occidentaux comme une organisation terroriste, il ne peut théoriquement rien espérer. Désilrmais, Ankara affronte un risque insurrectionnel grandissant sur son propre territoire, De nombreux Kurdes de Thrquie expriment leur colère devant les Mais, le PYD souhaitant conserver le turc, pourrait être conditionné à une calculs du gouvernement, qui a bloqué monopole du comrnandement militaire collaboration plus étroite entre le PYD tout soutien direct aux défenseurs de sur le terrain, les troupes du PDK ne et I'opposition syrienne dite < modérée >>, Kobané. Le tour que prennent les mani- seront pas nécessairement les bienvenues. ainsì qu'à une plus grande ouverfure vis- festations, qui ont fait hente morts, révèle à-vis des autres formations politiques la menace d'une reprise des combats entre La passivité d'Ankara devant le siège kurdes syriennes. l'armée et le PKK dont uno position a été de Kobané a finalement conduit Was[- ALLAN Klvll-. bombardée par les militaires turcs le ington à prendre langue avec le PYD. 13 octobre. Dans l'éventualíté d'un effon- Tandis que Damas déclarait à son tour drement de ce dernier et de ses alliés en soutenir les combattants kurdes de (2) Hafez Al-Assad s'empare du pouvoi¡ à Damas Syrie, la Thrquie pourrait tenter de Kobané, I'administration américaine cn novembre 1970 et y restejusqu'à sa mort ; il est le père de I'actuel président. reconstruire les réseaux syriens du PDK. reconnaissait entretenir des relations (3) Premierninishe$e I'Irak de 2006 à son rempla- Devant lapression occidentale, le minishe directes avec la branche syrienne du cement par M: HaidarAl-Abadi, le I scptembrp 2014. turc des affaires étrangères a cru lâcher PKK. Le 20 octobre, elle commençait le (4) Lire 99