Destruction of Western Kurdistan by absolutely EVERYONE

[Anthea]

2 million without power or water

Dozens of Turkish strikes on vital infrastructure this past week have left more than two million people without water or electricity in Western Kurdistan, the local administration said on Saturday

“Since the fourth of this month, Turkey has been attacking vital infrastructure in civilian areas, oil and electricity stations, hospitals, water stations, and camps without any international or moral deterrence… Targeting these facilities has left more than two million people without services such as water and electricity,”

Turkish drones have hit key infrastructure including the power stations at Western Kurdistan dam, Qamishli, Tirbespi, and Amuda, which supplies electricity for the Alouk water pumping station.

Targeting this infrastructure “constitutes a war crime,”

Turkey’s foreign ministry said military operations in Western Kurdistan are in retaliation for a terror attack in Ankara.

“Following the terrorist attack that occurred on 1 October 2023, comprehensive operations have been initiated by our Armed Forces and Intelligence Organization against PKK/YPG terrorist targets and infrastructure in Iraq and Syria within the framework of our legitimate rights for self-defense,” read a ministry statement on Friday

The terror incident the ministry referred to was a bomb attack on the Ministry of the Interior in Ankara. The armed wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) claimed responsibility.

The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but is proscribed as a terrorist organization by Ankara. Turkey considers Kurdish-led forces in Western Kurdistan - the People’s Defense Units (YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - as Syrian offshoots of the PKK.

SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi has denied any connection between Western Kurdistan and the Ankara attack. The “perpetrators haven’t passed through our region as Turkish officials claim, and we aren’t party to Turkey’s internal conflict nor we encourage escalation,” he tweeted on Wednesday.

Abdi accused Turkey of looking for an excuse to launch a new attack on Western Kurdistan and urged the international community to prevent any violence, especially Russia and the United States who are guarantors of a 2019 ceasefire deal that ended a Turkish offensive into northeast Syria.

The US state department has urged all sides to respect the terms of the ceasefire.

“It is crucial for all sides to maintain and respect ceasefire zones to enhance stability in Syria and work toward a political solution to the conflict,” spokesperson Matthew Miller told Rudaw in an email on Friday.

“The United States remains concerned about military activity in northern Syria, and in particular its impact on the civilian population, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and the effectiveness of our operations to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS [Islamic State].”

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/07102023

[Anthea]

Ongoing Turkish airstrikes
By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Monday reported renewed Turkish airstrikes on oil and civilian infrastructure and Kurdish security forces in Western Kurdistan

Turkish fighter jets are said to have targeted an Asayish post near Derik, as well as oil facilities near Tirbespi (Qahtaniyah) and Derik.

Local journalists have also reported an increase in casualties at the hospital in Derik, with calls for urgent blood donations.

Moreover, Turkish artillery also targeted various locations in northeast Syria, including in Ain Issa, northern Aleppo, and near Tal Tamr. There were also reports of Turkish attacks in Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo.

According to SOHR, Turkey has launched a total of 70 strikes since October 5, with 40 of these strikes hitting civilian infrastructure, including factories, hospitals, and oil facilities.

The Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) reported on Saturday that 15 individuals, including eight civilians, have been killed in Turkish drone strikes since Thursday.

Additionally, on Saturday, a woman lost her life in a suspected Turkish artillery strike.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... east-Syria

[Anthea]

Turkey destroying Western Kurdistan's facilities

Turkish bombardment has damaged more than half of Kurdish-held northeast Syria's power and oil infrastructure, dealing a blow to its energy-dependent economy, the Kurds' top commander said

Mazloum Abdi, who heads the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), also criticised Washington for failing to do more to prevent the strikes, during an interview with AFP in the northern city of Hasakeh.

On October 5, Turkey launched a bombing campaign in Syria's northeast after it said militants who were behind an attack in Ankara came from and were trained in Syria.

The semi-autonomous Kurdish administration has denied the claim, and says at least 44 people, including security personnel and civilians, have been killed in the attacks.

"More than half of oil and electricity facilities were damaged" as Turkey struck dozens of sites including power plants and gas infrastructure, Abdi said.

His forces spearheaded the battle to dislodge Islamic State group (ISIS) fighters from their last scraps of Syrian territory in 2019.

The assault has left residents without power since Thursday, in a region already struggling to provide just 10 hours of electricity per day.

"The Unites States' position has been weak" in the face of the attacks, Abdi said.

