Turkish Islamist 'Dictator' Erdogan and Barzani's son will be in the US at the same time.

Turkish Islamist 'Dictator' Erdogan and Barzani's son will be in the US at the same time. (Anf).

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to visit the US on May 16, while KDP President Masoud Barzani’s son and Southern Kurdistan intelligence official Masrour Barzani has been reported to have a visit on the same date.

Barzani is going to attend a program organized by a right-wing organization called the Heritage Foundation. Barzani will also be meeting with US officials to discuss the Mosul operation and the situation in Southern Kurdistan.

Erdoğan’s US visit will be focused around seeking support for their anti-Kurdish and anti-Rojava stance. Turkey had protested US President Donald Trump approving a plan that foresees providing the Syrian Democratic Forces with heavy weapons before Erdoğan’s visit last week.

It is unclear whether Erdoğan and Barzani will have a meeting in the US.

Russia invites PYD Co-chair Asya Abdullah to Moscow.

Russia invites PYD Co-chair Asya Abdullah to Moscow. (gazetesujin).

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov invited the PYD Co-chair Asya Abdullah to Moscow before the Geneva talks.

Russia has invited a PYD delegation, including PYD Co-chair Asya Abdullah and France Representative Halit İsa to Moscow as part of negotiations to end the civil war in Syria.

The PYD delegation will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov tomorrow at 9 a.m by holding an official meeting.

Syrian opposition groups will attend the meeting and information on the meetings held in Astana to be given during the meeting. The Geneva talks to be held on January 8 will be also talked in the meeting.

‘We want an honorable solution’


PYD France Representative Halit İsa made a statement regarding the invitation of Russia and said, “We are ready to do our part to solve Syria problem in a peaceful way. We can solve the problem with the Syrian peoples. We already declared our project. According to our project, every nation should take place in Syria honorably. We will explain our project to our Russian friends. We will present our thoughts.

As representatives of North Syria and Rojava people, we want a federal and democratic solution in which everyone takes their parts in an honorable way not only for North Syria but also for all Syria.”

Iraqi Pm Abadi: 'We will not fight the PKK or tackle Êzidîs'.

Cemil Bayik, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) guerrilla group leader, in Iraq

Iraqi Pm Abadi: 'We will not fight the PKK or tackle Êzidîs'. (ANF).

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi spoke during the Security Commission meeting at the Iraqi parliament and stated that they would not fight the PKK and their Iraqi supporters, or tackle Êzidîs and intervene in political partisanship.

Goran Movement parliamentarian and Iraqi parliament Security Commission member Hoshyar Abdullah issued a written statement on the most recent commission meeting, and recalled Abadi’s statement that Turkey and Hewler are intimidated by the PKK.

Abadi reflected upon his meeting with Turkish officials and reportedly told them that Iraq would not fight the PKK and their Iraqi supporters, or tackle Êzidîs and intervene in political partisanship.

In his written statement, Hoshyar Abdullah noted that Abadi drew attention to the petroleum sales of the Kurdistan region and said “We are aware that the Kurdistan region is selling 20 percent of Iraqi oil. They sell 1 million-1million 300 thousand barrels of oil every day, why can they not paid the salaries of civil servants and peshmergas? The parties in the Kurdistan region are silent because they are complicit on this issue.”


Regarding the PKK and Shengal, Abadi reportedly said “Turkey and Hewler are scared of and intimidated by the PKK. Our policy is clear and we told Turkey that they cannot use our land for war. We also told them that we won’t fight the PKK and we are not concerned by them. We told them that we cannot tackle Iraqi PKK supporters and Êzidîs, or intervene in political partisanship.”

Does the Turkey-Russia-Iran deal mean the end of the Kurdish independence dream?

Does the Turkey-Russia-Iran deal mean the end of the Kurdish independence dream? (Rudaw).

Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first world leaders to call his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan only hours after the July failed coup attempt, expressing his full support for Ankara and his government. That phone call became the basis for a new understanding. On his visit to Moscow this month, Erdogan explicitly told Putin that his phone call on the night of the coup provided a psychological boost for him.

  An understanding on resolving the Middle East crises, especially in Iraq and Syria, is fast coming into being among Turkey, Qatar, Russia and Iran. Saudi Arabia and the United States will not play a main acting role in this scene.  With regard to the US, the Obama administration seems intent on keeping out.

