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YPG Leader to Asharq Al-Awsat: Moscow Colluded With Ankara

Kurdish fighters from the YPG run across a street in Raqqa, Syria July 3, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Goran Tomasevic
Kurdish fighters from the YPG run across a street in Raqqa, Syria July 3, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Goran Tomasevic
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YPG Leader to Asharq Al-Awsat: Moscow Colluded With Ankara

Kurdish fighters from the YPG run across a street in Raqqa, Syria July 3, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Goran Tomasevic
Kurdish fighters from the YPG run across a street in Raqqa, Syria July 3, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Goran Tomasevic

The leader of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), Sipan Hamo, said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday that Russia has “betrayed” Syria’s Kurds by allowing Turkey to launch its military operation in Afrin, in northwestern Aleppo.

Hamo said Damascus has informed the “Units” that Moscow had prevented regime forces from responding to the Turkish Army and had also banned the delivery of support to the YPG.

He uncovered that he visited Moscow on Saturday and met with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, in addition to intelligence officials.

His visit came following talks held by Turkish Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar in the Russian capital to place the last touches on the “Olive Branch Operation,” launched on Sunday by the Turkish Army and Syrian opposition factions against the YPG in Afrin.

“The Russians informed us that Turkey has the right to defend its border security,” Hamo said, adding that Gerasimov told him about the withdrawal of Russian forces from Afrin to Tal Rafaat in the countryside of Aleppo, and that the “Russian Army will not participate in the Turkish operation.”

The leader of the YPG also said that during his visit to Russia, he had asked for an air cover “to prevent Turkey from shelling us.”

However, Hamo said that the Russians did not meet his request.

“The situation is bad. The shelling is ongoing and did not stop for the past 24 hours,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

There have been reports that Moscow and Ankara had tackled three main points minutes before the launch of Olive Branch Operation: the use of Turkish warplanes, the extent of the land infiltration, and the identity of the fighters who will enter Afrin.

A western official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday that Moscow had approved Turkey’s use of warplanes during the military operation in Afrin with a possibility of establishing monitoring positions at the outskirts of the city and the creation of a “security line” inside Syria.

“There is a Russian accomplice with Turkey, and even a Russian betrayal,” Hamo said.

He added that the YPG possesses fighters to defend Afrin.

“However, we are worried about civilians,” he said, adding that military reinforcement already arrived to the Syrian city from Manbij.

“We will resist. This is imperative,” Hamo asserted.

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.