"American forces limited their action to protecting their positions... but did nothing to stop" the onslaught, he said.

'Directly targeted'

Ankara views the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) that dominate the SDF as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against Turkey for decades.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Wednesday to intensify strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq.

A branch of the PKK -- listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies -- claimed responsibility for the Ankara bombing, the first to hit the Turkish capital since 2016.

Abdi said Turkey "directly targeted infrastructure, services and resources" used by Kurdish authorities in order to cut off sources of income and "prevent the SDF from carrying on".

"They couldn't target the SDF directly, so funding sources were targeted," he said in Tuesday evening's interview.

Last Thursday, the United States shot down a Turkish drone deemed a threat to American forces in northeast Syria.

Hundreds of US personnel are stationed in the country's north and northeast as part of an international coalition fighting IS jihadists, alongside the SDF.

"Forces present in the region, be they Russia, American or the (international) coalition, must... keep these attacks from happening" and help rebuild damaged facilities, Abdi demanded.

'Lukewarm'

Since 2016, Turkey has carried out successive ground operations to expel Kurdish forces from Syrian border areas, and it has maintained a military presence and proxies in parts of northern Syria.

Ankara has long condemned its NATO ally Washington's support for the SDF.

In March 2020, Turkey and the Syrian government's ally Russia agreed to establish a security corridor in the region, with joint Turkish-Russian patrols along designated Kurdish-held areas.

The SDF is the largest armed force in Syria after the country's army, and controls roughly a quarter of Syrian territory and most of its oil resources, largely located in the Arab-majority Deir Ezzor province.

In recent years, Kurdish authorities have held several unsuccessful rounds of talks with President Bashar al-Assad's government, which rejects their self-rule and accuses them of "separatism".

The two sides never cut ties but Abdi described their latest meetings as "lukewarm".

In September, days of clashes between Arab fighters, some of them formerly part of the SDF, and Kurdish-led forces in Deir Ezzor province left dozens dead.

Although security in the area has since improved, Deir Ezzor still suffers from a multitude of problems "that have yet to be resolved", Abdi said, citing administrative and service issues.

The SDF has denied any tensions with Arab tribes in the area, and has instead accused the Syrian government of supporting local fighters and sending reinforcements.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... ies:-Kurds

[Anthea]

Turkish drone strike near Kobani
By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Thursday reported that a Turkish drone bombed a car west of Kobani

This coincided with a bombardment carried out by Turkish military with heavy artillery on the village of Ahmed Munir near Kobani.

According to the most recent data update from SOHR, Turkey has executed 91 drone strikes since the beginning of 2023.

These strikes have resulted in a total of 87 casualties, as well as in injuries to 80 others.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... bani:-SOHR

[Anthea]

PKK Kidnaps Two Girls

Families Plead for Their Release

In a concerning development, the PKK's Women's Defense Units have reportedly kidnapped two girls in Western Kurdistan leading to their families calling for their immediate release

The families of these two Kurdish girls, who were abducted by the Women's Protection Units, a component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Qamishlo, have urgently reached out to human rights organizations to put pressure on the unit to release them and reunite them with their families.

Speaking to BasNews, Nureddin Khano, who is the uncle of the two girls, provided details of the situation. He explained, "Simel Zedan Ismail, 14 years old, my sister's daughter, and Miraf Adnan Khasho, 15 years old, my brother's daughter, went to the market to buy goods. After a few hours, the Women's Protection Units contacted their families, informing them that the two girls were in their custody and not to search for them."

Desperate to locate the girls, their families launched a rigorous search, seeking help from various sources. "We received information that Simel is in a distressed situation, crying, and desperately wants to return to her family. However, the Women's Protection Units have thus far refused to release her," Khano added.

"Following extensive efforts through Hezbollah offices, we managed to meet Simel and Miraf. Their faces displayed signs of fear and anxiety as they hesitated to meet our gaze while speaking," Khasho recounted. "Simel and Miraf appeared to have been threatened, as their behavior was unnatural. Eventually, they declined to return home," he added.

The uncles of the two kidnapped girls emphasized that Simel and Miraf are both eleventh-grade students who care for their ailing grandparents. They are far from being old enough to join any political or armed organization. This incident contradicts the SDF's promises to the United Nations regarding the recruitment and arming of children

Khasho has appealed to human rights organizations and all Kurdish forces and parties to exert pressure on the Women's Protection Units to secure the release of the two girls and reunite them with their distressed families.

Many children, both boys and girls, have allegedly fallen victim to kidnappings by the PKK's Revolutionary Youth Organization, and they are taken to military bases, particularly in Sinjar, Ramilan, and Hasakah.

Child training camps reportedly operate in several regions, including the village of Talmozan in the Amuda area of Qamishlo, the Kepka camp in southern Qamishlo, a vast camp on Mount Abdulaziz in Hasakah, and another in Tel Rafah in northern Aleppo. Observers estimate that hundreds of children are ensnared in these facilities

The recurring recruitment and arming of children under the age of 18 by the PKK have prompted outcry from human rights organizations and Kurdish activists, who consistently call on the organization to desist from this harmful practice against minors.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/827664

[Anthea]

HRW Urges Turkey to Halt Strikes

Drone strikes by the Turkish Armed Forces in northeastern Syria from October 5 to 10, 2023, damaged vital infrastructure, causing widespread water and power disruptions, according to a Human Rights Watch report

"By targeting critical infrastructure across northeast Syria, including power and water stations, Turkey has flouted its responsibility to ensure that its military actions do not aggravate the region's already dire humanitarian crisis,” deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Adam Coogle, said in a statement.

“People in al-Hasakeh city and its surroundings, already facing a severe water crisis for the past four years, must now also bear the brunt of increased bombardment and destruction, exacerbating their struggle to get essential water supplies.”

Turkey views the Kurdish forces in northeast of Syria as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and it regularly carries out drone and artillery attacks against their bases and headquarters in the region.

In early October, following a claim by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) regarding a bomb attack in Ankara, Turkey initiated a drone and air offensive on regions held by Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The campaign targeted over 150 sites across the governorates of Hasakeh, Raqqa, and Aleppo in northern and eastern Syria.

The attacks resulted in numerous casualties, including civilians, and inflicted damage on civilian infrastructure, as reported by civic organizations.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/828250

[Anthea]

US strikes violates Syrian sovereignty

US President Joe Biden writes a letter to Congress to legally justify his presidential decision to target sites in Syria and completely obscures the fact that US Forces on Syrian territory are considered illegal occupation Forces

US President Joe Biden offers what the White House dubbed as "legal justification" for US airstrikes against a sovereign state, Syria, earlier this week.

According to the White House, the airstrikes which targeted Syrian territory earlier this week were a rightful response to the attacks against US forces in occupation bases in the region.

The White House said the US' attacks were lawful for two reasons. Firstly, because they were in line with presidential war powers, and secondly, the US claimed it had a right to defend its bases.

Biden, in his letter, stated, “At my direction, on the night of October 26, 2023, United States forces conducted targeted strikes against facilities in eastern Syria,” claiming to target sites used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and “affiliated groups”; a claim later denied by the IRGC.

It is worth noting that Resistance groups, dubbed "affiliated groups" by the US, are legally present in Syria based on a mutual agreements and understanding between the groups and the Syrian government. Similarly, any Iranian personnel or group present in Syria also abides by agreements established with the Syrian government

The strikes, Biden said, "were intended to establish deterrence and were conducted in a manner to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties," describing them as "necessary and proportionate."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin claimed on Thursday that the US military struck two facilities in eastern Syria allegedly used by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.

"The precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17," Austin said in a statement.

It is worth noting that rockets were launched toward the US base in the al-Omar oil field northeast of Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, shortly after the airstrike, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported.

Sources to Al Mayadeen said that six rockets were launched from the Syrian Dessert, specifically from the area between al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal. Furthermore, sources confirmed that the area targeted by the US airstrikes does not contain any weapons storage facilities.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... yrian-sove

[Anthea]

Illegal US base in Syria targeted

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has targeted, again, the US occupation base located in eastern Syria's al-Shadadi, in the al-Hasakah countryside

At midnight between 28 and 29 October, Al Mayadeen's sources confirmed that the US occupation base in al-Omar oil field east of Deir Ezzor in Syria came under attack, leading to explosions inside the base. The sources added that the sounds of explosions were heard in surrounding areas. It is worth noting that the base has been the target of several attacks recently.

On Friday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that a strike targeted the base itself.

Sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that the base was targeted with six rockets launched from the desert between the cities of al-Mayadeen and al-Bukamal.

