Syria Reaches Agreement to Integrate SDF into State Institutions

Syria Reaches Agreement to Integrate SDF into State Institutions

    Monday, March 10, 2025   No comments

It seems that the massacres in the coastal region of Syria compelled the governing regime and other factions to work out their differences faster.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), established in October 2015, is a coalition primarily composed of Kurdish fighters, with some Arab and other minority groups, operating in northeastern Syria. The SDF has been a key ally of the United States in the fight against ISIS, receiving significant military and logistical support. The group has also been involved in the establishment of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), which has governed large parts of the region since the Syrian government lost control during the civil war.

The SDF's relationship with the Syrian government has been complex, marked by both conflict and occasional cooperation. The Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, has long viewed the SDF with suspicion, considering it a separatist movement that threatens Syria's territorial integrity. However, with the decline of ISIS and the shifting geopolitical landscape, including the partial withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, there has been increasing pressure on both sides to find a political solution.

Summary of the Agreement:

On Monday evening, the Syrian Presidency announced that an agreement had been reached to integrate the SDF into state institutions. The agreement aims to address key issues to ensure the rights of all Syrian citizens and maintain the country's unity. The executive committees are expected to implement the agreement by the end of the current year.

Key Points of the Agreement:

• Ceasefire: A nationwide ceasefire across all Syrian territories.
• Equal Rights: Guaranteeing the rights of all Syrians in state institutions based on merit, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
• Kurdish Rights: Recognizing the Kurdish community as an integral part of Syria, ensuring their constitutional rights and citizenship.
• Political Participation: Ensuring the representation and participation of all Syrians in the political process.
• Institutional Integration: Merging all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria, including border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields, under state administration.
• Return of Displaced Persons: Ensuring the safe return of all displaced Syrians and their protection by the state.
• Security Cooperation: Supporting the Syrian government in combating remnants of the previous regime and other threats to national security.
• Rejection of Division: Opposing calls for partition, hate speech, and attempts to sow discord among Syrian communities.
• Diplomatic Efforts:
• Earlier reports from informed sources indicated that Western diplomatic efforts and visits were underway to push for an agreement between Damascus and the SDF. These efforts aimed to prevent ISIS from exploiting the power vacuum following the fall of the previous regime or the anticipated U.S. withdrawal.

Previous reported

Last month, media outlets leaked information about a preliminary agreement between the SDF and the new Syrian administration. The leaked agreement outlined the integration of the SDF and security institutions of the Autonomous Administration into the structure of the Syrian army, as well as the reactivation of state civil and service institutions in northern and eastern Syria.

The agreement marks a significant step towards resolving the longstanding conflict between the Syrian government and the SDF. By integrating the SDF into state institutions, the Syrian government aims to strengthen its control over the northeastern region while addressing the rights and representation of the Kurdish community and other minorities. The success of this agreement will depend on the effective implementation of its terms and the continued cooperation of all parties involved.

More background

The recent agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government, facilitated by US mediation, marks a potentially significant turning point in the Syrian conflict. This preliminary agreement, as outlined in the provided article, aims to cease military operations and foster national reconciliation. However, its implementation faces numerous complexities and uncertainties.

Central to this agreement is the integration of the SDF into Syrian state institutions. This move, as stated by the Syrian presidency, signifies a crucial step towards unifying the country. The agreement addresses several critical issues, including the deployment of Syrian government forces along the border, the resolution of prison issues through joint councils, and the management of educational matters, particularly for students who have studied the Kurdish language. Crucially, the SDF will maintain its responsibility for dealing with the ISIS threat, indicating a continued role in regional security.  

The primary objective of this agreement, according to Kurdish sources, is to halt the ongoing war and facilitate the safe return of displaced persons. The Kurdish sources emphasized the need to stop demographic changes in areas like Afrin, Serekaniye, and Tel Abyad, reflecting a commitment to restoring the pre-conflict demographic balance. Furthermore, the agreement seeks to ensure the inclusion of Kurds and all Syrian components in the political process, promoting a more inclusive and representative governance structure. 

Statements from key figures highlight the significance of this agreement. The SDF spokesperson stressed its preliminary nature and the US's essential role in its formation. The co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council emphasized that the agreement is a step towards national reconciliation and transitional justice. The Syrian presidency’s announcement of the integration of the SDF into state institutions underscores the government’s commitment to this process.  