With built-up grievance and criticism against the West, Erdogan traveled to Moscow with a high-level delegation, where he had a day-long meeting with Putin and Russian officials.  There, it was decided that ties should return to where they were before they were soured by the shooting of a Russian fighter jet over Turkey, and that every aspect of relations should be better than ever before.

Soon after this Moscow visit, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif arrived in Ankara, where he and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu warmly embraced more than once and were all talk of a new understanding between the two countries. According to Cavusoglu, most of the calls on the night of the coup were made to Zarif.

A day after Zarif’s visit, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim invited his country’s media for a conference where he told them: “If you see significant changes in the coming months in Syria, don’t be shocked and be prepared!”

Turkey feels it is imperative to find a way to come out of the diplomatic isolation it had recently faced. Turkish leaders expected great support and sympathy from their US and NATO allies in the aftermath of the shooting down of the Russian jet. But there was no such response. The refugee and migrant crisis only further complicated Turkey’s relations with Europe.

Like a wounded tiger, Erdogan is now after scoring politically against Europe and he sees no better field for that game than that of Russia. Not only has his luster for the EU vanished, even leaving NATO has now become a subject.

The shooting down of the Russian jet cost Turkey $10 billion and a 43 percent decline in its trade ties with Russia.

Russia for its part is seeking to fill the vacuum left by the US, particularly its nonintervention in Syria and a similar one in Turkey. It is Putin’s dream to weaken NATO at any cost and by any means, and Turkey is a good start both as a NATO member and as a corridor for Russian natural gas.

Above all, Russia and Iran must find a political settlement in Syria and save themselves from the giant expenditure they have undertaken in support of Bashar Assad’s regime. For this they need Turkey, and Ankara is more than happy to become part of this new equation and act as an envoy of the West.

The heart of the Turkey-Russia-Iran meetings is: Iraq and Syria’s territorial integrity, a political settlement for Syria, hitting ISIS and the Nusra Front (now called Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham), strengthening economic ties -- especially the energy sector -- and the establishment of a joint defense mechanism.

As far as the Kurds are concerned, this means they will be pushed back to their state of several years ago. In Turkey the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) will be compelled to return to the peace process and quit its dream of self-rule and violence.

In Syria, the Kurdish region will be seen as an inseparable part of that country: the autonomous Cantons will be dashed, entered into the political process and likely included in the Geneva talks. As a first indicator of this scenario, Salih Muslim, head of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), has already told Russian media that he is ready for friendly ties with Turkey.

This new Middle East alliance will similarly impress upon the Kurdistan Region the integrity of Iraq, and through Turkey they will apply pressure for the postponement of the referendum and Kurdish independence project. There will be pressure on Erbil to resume ties with Baghdad and keep the country’s stability. In return, Turkish companies will find themselves invited to the world of post-ISIS reconstruction.

Well-placed sources have revealed that the Iranians had told a visiting KRG delegation that the new deal with Turkey is of the highest importance because they see that as the only remaining hope for stability in the region, and that they are also against an independence referendum and a Kurdish state.

Turkey is willing to help Iran keep Iraq’s territorial integrity and Iran would do the same in Syria.

In realpolitik terms, central governments -- weak though they may be -- still have a say in their countries’ affairs and internationally they will be preferred over regional and non-state actors.

The fruit of this new rapprochement shall be seen in the next six months, and its work has already kicked off. The Ankara-Moscow operation room is active and in daily contact. Iraqi and Turkish delegations have also already met twice in a European country to normalize ties.

All eyes are now trained on the next six months because, as Iran’s Zarif said in a tweet from Ankara: “More cooperation for peace is ahead.”

Three key areas of disagreement between Moscow and Assad

Three key areas of disagreement between Moscow and Assad. (RBTH).

Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, Russia has been seen as a loyal ally to Bashar Assad, giving unwavering support to the Syrian president. Yet, the positions of Moscow and the Syrian regime are far from identical. Russia advocates a political solution to the crisis, whereas Assad sees war as the answer.

1. Different goals

The goals of Russia and Assad in the Syrian conflict only partially coincide, says Vladimir Akhmedov, a senior research associate at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies. “Russia’s interests consist in preserving a secular regime in Syria, which would continue cooperating with Moscow,” he says.

As far as Moscow is concerned, it is not essential whether Assad remains in power or not, whereas for him this issue is crucial, Akhmedov says. Representatives of the Syrian government refuse to discuss the president’s resignation as a prerequisite for the start of a “transition period” envisaged in the Geneva agreements.

2. Assad is for war

Akhmedov believes that the Syrian president is only paying lip service to a political settlement. “Assad is a man of war, he intends to fight to the end," he says. "He is prepared to hold talks only from a position of strength so that he could impose his terms on the opposition. To that end, he needs military victories, he needs to regain control over large chunks of territory.”
This opinion is shared by Arabic scholar, Grigory Kosach, a professor at the Russian University of Humanities. “Unlike Russia, Assad has never viewed even the moderate section of the Syrian opposition as a possible negotiating partner. He has always described them as terrorists operating on orders from abroad,” says Kosach.

For Russia, a continuation of the war is fraught with the risk of bigger losses. “We cannot allow an escalation and the involvement of a large number of Russian servicemen in hostilities. Russia is seeking to move to a political settlement,” says Vladimir Akhmedov.

3. Attitude to the Kurds

The positions of Moscow and Damascus also differ on the Kurdish issue. When in March 2016, Syrian Kurds declared the establishment of an autonomous Federation of Northern Syria, Bashar Assad opposed the move despite the fact that the Kurds did not demand independence but just called for a federation. “Damascus is categorically opposed to any ideas of federalization, fearing that it would result in a breakup of the country,” says Kosach.
In the standoff between the government and the Kurds, Russia has opted to remain neutral. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said: “The internal structure of the Syrian state is a matter for Syrians to decide.”

Kosach points out that Moscow is exercising caution: Syrian Kurds are an effective ally in the fight against ISIS but Russia has no intention of ruining relations with Damascus on their account. Nevertheless, in February 2016, a representative mission of Syrian Kurdistan opened in Moscow (at an unofficial level, as a non-governmental organization).

According to Akhmedov, if Russia starts putting too much pressure on Assad, he may easily reject cooperation with Russia and move completely under Iran’s influence. Iran, unlike Russia, does not consider the option of regime change in Syria, even theoretically, and unequivocally supports Assad. This explains, he says, Moscow's reluctance to criticize the Syrian regime and demonstrate a unity of approach even where there are some disagreements.  Read the full story here.

Related:

#Iran drags #Russia deeper into #Syriahttps://t.co/CxAYYTO5vJ pic.twitter.com/U2KYuQuDdC

— маяковский (@moscow_ghost) June 21, 2016

Moscow calls on Turkey to prove Russia supplied arms to Kurdistan Workers’ Party

Moscow calls on Turkey to prove Russia supplied arms to Kurdistan Workers’ Party. (Tass).

Turkey should prove its claims that Moscow allegedly supplies weapons to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Russian president’s special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told journalists on Monday.

"When somebody alleges anything, he must present the evidence," he said, answering a corresponding question.

Earlier on Monday, Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan accused Moscow of attempts to supply air defense systems to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party that is outlawed in Turkey.

According to the diplomat, Turkey has no legal grounds to take part in an antiterrorist operation in Syria jointly with the United States.

"On what grounds?" he said, answering a corresponding question. "It’s interference in the affairs of sovereign states."

Kremlin says it has sent troops to fight with Kurdish units in Syria.

Kremlin says it has sent troops to fight with Kurdish units in Syria. (WSJ).

The Russian government says it has sent troops to fight alongside Kurdish units in northwestern Syria and is providing weapons to Iraqi Kurds in a tactic that could upstage a long-standing U.S. alliance with the stateless ethnic group and increase Moscow’s influence in the region.

Russian and Kurdish officials say the Kremlin intends to keep a foothold in the area by cultivating ties with some Kurdish groups through weapons, ammunition and oil deals, building on its presence established through its relationship with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Russia’s support appears to be focused on one group in western Syria, the Afrin Kurds, an American defense official said.


The Afrin Kurds have not been backed by the U.S., which has supported an umbrella group of Syrian Kurdish fighters, known as the People’s Defense Units, or YPG.

 The American officials said Mr. Putin’s announcement was likely a provocation against the U.S. and Turkey.

In political circles, Russia’s outreach to Kurds in Iraq is raising concern about more tension between Moscow and Washington, which wants to keep Iraq a unitary state.


“Russia will take on any opportunity it can to undermine U.S. interests globally, but they don’t always think through the consequences,” said Rep. Seth Moulton (D., Mass.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “We’re concerned about the long-term stability of Iraq and I don’t think they are.”

“There is no doubt that the Kurdish factors will be one of the most important factors in the Middle East transformation in years to come,“ said Fyodor Lukyanov, head of a Kremlin advisory body known as Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy. Read the full story here.

Mogherini: European Union Against Formation of Kurdish State in Middle East.

Mogherini: European Union Against Formation of Kurdish State in Middle East. (Fars).

EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said the bloc opposes the formation of a separate Kurdish state in the Middle East.

"The European Union does not support any separatist agenda for the Kurds - being it in Turkey, being it in Iraq, being it in Syria," Mogherini said at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Sabah Daily reported.

Mogherini reiterated the EU's condemnation of violence by the PKK following an attack in Ankara that killed 29 people last week.

"The European Union condemns in any possible way any terrorist act and considers the PKK as a terrorist organization," Mogherini said.

"We also believe, as united as we are in condemning terrorist acts, that the way to solve the Kurdish issue inside Turkey is through a peace process that the same Turkish government started a few years ago before dropping it," she said.

What is commonly known in Turkey as the "reconciliation process" aimed to end the 30-year conflict between Turkey and the PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US. It began in 2013 but stalled after renewed violence broke out last year.

"We continue to think this is the way and we say this to the Turkish authorities and to the Kurds equally," Mogherini said.

Mogherini said the crisis will not be solved unless the rights of Kurds are respected.

"We need to make sure that rights are respected by the Kurds and to the Kurds. Most of all, it cannot be possible to make as if this was not an issue in the region - it is," she said.  Hmmm.....The fear of Erdogan opening the gates for the refugee flood to Europe renders EU politicians in to puppets of Erdogan.

#Turkey's president @RT_Erdogan repeated today publicly his previous threat of flooding Europe with refugees

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) February 11, 2016

#Turkey's @RT_Erdogan says he's proud of what he said in leaked documents that showed refugee bargaining with @JunckerEU & @eucopresident

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) February 11, 2016

President @RT_Erdogan tells @UN that #Turkey is not 'fool', may use buses & planes to ship refugees to other countries

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) February 11, 2016

Saudi troops in Syria 'very dangerous decision': Iran official

Saudi troops in Syria 'very dangerous decision': Iran official. (Iranfrontpage).

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani made the remark at a meeting with visiting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Tehran.

Saudi Arabia has expressed readiness to contribute special forces to a US-led coalition that is purportedly hitting Daesh in Syria. Bahrain and the UAE have also hinted at similar deployments.

“Although claims made by these countries are by no means proportionate to their military capabilities, the potential presence of ground troops without the legitimate consent or request of the Syrian government amounts to an interventionist and highly dangerous decision with unfathomable security repercussions for all the regional countries as well as Europe,” Shamkhani said.

Any military incursion would be “a step backward and disregardful of all the efforts that have been undertaken to resolve the [Syrian] crisis,” he added.

“There is no military solution to Syria’s crisis; and the establishment of calm and stability in this country is only possible through inter-Syrian dialog as a means of realizing the Syrian people’s will and demands,” the Iranian official said.

Addressing the Greek premier, the Iranian official said, “Greece has been on the forefront of… the issue of Syrian and Iraqi refugees… and clearly feels the several security and economic problems resulting from it.”

Greece has been serving as the entry point for more than a million refugees who have been fleeing war and misery in the Middle East for more than a year now.

Tsipras, for his part, asserted that Athens was leading an “independent policy” vis-à-vis the Syrian issue.

Quoting materials from Iran Front Page is permitted only if the source is mentioned by name.

Saudi Arabia’s decision to send troops in Syria ‘final’.

Saudi Arabia’s decision to send troops in Syria ‘final’. (AA).

Saudi’s decision to send troops to Syria in an attempt to bolster and toughen efforts against militants is “final,” the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition force in Yemen announced on Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Assiri, said that Riyadh is “ready” and will fight with its U.S.-led coalition allies to defeat ISIS militants in Syria, however, he said Washington is more suitable to answer questions on further details about any future ground operations.

“We are representing Saudi’s [decision] only” in sending troops, he said.

He also sent a message to Iran, saying that if Tehran is serious in fighting ISIS, then it must stop supporting “terrorism” in Syria or Yemen.

Riyadh has long accused Tehran of supporting the Houthi militia in Yemen against the internationally-recognized government there. Iran is also a key ally to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The military spokesman also said that the Islamic Military Alliance will take effect within two months. Hmmm........Will the house of Saud survive this adventure? Read the full story here.

Israeli justice minister calls for independent Kurdish state: "Kurds the biggest nation without a state”

Israeli justice minister calls for independent Kurdish state: "Kurds the biggest nation without a state” (RT).

Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has spoken out in favor of an independent Kurdish state. She also urged increased cooperation between Israel and the Kurdish people. Shaked sees this as an opportunity to weaken Israel’s rivals in the region.

“We must openly call for the establishment of a Kurdish state that separates Iran from Turkey, one which will be friendly towards Israel,” Shaked told the annual INSS security conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, as cited by the Times of Israel.

More precisely, Shaked proposed the new state be founded between Turkey, Israel and Iraq.

The minister stressed that Israel should “promote steps that would correct the injustice that [made Kurds] the biggest nation without a state,” BasNews reported. She also emphasized that “the Kurds are an ancient people with thousands of years of history, and a democratic nation” – one that has “never attacked any other nation.”

For Shaked, this isn’t just about driving a regional wedge between all the countries that could not accommodate a separate Kurdish state.

“The Kurdish people are a partner for the Israeli people,” she continued, adding that Islamist extremism in the region is something both the Kurds and Israelis can work together on combatting. 

“We Kurds and Jews have a long history. We have common interests in trying to stop Daesh [Islamic State/IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL] and the Kurds are fighting ISIS with all their might.”

Also speaking at the INSS was its current director and former major general Amos Yadlin. He stressed that the “20 million Kurds who didn’t get a state, and nobody takes care of” are the only ones who are serious about defeating ISIS. “[The] Kurds are the only ones fighting ISIS as their highest priority.” Hmmm.......The Ottoman sultan will never allow this to happen. Read the full story here.

Video: PKK & CTG (and US?) together in fight against IS in Kirkuk

HT and Source:

Video: #PKK & #CTG (and US?) together in fight against IS in #Kirkuk https://t.co/gHa8MnTYIO #twitterkurds pic.twitter.com/BqjjIEE5QD

— Wladimir (@vvanwilgenburg) January 19, 2016

'Islamist Turkey' - Pro-gov’t journalist claims Erdogan to become caliph if presidential system adopted.

'Islamist Turkey' - Pro-gov’t journalist claims Erdogan to become caliph if presidential system adopted. (TZ).

A journalist from the staunchly pro-government Yeni Akit daily has suggested that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be the new caliph of the Muslim world and will host representatives of Muslim countries at his palace if Turkey adopts a presidential system.

“If Tayyip Erdoğan switches to a presidential system, he is likely to appoint advisers to him from Muslim countries located in regions that are under the caliphate, and he will open representative offices for all of them in the 1,005 rooms of Beştepe [the location of the new presidential palace],” Yeni Akit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak said in remarks published by the independent news website T24 on Saturday.

Dilipak's statements were reportedly from a speech he delivered in Toronto, Canada last week as part of the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) election campaign. His remarks came after he said that the caliphate was not completely abolished in 1924 and can in fact be resurrected by Parliament.

Caliph, "successor" in English, is a word used to describe the political leader of the global community of Muslims who claims succession from the Prophet Muhammad.

Moreover, the article claimed that the presidential palace known as "Ak Saray" was constructed to govern the provinces that will be occupied by Mahdi's army. The article also stated that Erdoğan and Davutoğlu want to be martyred fighting against enemies. Hmmm......'Sometimes NAO Ally' 'Islamist Turkey'. Rea the full story here.

Here is the video link on caliphate by @RT_Erdogan according to pro-gov't henchman https://t.co/ss7tYRhDps

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) October 25, 2015

Here is my take on #Turkey's #Erdogan's caliphate dreams from last year piece https://t.co/Zj8Z7y9RuB

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) October 25, 2015

Pentagon: US has concerns over Syrian Kurds expanding non-Kurdish territory in Syria.

Pentagon: US has concerns over Syrian Kurds expanding non-Kurdish territory in Syria. (Washingtonpoint).

US Defense Department's Cmdr. Elissa Smith who oversees the Syria file, responded my questions re latest airdrop of ammunition in northern Syria.

Smith stated: "This airdrop supported Arab groups. We share the concern of our Turkish partners over the sensitivity of expanding Kurdish control into traditionally non-Kurdish areas in Syria."

I never heard Pentagon or any US officials expressing "concerns" regarding Syrian Kurds' expanding in non-Kurdish areas in Syria.

With this statement, seems like US supports Turkey's "red line" which is for PYD or YPG not to cross over Jarablus and expand to west to link Afrin canton with Kobani. Read the full story here.