Earlier on Saturday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that its Resistance fighters targeted the US forces at al-Tanf base, located on the border triangle between Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, with two drones. Sources reported to Al Mayadeen that “a missile also targeted American forces in Kharab al-Jir in Syria."

Explosions inside US base

Al Mayadeen's sources reported early on Friday sounds of explosions inside the ILLEGAL US occupation Conoco Field base in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

The sources mentioned that the explosions are likely the result of the base being targeted with several rockets, with no information available yet regarding casualties.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... by-iraqi-r

[Anthea]

Syrian tribes against US-backed SDF

Arab tribal fighters in Syria are partaking in a new battle against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor

Tribal fighters in Syria's east are participating in a new large-scale offensive in the Deir Ezzor countryside in light of their effort to take control over the Kurdish-controlled areas in the region, local media reported on Sunday.

The tribal fighters launched a large-scale offensive on SDF-controlled areas in numerous towns in the eastern and western Deir Ezzor countryside.

Local sources told Al Mayadeen that the tribal fighters attacked SDF sites on Sunday dawn, managing to take over the majority of the town of Abu Hardoub and also enter the town of Dhebian and take over several neighborhoods in it as they continued to make progress in the locality.

"Tribal fighters managed to capture several SDF militants and take them to safe areas," the local sources said. "They also downed an SDF UAV that attacked civilian areas."

SDF caused at least four civilian deaths by bombing residential buildings in the town of Abu Hardoub, local sources said, noting that they started mobilizing their forces in a bid to reclaim the areas they lost in the region.

In parallel, the region where the clashes are taking place has international coalition drones and helicopters continuously flying overhead. This is done out of fear that the attacks may reach their bases and the areas under their control.

Tribal fighters launched scattered attacks on areas controlled by the SDF after the latter initiated a battle called "Enhancing Security and Safety" in Deir Ezzor. During this battle, they arrested all the members of the Deir Ezzor Military Council affiliated with the SDF, accusing them of corruption and collusion with hostile forces.

Tribal members took control of the entire eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor at the beginning of September before the SDF regained control after mobilizing a large number of forces in the area.

Tribal fighters accuse the Kurdish leaders of the SDF of monopolizing military and administrative rule in the region, as well as preventing the residents of the region from managing their own areas while looting and plundering its resources.

The SDF took control of the entire countryside of Deir Ezzor, located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, after capturing the town of Baghuz, the last stronghold of ISIS in Syria, in February 2019. They established a "civil and military administration" to administrate the region amidst accusations that it is merely a symbolic administration and that it is the Kurdish elements within the SDF who actually run the region

The chief of the Akidat tribe in Syria, Ibrahim al-Hifl, announced in September the start of a "new battle" by Arab tribes against the SDF forces, calling for a general mobilization in the countryside of Deir Ezzor to support the engaged tribal forces

A few days earlier, Sheikh al-Hifl had announced the formation of a military leadership for the tribes and clans army in the countryside of Deir Ezzor. He called on tribe members to launch attacks on SDF positions after the latter had declared an end to clashes on September 6 in the area, claiming to have regained control of the entire eastern Deir Ezzor.

The fighting erupted after the Kurdish-dominated militia arrested the head of the Deir Ezzor military council (DEMC), Ahmad Abu Khawla also known as Ahmed Khabil. The Arab leader was lured by the SDF to a senior meeting in the rural areas of al-Hasakah and subsequently detained.

Furthermore, the SDF went on an arrest spree and apprehended several leaders of the DEMC after raiding their homes in the Khasham and al-Aziziyah neighborhoods in al-Hasakah

Control of the province is split between the US-backed SDF to the east of the Euphrates River and the Syrian government forces to the West.

Deir Ezzor is highly rich in resources and borders Iraq. The US currently occupies several areas in the governorate, which has allowed it to loot and smuggle energy resources into Iraq

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/syrian-tribes-launch-offensive-against-us-backed-sdf-in-deir

[Anthea]

Deir ez-Zor: Dozens Killed

Clashes erupted in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zor on Sunday, leaving at least 26 people dead as tensions flared between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and armed individuals affiliated with the Syrian regime

The Kurdish-led SDF reported that the confrontation began in the early hours of today when pro-regime "mercenaries" launched artillery and mortar attacks on SDF positions along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. Their apparent goal was to infiltrate territory controlled by the SDF.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the report and noted that the violence resulted in the death of 19 individuals and left several others injured. It further explained that the casualties included five local gunmen, four members of the National Defence militia, a regime-backed group, five civilians affected by shelling from the regime's forces, one civilian harmed in SDF shelling, three SDF members in Abo Hardob, amd one SDF member in Gharanij.

Deir ez-Zor, a predominantly Arab province, holds strategic importance. It was the final battleground against the Islamic State (ISIS) during its territorial defeat. Control of the province is divided between the SDF and the Syrian regime, with support from Iran. The region is home to critical oilfields, including the Omar and Conoco facilities, which are safeguarded by the US-led global coalition against ISIS, supporting the SDF in protecting these vital assets.

Tensions in Deir ez-Zor were further exacerbated when clashes erupted between the SDF and local Arab tribes in August. These hostilities stemmed from the arrest of a prominent tribal member, who also held a commanding position within the SDF. The arrest was made on various charges, including drug trafficking and alleged coordination with external entities.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/828549

[Anthea]

Kurdish Gypsy festival in Duhok

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdish Gypsy festival began Sunday morning in Duhok, with the participation of hundreds of Doms, as the ethnic minority is referred to in Kurdish, both from the Kurdistan Region and around the world

The festival, which lasts two days, will discuss the history of the Doms and exhibit their handicrafts and music.

During the festival, the governor of Duhok, Ali Tatar, said that the Doms have given many martyrs for the sake of the Kurdistan Region.

"We have always respected the Doms. In the fight against ISIS and the defense of the holy land of Kurdistan, I remember a number of martyred Peshmergas who belonged to the Dom community.

They sacrificed themselves for the sake of the Kurdish people," the governor said, and then noted, “I witnessed dozens of heroic Peshmergas from this ethnic group with us in both the May and September Revolutions.”

Tatar called on the province’s cultural ministry to mark the event as an annual festivity and to try and expand it in the coming years.

"The Doms have beautiful crafts and unique craftsmen among them. Therefore, I think it is necessary to take advantage of their beautiful work," he added.

On the first day of festivities, a number of panels were presented, discussing the history of the Doms, and on Monday, a number of art pieces and handicrafts will be presented for display.

One of the most important goals of the festival, according to its organizers, is to change the name of the Kurdistan Region's Qaraj to Dom, because of the derogatory connotations of the former.

"There are more than 20 types of Doms in the Kurdistan Region, and through this festival, we want to change the name of the Qaraj in the Kurdistan Region to Dom," said Younis Zahir, another KRG official.

There are an estimated 46,000 Dom citizens in the Kurdistan Region. In Duhok province, the ethnic group heavily populates the Adar neighborhood, many of whom are engaged in crafting methods such as textiles, carpentry, pottery, and sculpting.

Link to Article - Photos:

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... s-in-Duhok

[Anthea]

Ongoing Attacks on US Bases

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has warned against launching or sponsoring attacks against US bases in the Middle East

“We said that if our troops were attacked, we would respond. We responded. If they're attacked again, we will respond again,” Sullivan said on CBS’ Face The Nation on Sunday. "We are vigilant, because we are seeing elevated threats."

On Friday, Washington launched airstrikes in Syria, targeting pro-Iranian groups reportedly behind some of the recent attacks on US bases in the country.

On Sunday, the illegal Al-Shaddadi base housing the US-led global coalition in the Al-Hasakah countryside in Syria came under attack as regional tensions continue to escalate.

During the past three weeks, US-led global coalition military bases in Syria have been attacked 14 times, as reported by a war monitor and rights group

In recent days, there has been an increase in drone and rocket attacks targeting US forces in Iraq, Syria, and the Kurdistan Region. According to a recent Pentagon update, at least 24 US service members have been injured in these attacks.

These incidents are occurring in the context of rising tensions in the broader Middle East, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip, where an Israeli ground offensive has been ongoing since Saturday.

Due to these security concerns, the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands have issued travel advisories warning their citizens against traveling to Iraq, and both the US and the UK have evacuated non-essential personnel from their missions in Baghdad and Erbil.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/828559

Politely suggest US remove it's ILLEGAL occupation / invasion bases from Syria

[Anthea]

US troops in eastern Syria

Kurdistan: A pro-Iran militia group on Monday claimed that it had targeted US troops protecting an oil field in eastern Syria with a barrage of rockets as fears of the spillover of the Israel-Gaza conflict to the other parts of the Middle East grow

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq on Monday said on its Telegram channel that it carried out a rocket attack against the Conoco oil field which is protected by the US troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The oil field is located in Syria’s eastern province of Deir ez-Zor.

The pro-Iran militia group has claimed most of the recent attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, linking them to the US support for Israel against the Hamas Movement in Gaza Strip.

The Pentagon has blamed Iranian proxies for October’s strikes against American interests, putting the total number of attacks in Iraq and Syria at 20 on Saturday.

There have been more assaults since then.

At least 21 US personnel received minor injuries in attacks on Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base and al-Tanf garrison on October 17 and 18, but all have returned to duty, according to the Pentagon.

One civilian contractor died in the initial attack on US troops at al-Asad air base after suffering a heart attack. Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi paid a visit to the air base the following day.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the CBS News on Sunday that his country’s troops have responded to threats against them in the Middle East and will continue doing so, warning that “[W]e are seeing elevated threats against our forces throughout the region, and an elevated risk of this conflict spreading to other parts of the region.”

“We are doing everything in our power to deter and prevent that. But I'm not going to predict what the future brings, other than to say that if we are attacked, we will respond,” he added.

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen warned in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday that “this status quo leaves #Syria at risk of drifting into deeper & prolonged fragmentation – & that it involves escalation risks of the most frightening kind.”

“Spillover into Syria is not just a risk; it has already begun… Even before the regional developments, Syria was seeing the worst surge in violence in more than three years,” he added.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /301020231

FACTS:

The US bases in Syria are ILLEGAL under INTERNATIONAL LAW

The US are NOT protecting oil fields, just the OPPOSITE

US have PREVENTED the legal Syrian government from gaining access to their oil

And US have STOLEN Syrian oil

[Anthea]

Rojava amends its charter

Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Tuesday amended the region’s years-old charter which acts as a constitution. The changes include the addition of the word “democratic” to the administration’s name, restructuring local councils and the establishment of a court to oversee the implementation of the articles of the charter

In 2016, the Rojava administration approved the Social Contract, an informal constitution of the region that aims to provide equal opportunities to all ethnic and religious groups.

The administration approved the new draft of the charter on Tuesday after about two years of discussions. The new text consists of four chapters and 134 articles, reported NPA news agency.

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES/AANES) said in a statement on Wednesday that the amendment came after “two years of continuous diligent work, and out of concern for the public interest in the regions of the AANES and the good progress of work and to ensure the Syrians in these region,” reported ANHA.

All changes to the charter have not been publicized yet but the main ones include the addition of the word “democratic” the beginning of AANES’ name, restructuring of municipalities and the establishment of a court tasked with making sure the contract is implemented, according to ANHA.

Fatima Khalil, a senior official of the AANES, said on Sunday that the new charter guarantees the rights of all the ethnic and religious groups in the region, adding that the new text protects the rights of women and children as well.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/13122023

I note that they have NOT returned the region to the PROUD name of WESTERN KURDISTAN

Many thousands fought and died for the an INDEPENDENT WESTERN KURDISTAN

[Anthea]

PKK Raid on ENKS HQ

A writer and journalist in Western Kurdistan has strongly denounced Friday’s raid on the headquarters of the Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS) by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), labeling the attack as a "dictatorial" crime aimed at silencing dissenting voices

The assault took place in Kobanê during a prep event commemorating the birthday of General Mustafa Barzani, the iconic leader of the Kurdish revolution in Iraq. According to Shivan Ibrahim, a journalist in Western Kurdistan, such aggressive actions are not uncommon on significant dates like Barzani's birthday, with similar incidents occurring regularly.

Expressing concern over the recurring targeting of political parties outside the PKK, Ibrahim highlighted a pattern of suppression of diverse viewpoints within Western Kurdistan. He criticized the dominant authority's refusal to acknowledge connections to armed groups responsible for threatening journalists, activists, and political organizations in the region.

Ibrahim pointed out the hypocrisy in the autonomous administration's insistence on compliance with its directives while failing to address armed attacks and property damage perpetrated by PKK-affiliated groups. He held the autonomous administration responsible for allowing such assaults to persist unchecked, emphasizing the need for accountability.

Ibrahim further called for accountability and urged the autonomous administration to address the issue of armed attacks on political parties and individuals, stressing the importance of upholding democratic principles and protecting freedom of expression in Western Kurdistan.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/841269