However, the situation in northern Syria adds a layer of complexity. Turkey's military buildup in the regions of Tishrin and Qaraqozaq signals a potential escalation, threatening the stability of the region and the implementation of the agreement. This external factor highlights the delicate balance that must be maintained to achieve lasting peace.

The agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government represents a crucial step towards ending the conflict and fostering national reconciliation. However, the agreement's success hinges on overcoming significant challenges, including the implementation of its provisions, managing external pressures, and ensuring the participation of all stakeholders. While the agreement offers a glimmer of hope for a more stable and unified Syria, its long-term impact remains to be seen.

The Escalation of Violence in Syria: A Path to Deepen Syria's fragmentation

The Escalation of Violence in Syria: A Path to Deepen Syria's fragmentation

    Monday, March 10, 2025   No comments

Syria has witnessed its most violent outbreak of conflict since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, with over 1,300 deaths reported in just three days. The clashes between forces aligned with Syria’s new government and remnants of Assad’s loyalists have resulted in widespread civilian casualties, particularly affecting the Alawite community, which previously supported the former regime. The intensity of the violence has drawn international concern, as reports of field executions, communal massacres, and forced displacement emerge.

The conflict ignited when HTS-led government forces attempted to arrest what it calls members of the former regime. The attempt was met by armed resistance, which escalated when government brought it more of its armed militias from nearby Idlib, most of whom are not Syrian fighters. While the government aimed to restore order, retaliatory attacks by armed groups have further escalated tensions, leading to mass executions and acts of revenge against Alawite civilians. Human rights organizations, including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, have documented atrocities, including systematic killings and the destruction of homes.

Eyewitnesses and video evidence reveal harrowing acts of violence, with reports of militants conducting executions and vowing to "purify" Syria of perceived enemies. Civilians, including elderly residents and families, have been caught in the crossfire, facing persecution irrespective of their allegiance to Assad’s regime. Many Alawites, who have distanced themselves from the former government, continue to suffer the consequences of sectarian retaliation.

Despite Syria’s Ministry of Defense announcing the end of security operations, reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicate that armed groups continue to commit atrocities against civilians in the coastal regions. Armed factions, some of whom entered towns alongside government forces, have been accused of looting, arson, and indiscriminate violence in areas such as Harisun in Baniyas. Residents from multiple villages in Latakia have pleaded for protection as killings, kidnappings, and destruction persist, highlighting the deteriorating security situation.

Survivors and local witnesses describe an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing, with entire villages being targeted. Calls for international intervention and independent investigations have grown louder as displaced civilians report being too afraid to return home. Some refugees have sought shelter in the Russian-operated Hmeimim Airbase, refusing to leave due to ongoing threats from armed groups. The humanitarian crisis is worsening, with severe shortages of food, electricity, and water reported across affected regions, exacerbating the suffering of civilians trapped in the conflict.

Syria’s interim leadership has vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the civilian massacres and has called for national unity. However, the government faces significant challenges in maintaining security, especially as extremist factions continue to exploit the instability. Al-Sharaa’s administration, which emerged from an Islamist insurgency, faces scrutiny over its ability to protect minorities and establish a functioning security apparatus.

The United States has condemned the extremist violence, particularly the involvement of foreign jihadists, and has expressed solidarity with Syria’s diverse religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Kurds. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Syria’s interim authorities to ensure accountability for those responsible for the massacres.

The ongoing bloodshed underscores the fragile nature of Syria’s post-Assad transition and highlights the deep-seated sectarian divisions that continue to fuel violence. Without immediate and effective intervention, Syria risks descending further into chaos, jeopardizing any hopes for stability and peace in the war-torn nation.

Morocco's Islamist Benkirane: The role of Islamists is not to seek power

Morocco's Islamist Benkirane: The role of Islamists is not to seek power

    Monday, November 25, 2024   No comments

Morocco is a country of political contradiction, and the interview with a former head of government show how and why.

Former Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane stated in an interview with Aljazeera that he has a philosophy that others do not agree with him on, as he does not believe in the saying that “Islam is the solution.” In this context, he considers that the saying “Islam is the solution” contains a contradiction, and asks, “Why is Islam the solution? People’s problems are related to housing, good education, good health services, and other demands.” Benkirane opposed the idea that Islamists can dispute power and rule according to Islamic law, and this is in his view a “dead end,” adding that “what Islamists say is not what they call for: Islam is the solution.” 

