Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. GPS News .




THE STANS
Syria Kurds announce transitional autonomous authority
by Staff Writers
Arbil, Iraq (AFP) Nov 12, 2013


A fighter of the Kurdish of the Committees for the Protection of the Kurdish People (YPG) holds a position in a trench on October 19, 2013 in the Kurdish town of Derik (aka al-Malikiyah in Arabic), in the northeastern Hasakeh governorate on the border with Turkey and Iraq. Kurdish fighters from several villages in oil-rich Hasake province are engaged in combat against Al-Qaeda affiliated groups the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusra Front, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Photo courtesy AFP.

Syrian Kurds in the country's northeast announced the formation of a transitional autonomous administration on Tuesday after making key territorial gains against jihadists in recent weeks.

But several major Kurdish groups have not signed on to the declaration, which had originally been mooted in July.

The latest announcement comes amid a general strengthening of Kurdish rights in neighbouring Turkey, and increasing moves towards independence by Iraq's own autonomous Kurdish region.

"Today is an important day in the history of the Kurdish people," said Shirzad Izidi, a spokesman for the People's Council of Western Kurdistan, a Syrian Kurdish group.

"What has been announced today is the beginning of implementing an interim administration in the ares of West Kurdistan," he continued, referring to the commonly used name for Syria's Kurdish areas.

The announcement was made after talks in the mostly Kurdish town of Qamishli days earlier and involves the division of Syria's Kurdish region into three areas, each with its own local assembly, as well as representatives to a regional executive body.

The administration has been tasked with preparing local and general elections, along with handling an array of political, military, security and economic issues.

But the fact that the newly formed authority lacks the backing of several key parties has raised questions over whether it will be long-lasting.

Currently, the transitional authority is formed by the powerful Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and several other smaller groupings, but not the Kurdish National Council, which includes a broad spectrum of parties.

"I think that such a rushed, one-sided move will be seen as... an obstacle to the Syrian opposition," said Nuri Brimo, a member of the KNC.

"I think the (PYD) is moving in the wrong direction by individually announcing the local administration."

Kurdish regions of northern Syria have been administered by local Kurdish councils since forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad withdrew in the middle of 2012.

The redeployment was seen as a tactical move by the regime, one which freed up forces to battle rebels elsewhere, and encouraged the Kurds to avoid allying with the opposition.

More recently, Kurds have battled with jihadist groups keen to secure a wider corridor between Syria and Iraq to ensure more regular supplies and reinforcements.

Last month Kurdish forces seized control of a crucial border point with Iraq.

Fighting between Kurdish militiamen and jihadists ostensibly battling to topple Assad has added another level of complexity to the civil war, which has claimed an estimated 120,000 lives since 2011.

Kurds represent about 15 percent of the Syrian population, and are mostly concentrated in the northern part of the country.

.


Related Links
News From Across The Stans






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








THE STANS
Afghan assembly considering US deal to begin November 21
Kabul (AFP) Nov 12, 2013
Afghan traditional leaders will meet next week to decide whether to support a security pact that could allow some US troops to stay in the country after 2014, an official said Tuesday. Around 2,500 tribal elders and other civilian leaders are expected to take part in the "loya jirga" starting November 21 to decide whether to accept the draft Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan ... read more


THE STANS
NGO asks EU to not buy Paraguay beef over indigenous concerns

Egypt farmers fear water supply threat from Ethiopia dam

Researchers uncover origins of cattle farming in China

Volunteers join scientists in finding out who gets rid of cow dung

THE STANS
Diamond Imperfections Pave the Way to Technology Gold

Georgia Tech Develops Inkjet-Based Circuits at Fraction of Time and Cost

Designing an acoustic diode

A Single-Atom Light Switch

THE STANS
Vets of Doolittle WWII raid hold a final reunion

Indonesia evacuates bodies after deadly helicopter crash

Boeing and Kongsberg Defense Systems Complete Joint Strike Missile Check on FA-18 Super Hornet

New Boeing B-52 Upgrade to Increase Smart Weapons Capacity by Half

THE STANS
China auto sales surge 20.3% in October

China's FAW signs deal to build vehicles in Algeria

Japan PM Abe rides around Tokyo in self-driving vehicles

Nissan to unveil electric sports car at Tokyo Motor Show

THE STANS
Canadian miner hopes to dig for gold in Romania despite setback

US finance chief to raise China currency on Asia trip

Cheap Chinese textiles slam Peru's garment industry

Romania accused of shady moves to please Canadian mining firm

THE STANS
Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western US

Carbon storage recovers faster than plant biodiversity in re-growing tropical forests

Amazon deforestation could trigger droughts in U.S. West

China slaps dumping penalties on pulp imports

THE STANS
Satellites packed like sardines

Global map provides new insights into land use

Sensor Payloads Lift Off With Availability of Complete Hyperspectral Airborne Solution

Seeing in the dark

THE STANS
York researchers discover important mechanism behind nanoparticle reactivity

Nanomaterials database improved to help consumers, scientists track products

Lawrence Livermore researchers unveil carbon nanotube jungles to better detect molecules

Defective nanotubes turned into light emitters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement