PYD stifling dissent by Kurdish opponents: Experts

ERBIL, Iraq

The PYD terrorist group continues to prevent Kurdish opposition parties from voicing political dissent.

Six thousand Peshmerga forces who were trained in the northern Iraqi Kurdish region attempting to returned to Syria were blocked by PYD.

Kurdish political parties have been engaged in a continuous dialogue in Iraq’s northern city of Erbil. The talks are being led by KRG President Masoud Barzani, and are aimed at developing ways to protect Kurdish regions in Syria.

On July 11, 2012, the “Parliament of West Kurdistan” and the “Kurdish National Council” agreed to work in conjunction to further Kurdish interests in the region.

PYD’s leader Salih Muslim has committed his forces to comply with the agreement, which includes the establishment of Kurdish military forces. They have also agreed to establish a “Supreme Kurdish Committee” to handle Kurdish political issues.

Ridwan Badini, an academic from Salahaddin University, believes that the PYD’s policy in Syria has not been welcoming to the entire Kurdish community.

“The organization does not represent most Kurds in Syria,” he said.

Mustafa Sefik, advisor of the KRG’s prime minister, clearly stated that “PYD has become part of the Assad regime, [and has] cut relations with Kurds and some other allied countries.”

He continued by saying that the “[PYD] organization signed a strategic agreement with the Syrian regime. It has been working on applying it for four years. They have strengthened their presence in the Kurdish areas in Syria by [the enforcement of] de facto policy,” Sefik said.

He added that the Assad regime publicly announced its cooperation with PYD as a warning to the U.S.

Sefik believes this is their way of signaling to Washington that “these [Kurds] are connected to us, so watch your step.”

Kava Azizi, member of the Kurdish National Council, believes that PYD is very clearly an extension of the Assad regime, adding that the “Bathist [Assad] regime controls this organization [PYD] according to its own interest.”

Azizi pointed to the permanent UN representative in Syria, Bashar Jaafari, who announced that PYD is part of the Assad regime.

Azizi added that “Syria’s Kurds are not satisfied with the PYD’s policy because it seeks to destroy the Kurdish struggle in Syria, while other Kurdish parties are working to build a better future.”