Former Moroccan Prime Minister, who was a guest on the program “Al-Muqabla,” confirmed that he has a philosophy that others do not agree with him on, as he does not believe in the saying that “Islam is the solution.”

Benkirane, who is the Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party, considers “the conflict between Islamists and the ruling authority a sin,” because it leads Islamists into the labyrinths of seekers of authority throughout history, and whoever seeks authority and rule will either be killed, imprisoned, marginalized, or victorious and ruled. Benkirane believes that the Islamists made another mistake when they interpreted what happened to them in the way of seeking the Sultan as a trial for the sake of God, and he says that this prevented them from paying attention to their mistakes.

The former Moroccan Prime Minister stresses that the role of Islamists is not to seek the Sultan and rule, proving his position by saying, “I did not find in the Holy Quran or in the hadith of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, anything called seeking the Sultan or rule,” and he noted that he only found the saying of God Almighty: “I only want reform as much as I am able,” meaning that the role of the Muslim is to contribute to reform.

On the other hand, the former Moroccan Prime Minister addresses the issue of normalization between Morocco and the Israeli occupation in his speech on December 10, 2020.

Benkirane responded to a question about the signing of the normalization agreement by an Islamist party (the Justice and Development Party): “We were surprised, as was the whole world, by the signing of Saadeddine El Othmani (the Prime Minister), and none of us had any knowledge, and I personally did not know.”

On the other hand, the Moroccan Islamist described the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation as “a gift from God Almighty,” because “the Palestinian cause was almost over and Al-Aqsa Mosque was almost lost,” and he considered that the lessons of the Al-Aqsa Flood are endless. Benkirane also reviewed his political career that began in the sixties and seventies, where he began this path in the ranks of the left, then joined the “Islamic Youth” organization in 1976, from which he separated in 1981, to establish with others the “Islamic Group,” and among those who were with him were Mohamed Yatim, Saadeddine Othmani, and Abdullah Baha, leading to the establishment of the “Islamic Group Association” in 1983.

Although politicians who participate in the political process in the country perpetuate the myth sharing political power or the power of the people derived from "elections", the reality points to the fact that all power rests with the King. As colloquial language in Morocco shows, the King's palace is the store of power, makhzen, and the power of the king comes from God, which explains why a 10 year old son of the king is more powerful than an elected head of government: Moroccans bow and kiss the hand of the child future king, and that includes the head of the government who also must bow and kiss the hand of the child.

Aware of problem of seeing a child's hand kissed by everyone including elected leaders, but still wanting to benefit from the gesture of obedience at the same time, the King's Palace launched a PR campaign claiming that the prince does not want to have his hand kissed. If that was the case, the Palace could have made it against protocol to even attempt to kiss the hand. But then, that would force the King to give up a source of power. So, instead, they decided on having their cake and eating at the same time... a common strategy that has been used by the monarch in Morocco to continue to rule and force Moroccans to submit to his rule.

Media review: The Gaza war creates a new Islamic front and threatens American influence--Foreign Affairs

Media review: The Gaza war creates a new Islamic front and threatens American influence--Foreign Affairs

    Saturday, February 10, 2024   No comments

The American magazine Foreign Affairs published a long article dealing with the impact of the Gaza war on the Islamic and Arab worlds, saying that this war created a new Islamic front that may be the greatest challenge facing America.

The article, written by Toby Matthiesen, a senior lecturer in global religious studies at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, explained that the Gaza war is no longer limited to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel.

He pointed out the extension of this war and the participation of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” that includes Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen in it, and it has gone beyond that until it has now become, 4 months after its beginning, a strong unifying force for Sunnis and Shiites and has awakened a comprehensive Islamic front that includes the Sunni Arab masses, who are opposed by a majority. Overwhelming, Arab normalization.

The article added that for the United States and its partners, this development constitutes a strategic challenge that goes far beyond confronting the Iraqi factions and the Houthis with targeted strikes. By bringing together a region long divided, the war in Gaza threatens to further undermine American influence and, in the long term, could make many American military missions untenable.

He said that this new rapprochement also raises major obstacles to any US-led efforts to impose a top-down peace agreement that excludes Palestinian Islamists.

The writer reported that Arab opinion polls and social media show great Arab support for the Hamas movement and its strategy of armed resistance, and a significant decline in support for the United States and the regimes closely associated with it.

