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Iraq: Security Forces Shut Down Organizations Linked to PKK in Sulaymaniyah

Kurdish employees take part in vote counting, during parliamentary elections in the semi-autonomous region in Erbil, Iraq September 30, 2018. (Reuters)
Kurdish employees take part in vote counting, during parliamentary elections in the semi-autonomous region in Erbil, Iraq September 30, 2018. (Reuters)
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Iraq: Security Forces Shut Down Organizations Linked to PKK in Sulaymaniyah

Kurdish employees take part in vote counting, during parliamentary elections in the semi-autonomous region in Erbil, Iraq September 30, 2018. (Reuters)
Kurdish employees take part in vote counting, during parliamentary elections in the semi-autonomous region in Erbil, Iraq September 30, 2018. (Reuters)

Kurdish security forces “Asayish” began shutting down several headquarters and offices of political parties and civil organizations linked to Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned in Turkey.

On October 29, deputy prime minister of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Qubad Talabani, issued an order to close the offices and headquarters of all parties and organizations without a formal license issued by the KRG.

The resolution, however, is only limited to parties and civil organizations ideologically associated with the PKK, such as Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) and its civil women's organization. The Workers' Party is known for adopting the principles of imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan.

However, several parties recently established in the Region continue to perform their activities normally, even though they have not obtained their official authorizations yet.

Commander at PAK, Hussein Karkuki, described the Kurdish authorities' decision as political and lacking any legal basis, given that his party has been officially licensed by the federal authorities in Baghdad since 2018 to exercise their political work throughout Iraq.

Karkuki told Asharq Al-Awsat that the party had been asking the KRG to issue them an official permit to carry out their activities, but the authorities ignored their request.

According to the Law, the Ministry of Interior has to either refuse or approve such request within 45 days, otherwise the party is considered officially licensed.

“So our party is legally licensed and we will not leave our headquarters and will not close it,” asserted Karkuki.

He explained that the security authorities of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the ruling party in Sulaymaniyah, had asked his party to comply with the decision to avoid any “embarrassment” with the Turkish authorities.

PUK is under direct pressure from Turkey to ban the activities of parties and organizations loyal or linked to the PKK in Sulaymaniyah. In turn, Turkish authorities will normalize its relations with the Patriotic Union, and lift the air embargo imposed on Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

"Even if we close our headquarters in Sulaymaniyah, we will continue our political activities in other forums and communities," Karkuki confirmed.

Political parties had emerged in the region mid-last year and have not received official authorization. For instance, Coalition for Democracy and Justice party was founded by Iraqi President Barham Salih last spring, however, it is not authorized yet.

Few weeks ago, the party changed its name to Patriotic Alliance after Salih resigned from the party and joined the PUK.

Member of New Generation Movement, Aram Saeed, said that his party, which did not get official authorization yet, won four seats in the Iraqi parliament and eight in the Region's parliament during the elections that took place on September 30. He considered having members in both parliaments is in itself "an authorization to perform political work."

Saeed told Asharq Al-Awsat, “Our movement is engaged in political activity without any hindrances, and no security authority ordered us to close our headquarters,” adding that they will act accordingly if they were ordered to shut down.

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Opposition Forces Breach Syria’s Second-Largest City Aleppo, Fighters and a War Monitor Say

Smoke rises in the distance as anti-regime fighters hold a position on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises in the distance as anti-regime fighters hold a position on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
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Opposition Forces Breach Syria’s Second-Largest City Aleppo, Fighters and a War Monitor Say

Smoke rises in the distance as anti-regime fighters hold a position on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises in the distance as anti-regime fighters hold a position on the outskirts of the northern city of Aleppo on November 29, 2024. (AFP)

Opposition fighters breached Syria’s second-largest city Aleppo after blowing up two car bombs on Friday and were clashing with government forces on the city's western edge, according to a Syria war monitor and combatants.

It was the first time the city has been attacked by opposition forces since 2016, when they were ousted from Aleppo's eastern neighborhoods following a grueling military campaign in which Syrian government forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups.

Witnesses in Aleppo city said residents have been fleeing neighborhoods on the western edge of the city because of missiles and exchanges of fire. The government did not comment on the fighters breaching city limits.

Syria's Armed Forces said in a statement Friday it has been clashing with fighters in the countryside around Aleppo and Idlib, destroying several of their drones and heavy weapons. It vowed to repel the attack and accused the fighters of spreading false information about their advances.

Thousands of fighters have been advancing toward Aleppo city since a shock offensive they launched on Wednesday, seizing several towns and villages along the way.

The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, who had backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battle at home.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the fighters blew up two car bombs at the city’s western edge on Friday.

An opposition faction commander issued a recorded message posted on social media calling on the city's residents to cooperate with the advancing forces.

Türkiye state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the opposition forces entered Aleppo city center Friday. It said the fighters “broke through the defense lines of the regime forces along the Hamdaniyya, New Aleppo, and Zahra axis on the outskirts of the city.”

It added the fighters now control approximately 70 locations in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.

Syria’s state media reported earlier Friday that projectiles from fighters landed in the student accommodations at Aleppo's university in the city center, killing four people, including two students. Public transportation to the city had also been diverted from the main highway linking Aleppo to the capital Damascus to avoid clashes, the report said.

Fighters also advanced on the town of Saraqab, in northwestern Idlib province, a strategic area that would secure supply lines to Aleppo.

This week's advances were one of the largest by opposition factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, and comes after weeks of low simmering violence. It is most intense fighting in northwestern Syria since 2020, when government forces seized areas previously controlled by opposition fighters.

Syria’s Armed Forces said the fighters are violating a 2019 agreement that de-escalated fighting in the area, which has been the last remaining opposition stronghold for years.

The war monitor Observatory said dozens of fighters from both sides have been killed in the battles that started Wednesday. The opposition fighters have seized control of more than 50 villages in their advance, which seem to have caught the government forces unprepared.

Hezbollah, the lead group in an Iran-linked alliance that has backed Syria's government, has been locked in a war with Israel that escalated since September. A ceasefire was announced Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days.

“Hezbollah was the main force in the government’s control of the city,” said Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Observatory.

The factions reported earlier Friday that fighters had wrested control of the Scientific Research Center neighborhood, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the western outskirts of Aleppo city. Government-linked media denied the fighters have seized it.

The Associated Press was not able to immediately verify the claims.

Fighters posted videos online showing they were using drones in their advance, a new weapon they had not had previously in the earlier stages of their confrontation with government forces. It was not clear to what extent the drones were used on the battleground.

The Anadolu Agency, reporting from Idlib, said the fighters attacked a military airbase southeast of Aleppo city with drones early Friday, destroying a helicopter. It said the opposition groups seized heavy weapons, depots and military vehicles belonging to the government forces during their advance.

Aid groups said the fighting has displaced thousands of families, and forced some services to be suspended. The opposition fighters said their offensive will allow the return of thousands of displaced people who were forced to flee government bombardment in recent weeks.

The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and opposition fighters since the 2011 protests against Bashar Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war.

Russia and Iran and its allied groups had helped Syrian government forces reclaim control of all of Aleppo that year, after a grueling military campaign and a siege that lasted for weeks.

Türkiye has been a main backer of an array of opposition forces and its troops have established military presence in parts of northwestern Syria. Separately and largely in the east of Syria, the United States has supported Syrian Kurdish forces fighting ISIS militants.