New Kurdish forces to fight against Assad, Daesh and PYD

Fifteen Kurdish political parties are prepared to form an opposition fighting group in northern Syria as an alternative to the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Pro-Kurdish political parties which are members of the Syrian National Council (SNC) agreed to start a Kurdish armed forces and increase international diplomacy to obtain political and military support.

The new Kurdish forces aim to become the sole representative of the Kurdish population in northern Syria and will work for the unity of the country.

According to a source close to the SNC, the new Kurdish formation will not work with the PYD and its armed wing, the People's Protection Unit (YPG), claiming the group has been working as a pawn of the US, not for the benefit of local Kurdish people.

Turkey, a NATO ally and key member of the US-led anti-Daesh coalition in Syria, is opposed to PYD and YPG, claiming the groups are the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terror group in Turkey.

As the first political initiative for a new Kurdish movement in the area, SNC officials, including president Anas al-Abdah, visited the northern Iraqi Kurdish region to discuss the possibility of peshmerga Kurdish forces' deployment in northern Syria.

During the visit both sides agreed that the Peshmerga would train the Syrian Kurds and help Kurdish fighting groups in northern Syria.

PYD refused any cooperation with the Barzani administration, forcing SNC to form new Kurdish military forces.

The new forces will be integrated with remaining opposition Kurdish brigades fighting against Assad regime, Daesh and the PYD.

Last month a new opposition group, the Kurdish Revolutionary Brigade, was formed to fight against Assad, Daesh and the YPG.

“We will take part in the resistance of the Syrian people against PYD and the Assad regime. We will not surrender to oppression. We are ready to die for this. We will do our best for the unity of Syrian people and the territorial integrity of the country," KRB said in a video statement.

It also called on Kurdish people to join them and fight against Assad and YPG.

Another Kurdish fighting group, known as the “Grandsons of Salahaddin" after the famed 12th -century Muslim Kurdish leader, has already captured several villages in the Daesh-controlled border region between Jarabulus and Azaz and stoppedthe YPG from seizing further ground along Turkish border.

Mahmoud Abu Hamza, a commander of the Grandsons of Salahaddin, said, “PKK/PYD is no different than pro-Assad Shabbiha forces who killed thousands of innocent people. They are not here for Kurdish people; they opposed Kurds. They are fighting against Kurdish people."

Fuad Aliko, member of the High Negotiation Committee, who is also the representative of Kurdish National Council on SNC, said the PYD does not offer a real Kurdish platform. “It is a proxy of Assad regime."

He described PYD as a tool of America. “PYD is developing policy on behalf of the Syrian regime, not the Kurdish people."

Aliko said the PYD has been torturing thousands of opposition Kurds in several prisons for two years.

“PYD has detained at least nine Kurdish journalists," he added.

“Daesh is in relations with Maliki and Shia authority in Iraq, and PYD is in relations with Iran and Syrian regime," said Aliko.