A PKK/PYD meeting was held at the Rimeylan Military Base, which belongs to the US
The leaders of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated Democratic Union Party (PYD) terrorist organization’s so-called cantons held a meeting at the Rimeylan Military Base, which belongs to the U.S. During the meeting “the federalism declaration in the territories occupied by the PKK/PYD" was discussed.
The meeting was chaired by Mansur Sallum, the chairman of the Canton’s Assembly. The U.S.-led meeting was attended by the President of the Jazira Canton Ekrep Heso, the President of the Kobani Canton Enver Muslim and the President of the Afrin Canton Hevi Mustafa.
At a meeting with senior PKK officials at the U.S. base, it was decided that the Tell Abyad district of Raqqa, which was occupied by the PKK in 2015, would also become a canton. It was also decided to change the name of Tell Abyad, which had previously been linked to the PKK’s Kobani Canton
Tell Abayd’s name was changed to Gire Spi, and it was on the agenda of the meeting to link the villages of Ayn Issa and Suluk. The population of Tell Abyad, Suluk and Ayn Issa is made up of Arabs and Turkmen.
Mansur Sallum said that the declaration of an independent administration model for the PKK's territories would be made soon.
The PKK delegation regarded the announcement of the canton of Tel Abyad as the final step before the unilateral declaration that the cantons had an autonomous status under the unified Rojova Kurdistan name.
Sallum stated that the post-Raqqa declaration of federation would come into effect and they would not wait any longer for an autonomous Kurdistan.
Before the PKK meeting in Rimeylan, Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh Brett McGurk held two separate meetings with the so-called representatives of the terrorist organization.
The Rimeylan Military Base, which was built by the U.S. in Syria and hosted the PKK/PYD meeting, is still a military base where weapons are sent under the guise of fighting Daesh.
U.S. cargo planes and war helicopters continue their operations in Rimeylan, the largest U.S. military facility in Syria. Rimeylan currently hosts more than 200 U.S. troops.
The U.S. urged its main Syrian ally to rebrand itself to avoid Turkey’s concerns and give the group a voice in Syria's future. U.S. Army Gen. Raymond Thomas confessed to encouraging the terrorist group to rebrand itself, and said the name change was vital to getting the group legitimacy.
The U.S. has supported the PKK/PYD along with several other Arab terrorist groups under the umbrella of the SDF, causing tension with Ankara.
The U.S. views the SDF as a "reliable partner" in its fight against Daesh and continues to provide it with arms and equipment against strong objection by Turkey that views the PKK/PYD as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror group.
The PKK has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years that has led to the death of more than 40,000 people. It is a designated terror group in Turkey, the U.S. and EU.