Hmmm.....The fact that Chinese Uighur's are re populating Syria doesn't bother them. Recent reports now reveal Turkey is populating this de facto statelet next to Hatay with Turkic settlements, especially Chinese Uyghur turks.

PYD leader: Russia will stop 'Sometimes NATO Ally' Turkey from intervening in Syria.

PYD leader: Russia will stop 'Sometimes NATO Ally' Turkey from intervening in Syria. (AM).

What impact will the Russian moves have on Syria’s Kurds? Al-Monitor put the question to Salih Muslim, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), who is currently in northern Syria.

Al-Monitor: Russia also says that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad needs to remain in power and it is defending the regime.

Muslim: Russia sided with the regime from the very start. This is a separate matter. But as far as Assad remaining in power, we think differently. Assad cannot remain in power as before. He may stay on during a transition period, during a period of dialogue between the conflicting parties, but in the long term it seems inconceivable that the majority of the Syrian people would accept his leadership anymore.

Al-Monitor: But isn’t there a risk that the “transition period” could morph into a “permanent period”? Having achieved so many gains you would surely seek guarantees. Can Russia be a guarantor for the Kurds?

Muslim: We have had relations with Russia for the past three years. We go back and forth to Russia, to Moscow. But the regime cannot remain as is nor can we turn back the clock. The Kurds are a reality. And we are capable of defending ourselves against the regime and others. If there is to be a resolution to the Syrian crisis, it needs to incorporate the rights of the Kurds and all other ethnic and religious groups in Syria. This could be achieved under the auspices of the United Nations. Our democratic autonomy [the three Kurdish-controlled cantons in northern Syria] needs to be recognized. And if they are not, we shall continue with our struggle. If the Kurdish problem remains unresolved, the Syrian problem will remain unresolved. We have certain demands, a system in place. Any solution that is predicated on eradicating these is wrong and cannot work.

Al-Monitor: Getting back to Russia, we are hearing reports that Russian planes are not just targeting Daesh but Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham as well. How will America respond, in your view?

Muslim: I don’t believe that America will object because [Jabhat] al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham are no different than Daesh. They are all terrorist organizations and share the same radical mentality. [Jabhat] al-Nusra is on the US [State Department’s] list of terrorist organizations. I don’t know if they will raise objections about Ahrar al-Sham, but they know who they are. There are no boundaries, no differences between the three groups. But if they were to be pushed out, the remaining opposition groups — which are very weak, including those that are fighting alongside us, that are attached to the Free Syrian Army — will be strengthened.

Al-Monitor: What do Russia’s moves spell for Turkey?

Muslim: Turkey’s Syrian policy is totally bankrupt. Two years ago I was talking to a Russian official and he asked me, “What do the Kurds most fear?” “Possible Turkish intervention,” I replied. He laughed and said, “That is not Turkey’s border [with Syria], but NATO’s,” to which I responded, “In that case you have given me relief, thank you.” Turkey cannot intervene in Syria without the blessings of the big powers.

Al-Monitor: And how will the “IS-free zone” that Turkey wants to establish west of the Euphrates River along the so-called Mare Line be affected by Russian intervention?

Muslim: Russia and the United States seem to have established their own zones of influence within Syria. The US is active in the north. The Russians will not meddle in the north. But should Turkey attempt to intervene, then they will. Russia has a joint defense agreement with Syria. They will prevent Turkish intervention not to defend us [Kurds] but to defend Syria’s border. Read the full story here.

Kurdish Militants to Attack Dam Sites, Saying Turkey Violated Ceasefire.

Kurdish Militants to Attack Dam Sites, Saying Turkey Violated Ceasefire. (NDTV).

Ankara: Kurdish militants will attack Turkey's dam construction sites in the mainly Kurdish southeast, the group said in a statement late on Saturday, another blow to a fragile peace process meant to end a three-decade insurgency.

The Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK), the Kurdish militants' umbrella political group, on Saturday issued a statement saying that Turkey's construction of military outposts, dams and roads for military purposes had violated the ceasefire.

"The Turkish state took advantage of the ceasefire conditions not for a democratic political resolution but to gain an advantageous position in preparation of war by building dozens of guard posts, roads for military purposes and dams in order for a cultural genocide," the statement said.

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) launched a separatist armed struggle in 1984 before moderating its goal to improving the rights of Turkey's roughly 12 million Kurds.

The Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), an organization inside the PKK, said in a statement that the Turkish government by building an excessive number of dams and security stations in Kurdish areas dishonored the ceasefire that had been sustained since 2012.

“The number of dams that were built is highly disproportionate with the Kurdish region’s energy producing capacity,” said KCK. It added that the Turkish government was previously warned to stop building the dams.

The KCK threatened that it will target the dams and asked people working in those projects to leave.

The KCK claimed the Turkish government has targeted Kurdish citizens and used them as human shields, which resulted in civilian deaths, suggesting that there is a military intention behind building the dams and security stations.

“Our guerrillas with responsibility pledged themselves to honor the ceasefire since the beginning of the process, but the Turkish government with its arbitrary actions has already resumed the war against the Kurdish people,” read the statement.

“The government has started the war against the Kurds and we will not remain silent,” it added. Read the full story here. More here.

China says Uighurs being sold as 'cannon fodder' for Islamist extremist groups.

China says Uighurs being sold as 'cannon fodder' for Islamist extremist groups. (Yahoo).

Uighurs from China's Xinjiang are being given Turkish identity papers in Southeast Asia by Turkish diplomats and then taken to Turkey where some are sold to fight for groups like Islamic State as "cannon fodder", a senior Chinese official said.

Beijing says the Turkic language-speaking Uighur minority are firstly Chinese nationals, and those who flee China should be returned to their home region in the far west of the country bordering central Asia.

"Turkish embassies in Southeast Asia will give them proof of identity," Tong Bishan, division chief of the Ministry of Public Security's Criminal Investigation Department, told a small group of foreign reporters in Beijing on Saturday.

"They are obviously Chinese but they will give them identities as Turkish nationals."

The accusation is likely to further anger Ankara, already alarmed by the return of more than 100 Uighurs to China from Thailand this week. Some Turks see themselves as sharing a common cultural and religious heritage with their Uighur "brothers".

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of Uighurs keen to escape unrest in China's western Xinjiang region, have traveled clandestinely via Southeast Asia to Turkey. China is home to about 20 million Muslims spread across its vast territory, only a portion of whom are Uighurs Tong said that hundreds of Uighurs had been given documents by Turkish diplomats, especially in Kuala Lumpur, and then allowed into Turkey. Neither the Turkish Foreign Ministry nor the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur were able to immediately provide comment.

But upon arriving, they have no chance of finding legal work and some end up with extremist groups, Tong said, like the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which Beijing accuses of waging an insurrection campaign in Xinjiang to set up their own state.

"They are very easily controlled by certain local forces, especially the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and other terrorist groups. They organize the youths, they brainwash them, and get them to the front line to fight. They are cannon fodder," Tong said.

"There is competition for them. Some are sent to Iraq, some to Syria. The terrorist groups there lack people. They will snatch people away. The terrorist groups will pay, at least $2,000 a person. It's their way of recruiting soldiers."

Tong, who has been helping lead the Chinese effort to get Uighurs in Southeast Asia back to China, said he did not know how many Uighurs were now fighting for Islamic State. But he said that they have found propaganda videos and messages on the mobile phones and computers of some of those who have been returned, including pictures of dead fighters and promises of the joys to come in the afterlife.

"We are providing education and support, to tell them what real Islam is about. They've been listening to and watching stuff on the Internet, from irregular imams." Hmmmm.....And as usual the Turkish link. Read the full story here.

Related: Report: More than 100,000 fake Turkish passports given to ISIL

8 more #Uighur refugees arrive in #Turkey from Thailand http://t.co/qj9qiRKuuB pic.twitter.com/l94sHQXP51

— Today's Zaman (@todayszamancom) July 11, 2015

Canadian charged in BC Canada for plotting ‘IS-inspired attacks’.

Canadian charged in BC Canada for plotting ‘IS-inspired attacks’. (VB).

A man was arrested and charged in British Columbia Friday after allegedly posting material supporting the Islamic State group and calling for killings in the name of “jihad,” officials said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said 33-year-old Othman Ayed Hamdan of Fort St. John, about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) north of Vancouver, was charged on three counts.

He is accused of counseling to commit murder, counseling to assault causing bodily harm and counseling to commit aggravated assault — all “for the benefit of a terrorist group,” according to an RCMP statement.

Court search shows Hamdan has been in court before for explosives in Fort St. John.

 “Hamdan was involved in posting pro-Islamic State (IS) propaganda online which included inducement and instructions to commit murder in the name of jihad,” the statement said.