The same opinion polls now show, according to the article, that an overwhelming percentage of the population - more than 90% - opposes establishing relations with Israel, adding that the Arab Opinion Index for last January, a survey conducted in Doha that included 16 Arab countries, shows agreement. More than 3 quarters of respondents said their views of the United States had become more negative since the war began.

Matthiesen advised the pro-Western Arab countries to seek to bridge the widening gap between their policies and the sympathy of their citizens, saying that after years of neglect, these masses will urgently press for a just solution to the Palestinian issue, which threatens to spark a new wave of Arab uprisings.

He stressed that it is increasingly clear that it will be impossible for Washington to stop the regional escalation unless it is able to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, end the occupation, and finally establish a viable Palestinian state, adding that in the absence of concrete, credible steps in this direction, the pressure will continue. Popular influence on governments in the region.

Matthiesen concluded his article by emphasizing that without a just and broad solution to the Palestinian issue, the Middle East will never achieve lasting peace or the kind of political and economic cooperation that many have long dreamed of, indicating that the alternative is an endless cycle of violence, the decline of Western influence, and the integration of the region. In a way that is completely different from what the West wants, and even fundamentally hostile to it.

The Sunni-Shia Cold War: The Origins and Evolution of the Saudi Hegomony

The Sunni-Shia Cold War: The Origins and Evolution of the Saudi Hegomony

    Tuesday, November 15, 2022   No comments

There has been a Sunni-Shia cold war going on since 1979, but hardly anyone talked about it in those terms. That is because, in part, the rulers of Saudi Arabia chose to conduct this cold war through proxies or from the shadows. Then, Wikileaks ended the Saudi rulers' abilities to project power and influence, especially as a Sunni moderate power, in secret and the rise of the young, ambitious prince, MBS as he is known, to power while his father is still the nominal figurehead allowed them to deflect blame for any and all missteps. However, during a long tv interview in 2017, MBS revealed all the cards: He described his clash with Iran as an existential one because he sees Iranian leaders and Shia, in general, as irrational actors who hold on to messianic belief about the coming of a savior--which makes them unworthy of dialogue and diplomacy.

Wikileaks' documents described the Saudi war on Iran from behind the scene succinctly and clearly. The Saudi leaders, according to the diplomatic cables, while publicly expressing dialogue with Iran, pushed US and European leaders to go after the "head of the snake", instead of fighting Iran's proxies. The framed it as a need to liberate Iran, as Biden said recently, they wanted the West to unleash a direct war on Iran, not rely just on sanctions. Those revelations forced Saudi and Emariti leaders to emerge from the shadows and attack Iran directly--but not militarily of course. They focused instead on a strategy that aims to unravel the entire political system of Iran from within. 

The new "leak" of documents from UAE shows how the strategy was developed and executed. The Lebanese newspaper, Alakhbar, produced a dossier about these developments. Other researchers and observers have compiled more evidence about the Saudi investment in media assets to realize their goals: the paralysis and destruction of the Iranian system of governance through internal Iranian actors.

_______________

From Alakhbar Dossier about Saudi-UAE Leaks: When Mohammed bin Salman stated the above sentence, in answer to Dawood Al-Sheryan's question about dialogue with Iran, he was announcing what was not usual in Saudi foreign policy, in what was termed "transferring the battle to the Iranian interior." Many at the time, when interpreting what Ibn Salman said, said that Riyadh would resort to what it used to do in terms of employing ISIS cells and the operations that separatist movements in Sistan-Baluchestan had long carried out in the Iranian depths. However, in the documents obtained by Al-Akhbar, it becomes clear that Ibn Salman meant targeting the Iranian interior, through a plan to influence the Iranian youth group, in parallel with the intensification of the discourse of demonizing Iran, directed at the Arab and Islamic audiences.

“We will not wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia, but rather we will work so that the battle for them is in Iran and not in Saudi Arabia.”

Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

Mohammed bin Salman

3 May 2017

On the morning of January 2, 2016, the world woke up to the news of the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr and a group of al-Qatifi youth, along with a group of Saudi officials and cadres of al-Qaeda. Angry reactions continued inside and outside Salman’s kingdom, and the night of that day closed. On the scene of the burning of the buildings of the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran by angry Iranian youths.