Hamdan, who has been under investigation since October 2014, is in custody and is expected to appear in court shortly.

The RCMP said “a number of items” were seized from his residence.

“We were able to arrest this individual and disrupt his efforts to harm citizens across the country,” said RCMP Superintendent Dan Bond, an assistant criminal operations officer for national security.

Documents obtained by CBC show that a 33-year-old man with the same name in Fort St. John owns a residential building contracting company called Noex Contracting.

Canadian lawmakers passed new anti-terror measures this year, in response to attacks on Canadian soil last October, when a gunman shot dead a ceremonial guard and then stormed parliament, and a soldier was run over and killed in rural Quebec.

The toughened stance has drawn criticism from those who say it violates civil rights and say the law is too broad and lacks oversight.

Officials defended the measure Friday after Hamdan’s arrest, and said that the government would remain vigilant.

“It is clear that the terrorism threat is real. The international jihadist movement has declared war on Canada,” said Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney.

“That is why our government passed the anti-terrorism act… which enhances the ability of our police officers to detain suspected terrorists before they can harm Canadians.”


“The RCMP encourages citizens to remain vigilant and to report any information on terrorism or related suspicious activities to the National Security Information Network at 1-800-420-5805 or by contacting the police in their community.” Hmmm......Is it me or does the name sound Turkish? Read more here.

'Sometimes NATO Ally' Islamist Turkey borders open for ISIS reinforcements

'Sometimes NATO Ally' Islamist Turkey borders open for ISIS reinforcements. (Firat).

Residents of Elbeyli district of Kilis province stated that the current military deployment does not aim an attack on Rojava but to extend ISIS rule in the region.

Residents of Elbeyli district of Kilis province stated that the current military deployment does not aim an attack on Rojava but to extend ISIS rule in the region. DİHA cameras had filmed ISIS gangs as they were crossing the border and Elbeyli residents said that the borders were open for ISIS.

The deployment of tanks, armored vehicles and special operations forces intimidate Elbeyli residents who stated that the military deployment was aiming to prevent the finalization of the three cantons’ unification after the victory of Girê Spî. Elbeyli residents said that ISIS gangs around the border could cross the border as they pleased and constantly threatened civilians living in the district. Many Elbeyli residents suggested that the deployment of Turkish soldiers was aiming to strengthen ISIS so that the gangs could repel YPG/YPJ operations in the region.

Turkish army controls the Turkish side of the border and ISIS gangs occupy the towns of Bab, Cerablus and Çobanbey that are located on the Rojava side of the border. This region is also the area through which aid and personnel are sent to the gangs in Aleppo.

Located on the eastern bank of Euphrates River, Cerablus lies within the range of YPG/YPJ in Kobanê. YPG/YPJ forces in Efrin are located to the west of Ezaz, which is across from Kilis and under Islamic Front control. Civilians living in the region stated that the liberation of the 110 km route of Cerablus-Ezaz could inflict a serious blow on ISIS presence in Syria and bring the failure of Turkish policies on Syria.

Soldiers and ISIS collaborate in Çobanbey

Elbeyli residents stated that at least 100 ISIS gangs cross over to Rojava from Turkey through Elbeyli every day, and the military deployment on the border aims to strengthen ISIS so that the gangs repel YPG/YPJ operations in the region.

Elbeyli residents said that ISIS gangs often use the 500 m route between Öangallı and Beylerbeyi as well as Selhen village for their border crossings, and collaborate with Turkish soldiers stationed in Çobanbey train station.

Gangs crossing the border on camera

Elbeyli residents stated that the gangs threatened everyone who does not support them, and DİHA cameras have caught ISIS gangs as they were crossing the border near Çangallı village. Elbeyli residents said that civilians initially had a positive view of ISIS but this perception quickly changed when the gangs began to collaborate with Turkish soldiers and took control of the district. Hmmm....When will this Sharade stop ? Obama is protecting his BFF Erdogan. Read the full story here.

Audio - Egypt and Israel may look to Hamas as a Bulwark against ISIS in Gaza

Audio - Egypt and Israel may look to Hamas as a Bulwark against ISIS in Gaza. Read the full story here.

HT and Source.

Audio of my conversation on #ISIS, #Hamas, #Israel & #Egypt on @TheCurrentCBC with @elgindy_ and @AlessandriaMasi http://t.co/VJDGs84XZ8

— Hussein Ibish (@Ibishblog) July 10, 2015