Four days later, on January 6, the Emirati National Media Council was presenting to representatives of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain a proposed plan that he called the “media strategy for dealing with the Iranian file”, which developed in subsequent years, in coordination with the Americans, to become the “plan to undermine Iran.” From the inside.”

The proposal for the media strategy put forward by the Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Media Council in the UAE, Sultan Al Jaber, stated that the goal behind it is to “build a public opinion hostile to Iranian policies from the internal and external public,” and that the strategy “centers on the political dimension and away from the sectarian discourse that It may weaken the public media discourse if it is relied upon. And most importantly, “the results of the strategy should be achieved after years.” In the initial proposal, as document No. 1 shows, the target audience is regional public opinion, Gulf public opinion, domestic public opinion inside Iran (the Iranian people and non-Persian Iranian minorities in particular), and the Iranian opposition abroad and at home. It is noteworthy in the “implementation partners” paragraph that the Emiratis mentioned the “Organization of Islamic Cooperation” as a partner in implementing the strategy, along with the official Gulf entities, the League of Arab States, and Iranian think tanks and opposition, noting that the Islamic Republic of Iran is an original member of the aforementioned organization whose decision-making is dominated by Saudi Arabia and harnessed. interests since its inception.

Read full dossier (Ar)...

 

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for a dialogue with Shiite Muslim scholars

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for a dialogue with Shiite Muslim scholars

    Friday, November 04, 2022   No comments

Today, Friday, Al-Azhar Sheikh Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb appealed to Shia Muslim scholars to hold an Islamic-Islamic dialogue in order to renounce "sectarian strife," at a time when several countries in the region and the world are experiencing tensions over a sectarian background.

In a speech delivered at the conclusion of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue "East and West for Human Coexistence", in the presence of Pope Francis at the Royal Palace of Sakhir, Al-Tayeb appealed to "Islamic scholars in the whole world, regardless of their sects, sects and schools, to hasten to hold a serious Islamic-Islamic dialogue." In order to establish unity, rapprochement and acquaintance, the causes of discord, strife and sectarian conflict in particular are rejected.

The Imam of Al-Azhar said: “This invitation, as I address it to our fellow Shiite Muslims, I am ready, along with the senior scholars of Al-Azhar and the Council of Muslim Elders, to hold such a meeting with open hearts and outstretched hands to sit together at one table.”

The Imam of Al-Azhar set the meeting’s goal by “overcoming the page of the past and promoting Islamic affairs and the unity of Islamic positions,” suggesting that its decisions “provide an end to mutual hate speech, methods of provocation and infidelity, and the need to overcome historical and contemporary conflicts with all their problems and bad sediments.”

Al-Tayyib stressed that “it is forbidden for Muslims to listen to the calls of discord and discord, and to beware of falling into the trap of tampering with the stability of countries, exploiting religion by stirring up national and sectarian strife, interfering in the affairs of states, undermining their sovereignty or usurping their lands.”

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for an end to the war in Ukraine

In a separate context, the sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif called for an end to the war in Ukraine for the sake of world peace and stability, saying: “I add my voice to the voice of benevolent people who call for peace and an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, and to spare the blood of innocents who have no elegance or utterance in this tragedy, And raising the banner of peace instead of the banner of victory, and sitting in the circle of dialogue and negotiations.”

Al-Tayeb also called for "stopping the fighting going on in various parts of the world by rebuilding bridges of dialogue, understanding and trust, in order to restore peace in a world riddled with wounds, so that the alternative is not more suffering for poor peoples, and more dire consequences for the East and West."

Erdoğan wants Turkish military bases in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, condemns “Iranian expansionism” in the Middle East

Erdoğan wants Turkish military bases in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, condemns “Iranian expansionism” in the Middle East

    Saturday, June 17, 2017   No comments

Turkey does not condone “Iranian expansionism” in the Middle East although it does recognize its role and its cooperation in resolving problems in Iraq and Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

“Is Syria a theater for Iran’s sectarian expansionism? Yes, it is. Is Iraq a theater also? Yes, it is. I regard this a Persian expansionism rather than a sectarian one. I should specifically say that I do not approve of this Persian expansionism,” Erdoğan said in an interview with Portugal’s RTP channel, according to Anadolu Agency on June 16.

Turkey has long criticized Iran for pursuing a sectarian-based policy in the Middle East although it continues to work with Tehran on a number of regional issues.


However, Erdoğan made clear that Turkey and Iran, along with Russia, are working together in Syria through the Astana process. He also underlined that the problems in Iraq could not be resolved without Iran and that excluding Iran from efforts to deal with the Syrian civil war would not serve anybody’s interest as the Syrian regime works with Iran.

Erdoğan repeated his calls to the United States and Saudi Arabia to join the Astana process, which recently produced a mechanism to monitor the ongoing cease-fire in Syria.


President slams US over military base

On the ongoing Raqqa operation that aims to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s long-standing criticisms against the United States, which chose the People’s Protection Units (YPG) as a partner even though Turkey regards the group as a terrorist organization.

“I understand that they do not regard it as a terror organization as they prefer to walk hand in hand in them and as they cooperate with them on Raqqa,” the president said, recalling that Turkey would take any action against the YPG in the event that its security is threatened.

A new military air strip is being built by the U.S. near Kobane in northern Syria which is currently under YPG control, Erdoğan said.

“Planes will land there in the future. [The YPG] will be settled there. Why are you doing all of this? Why you are entering these places?”


A plot against Qatar

Touching on the ongoing crisis in the Gulf, Erdoğan described the unfolding situation as a plot against Qatar and said he did not approve of what has happened to the country.

“I sense that there is a very serious plot against Qatar and it’s not true. Qatar is a country with an overwhelmingly Muslim population. Those who implement all of this against Qatar are also Muslim,” he said, adding that the problem should have been addressed with dialogue from the beginning.

“It’s my wish that Saudi Arabia will show its leadership and that this issue will be resolved before the Ramadan Feast.”


Military base in Saudi Arabia

Turkey’s military base in Qatar will serve the entire region’s stability and security, Erdoğan said, noting that his government had suggested to Saudi Arabia that it establish a base on Saudi soil as well, but Riyadh has yet to respond to Turkey’s call.

Turkey will augment the number of troops at the military base in Qatar, Erdoğan said.

source

Turkey criticizes move to raise Kurdish flag in Iraq

Turkey criticizes move to raise Kurdish flag in Iraq

    Wednesday, March 29, 2017   No comments

ISR Comment:

Turkish government seem to have checkmated itself in Iraq and Syria: At one point it offered sanctuary to a Iraqi Sunni politician accused of connections to terrorism undermining Iraq’s government efforts to establish control over all of its territory. That move was intended to find a path to influence decision making in Iraq. To further pressure the central Iraqi government, which is dominated by Shia who represent the majority of the population in that country, the Turkish government chose to deal the regional Kurdish government and even sign energy deals, in violation of Iraqi law that has the authority over oil trade. Now, that Kurdish people in Syria are carving territory to establish an autonomous region that could potentially link with the Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region, encouraging Kurds in Turkey to do the same, the Turkish government is condemning a Kurdish move in Iraq. How can Turkey limit Kurdish gains after it did its best to weaken the central governments in Syria and Iraq?

________________
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has criticized the decision of an Iraqi provincial assembly to raise a Kurdish flag alongside the Iraqi national flag at public buildings.

On Tuesday, 26 Kurdish members of Kirkuk’s provincial assembly voted in favor of raising the Kurdish flag alongside Iraq’s national flag outside the city’s public buildings and institutions.

Arab and Turkmen members of the provincial assembly were conspicuously absent from the meeting.

In an interview with state-broadcaster TRT Haber in Ankara Wednesday, Cavusoglu said: “We don’t approve of this voting held by the regional administration.

“Such a step will not help Iraq’s future, stability and security at a time when Iraq is fighting against Daesh.  Source

US will not sell weapons to Saudi Arabia

US will not sell weapons to Saudi Arabia

    Tuesday, December 13, 2016   No comments

ISR comment: This is one of those instances where late is better than never. In September, when Saudi Arabia committed another war crime while continuing its brutal war on Yemen, killing many civilians and pushing millions to starvation, the US Senate cleared way for $1.15 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia. Today, it was announced that sale of arms will be halted. This is a very small and rare victory for the poorest Arab country, Yemen, which has been bombarded for nearly two years by the richest Arab country. It is hoped that EU governments will do follow and ban the sales of arms to Saudi Arabia until its rulers, especially their teenage-minded war minister and son of King Salman, stop using these tools of killing and destruction as toys.

US halts arms sale to Saudi Arabia over civilian casualties in Yemen

The US has cancelled a planned weapons sale to Saudi Arabia and will limit military support for the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen over widespread civilian deaths, a US official revealed on Tuesday.

More than 10,000 people have been killed during the 20-month-old civil war in Yemen, and the impoverished country is gripped by food shortages and other humanitarian crises.

According to a UN estimate, about 60 per cent of the 4,000 or more civilian deaths have resulted from Saudi-led air strikes. Source

Qatar will continue to support terrorists in Syria with or without U.S.

Qatar will continue to support terrorists in Syria with or without U.S.

    Sunday, November 27, 2016   No comments

Summary: Fearing that the U.S. under Trump might abandon Syrian rebels, Qatar, which is known to have close connections to terrorist groups like Fath al-Sham--formerly known as al-Nusra Front, reassured its proxies in Syria that Qatar will continue to support them with or without U.S.

The  News:
Qatar will continue to arm Syrian rebels even if Donald Trump ends U.S. backing for the multinational effort, Doha's foreign minister said in an interview, signalling its determination to pursue a policy the U.S. President-elect may abandon.
...
The minister hit out at Egypt, normally a close Gulf Arab ally, for appearing to side with Assad, and criticised Iran for what he said was interference in the affairs of Arab states.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose flagging economy has received billions of dollars from Gulf states, has supported Russia's decision to bomb in support of Assad.

"For us unfortunately Egypt is supporting the regime ... We hope that they come back and be with us," he said. Support for Assad was the same as supporting terrorism, he said, "because he is a terrorist and he is on equal footing with Daesh".

Sheikh Mohammed chided Western politicians for using anti-Muslim and anti-refugee rhetoric in election campaigns, saying it was against the values the West had long stood for.

"Unfortunately these narratives ... will cause problems for decades because in Europe and the United States, the Muslim community is part of the texture of their society ... It will help them maybe to win the election but it will last for decades, it will create a problem within their communities. source

Israel's defense minister: Islamic State "enjoyed Turkish money for oil"

Israel's defense minister: Islamic State "enjoyed Turkish money for oil"

    Tuesday, January 26, 2016   No comments

Israel's defense minister said on Tuesday that Islamic State militants had been funded with 'Turkish money', an assertion that could hinder attempts to mend fences between the two countries after years of estrangement.

"It's up to Turkey, the Turkish government, the Turkish leadership, to decide whether they want to be part of any kind of cooperation to fight terrorism. This is not the case so far," Moshe Yaalon told reporters in Athens.

"As you know, Daesh (Islamic State) enjoyed Turkish money for oil for a very, very long period of time. I hope that it will be ended," Yaalon, a right-wing former armed forces chief, told reporters after meeting his Greek counterpart, Panos Kammenos. source

Stoking sectarian fires in the Middle East could be Saudi Arabia's biggest mistake

Stoking sectarian fires in the Middle East could be Saudi Arabia's biggest mistake

    Wednesday, January 06, 2016   No comments

Why stoking sectarian fires in the Middle East could be Saudi Arabia's biggest mistake

Patrick Cockburn

Saudi Arabia will be pleased that the furore over its execution of the Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr is taking the form of a heightened confrontation with Iran and the Shia world as a whole. Insults and threats are exchanged and diplomatic missions closed. Sunni mosques are blown up in Shia-dominated areas of Iraq. The Saudi rulers are able to strengthen their leadership of a broad Sunni coalition against an Iranian-led Shia axis at home and abroad.

The motive for the mass execution of Sheikh Nimr and 46 others, many Sunni jihadists, was primarily domestic. The threat to the al-Saud family within Saudi Arabia comes from Sunni extremists in al-Qaeda and Isis and not from the Shia, who are only a majority in two provinces in the eastern region of the country. Furious denunciations by Shia communities and countries will do nothing but good to the reputation of the ruling family among the majority of Saudis.

Saudi Arabia and its fundamentalist Wahhabi variant of Sunni Islam has been blamed by many outside the kingdom as the ideological forbearer of Isis, but the real danger for the monarchy is that it should be seen at home as insufficiently zealous as defender of the faith.

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All the same, there is a growing suspicion in the Middle East and beyond that the Saudi royal family is losing its traditional political touch which enabled it to survive over the past 70 years when other monarchies, along with once-powerful socialist and nationalist regimes, have long ago disappeared.

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Turkey’s silence on Saudi Arabia’s execution of Shiite cleric

Turkey’s silence on Saudi Arabia’s execution of Shiite cleric

    Tuesday, January 05, 2016   No comments

by MEHMET Y. YILMAZ

The Middle East has gone even deeper into turmoil since “our ally” Saudi Arabia, with which we recently established a “high-level strategic council,” executed a prominent Shiite cleric.

You will remember that Turkey and Qatar also signed a military deal a short while ago, and we will construct a military base in Qatar against the “common enemy.”

Considering the 3,600 km distance between Turkey and Qatar, I recently asked who could be this “common enemy.” It is not too difficult to find the answer. The only power that Qatar is afraid of is Iran.

Now, our “high-level strategic partner” Saudi Arabia is on the verge of war with Iran. They have cut diplomatic ties; harsh statements are flying in the air.

It would not be surprising to see Qatar getting involved in this verbal fight. Indeed, Bahrain cut its relations with Tehran yesterday.

Turkey is now in the midst of a conflict that should be of no interest. Turkey is in no position to either intervene to decrease the tension or to stand aside.

That is where we have ended up thanks to the Erdoğan-Davutoğlu duo’s foreign policy. We will all pay the price for them resorting to cheap campaign propaganda whenever critics warned “let’s not slide into Middle Eastern swamp.”

What is the reason behind the silence?

Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, the cleric who was executed in Saudi Arabia, had nothing to do with violence. In fact, he condemned violence and he was against all dictators in the Islamic world - including Bashar al–Assad.

In an interview with the BBC in 2011 he said he preferred “the roar of the word against authorities to weapons.”

“The weapon of the word is stronger than bullets, because the authorities profit from a battle with weapons,” he said.

Now, the execution of this cleric who preached peace could set off a period where only guns do the talking.

What I find strange is the fact that Turkey has remained silent up to now. It is silent about the killing of a cleric who has stood up to tyrants.

There is no word from a government that says it stands with all the oppressed, regardless of their identity. The Foreign Ministry is silent.

Isn’t this silence of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which reacted so harshly against death sentences that were not even carried out in Egypt, perplexing?

If a Muslim cleric was executed in a Buddhist country, would they have stayed silent like this?

Why this silence? Is it because the killers this time are the Saudis? Or is it because the cleric is Shiite?  source

What do Iraqi Sunni want? ISIL and its allies have different agendas and different plans; but some want Sunni autonomous regions

What do Iraqi Sunni want? ISIL and its allies have different agendas and different plans; but some want Sunni autonomous regions

    Friday, June 20, 2014   No comments

Iraq is a country with competing ethnic and sectarian identities. Iraq is inhabited by Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Azeris, Armenians, and dozens of or other religious and ethnic groups. The divide that is at play today is the Sunni, Shiite, Kurdish one. More than 65 percent of Iraqis are Shi`a. These Shi`as are of Arab, Kurdish, and Turkic ethnicities. 25 percent of Iraqis are Sunnis. These Sunnis are primarily Arab and Kurdish. About 10 percent are Non-Muslim minorities belonging to various ethnic groups as well.

The Sunni minority has ruled Iraq until the fall of Saddam's regime in 2003. Iraqi Shi`a were marginalized during Sunni rule and after the Iraq-Iran war, the marginalization tuned into discrimination, oppression, and persecution. Now, the once dominant Sunnis, are represented according to their numbers. Some are happy with that. But many do not want to be ruled by a "deviant" sect even if that sect is a majority of the population. ISIL represents that view and that is why they want to take the fight all the way to Karbala and Najaf. Other Sunnis want at least some of the power back even if it is over smaller territories.

Here is one articulation of Sunni demands:

 “Maliki must first be deposed,” said Mr Dabash. “Then we demand the fragmentation of Iraq into three autonomous regions, with Sunnis, Shia and Kurds sharing resources equally. And finally we need compensation for the one and half million Iraqis, most of them Sunnis, who have been killed at the hands of the Americans and the Maliki regime.” Source

The problems with Iraq are also historical, since the Ottoman days, when Sunnis were favored:

Sunnis had been favored during the Ottoman Empire, gaining more administrative experience and thus domination in government and the military. Dictatorships emerged as the only way to hold differing groups together, the last Iraqi dictator being Saddam Hussein. Sourse