NEWS CENTER - Assessing the attacks in Aleppo, Per Clausen, a member of the European Parliament, Coordinator of the Kurdish Working Group, stated that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) army consists of militant groups supported by Turkey, adding, " Turkey still fights against the Kurds." 

 

Attacks by HTŞ and paramilitary groups affiliated with Turkey on the neighbourhoods of Eşrefiyê (Ashrafieh), Şêxmeqsûd (Sheikh Maqsoud) and Benî Zêd (Beni Zayd) continue. It is reported that approximately 300 people have been killed and at least 271 abducted in the attacks, while hundreds more have been injured.

 

The coordinators of the European Parliament (EP) Kurdish Working Group wrote a letter to the European Union (EU) calling for action on the attacks. One of the signatory coordinators, Per Clausen, a member of the Danish left-wing party Red-Green Alliance and an EP politician, spoke to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the attacks in Aleppo. 

 

‘TURKEY STILL FIGHTS AGAINST THE KURDS’

 

Clausen emphasised the importance and urgency of establishing a system in Syria where Kurds and other minorities have the right to life and all other legal rights, stating, “So I think this attack is very problematic. It shows us that the Syrian government and the Syrian army are not one army; they are many different militant groups, and some of them are supported by Turkey. And this is very problematic because Turkey still fights against the Kurds. So I think we have to say to the Syrian government that it should stop this attack on the Kurds and respect the Kurds’ right to live in Syria and to be a part of the Syrian community with respect for their rights.”

 

THE PRESENCE OF DAESH IN THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT ARMY 

 

He noted that the Kurds are waging an important fight against DAESH today, as they did in the past.  Regarding the DAESH insignia on the uniforms of those who carried out the attacks in Aleppo on Al Jazeera television, Clausen said: "I think it is very problematic when you see that some of these groups that came from ISIS and Al-Qaeda are now integrated into the Syrian army. And I think it shows us that the Syrian army is not a real army but is dependent on these former Islamist groups. And I think it is very important that we and the EU tell the Syrian government very precisely that it is not acceptable that you still have these groups in your army. And I also understand that it is a good reason for the Kurds not to join the Syrian army, because there is no Syrian army; there are many militant groups, and in that situation we also need to have our own army. And I understand that, and I think we should have talks with the Syrian government and the Kurds, supported by the European Union (EU) and other parties, so that we could have a real agreement where you can also solve the Kurds’ interest in having a society where they can live in peace and security.”

 

Stating that they would follow up on the letter they sent, Clausen said that they wanted to hear what solution the EU Commission would offer for the people of Syria. Clausen noted that he would ask the commission questions on the matter and that there would be discussions on the issue in the EP, adding, "We will follow up with questions to the Commission about this, and I will also try to have discussions and deep debates on this problem in the European Parliament, where we could maybe have a resolution that describes what is necessary to solve this problem. And I have a lot of good cooperation with some other members of the European Parliament who are also working on the Kurdish question and the Kurdish people and the rights of the Kurdish people. So we will try what we can do, even if it could be a little bit difficult, because the European Commission and the European Union want to have good relations with the Syrian government. But we have also said that if we are to have good relations with the Syrian government, they also have to deliver when we are talking about human rights, when we are talking about women’s rights, and when we are talking about the rights of groups such as the Kurds in Syria."

 

Clausen emphasised the importance of stressing the need for the EU to make agreements with the peoples of the country when negotiating with HTS, noting that the agreements signed must be followed up. Clausen stressed: “I think it is very important that we stress that the interim government needs to make agreements with all groups in Syria, including the Kurds. And they also must be sure that they can deliver on those agreements, so that the Kurds can be part of the Syrian government on equal terms. I think it is very, very important that the European Union, which is in contact with the Syrian interim government, is very precise when talking with the government in Syria and tells them that it is very important for the European Union that the government makes deals with all groups in Syria, including the Kurds, and that they also deliver on these deals. Because what we need in Syria is a system where all groups are represented and where all groups of people are not at risk of being attacked by some groups, some extremist groups. So I think this is very important, and I hope the European Union will put much more pressure on the interim Syrian government to ensure that this will happen.”

 

‘THE EU’S FAILURE TO CRITICISE THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT IS VERY PROBLEMATIC’

 

Assessing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s meeting with El Shara while attacks on Aleppo continued, Clausen said: “It is very problematic that the European Commission does not criticise the Syrian government regarding the Kurds. So we will also put pressure on the Commission to ensure that it addresses the problems in Syria and the massacres of the Kurds. I hope we can apply this pressure in such a way that the EU Commission will say to the Syrian government that ‘you have to respect human rights, you have to respect the Kurds’ rights, you have to stop these massacres against some minority groups in Syria, and you have to ensure that all people in Syria can live in good circumstances.’”

 

Clausen concluded: “So I hope we can put pressure on the Commission, because I am not satisfied with a situation where the Commission talks only about good things regarding the Syrian government, even when the Syrian government has been involved in attacks on the Kurds. But I think we have to put a lot of pressure on the Commission on this issue, because I think the Commission is very weak when it talks with the Syrian government.”

 

MA / Hivda Celebi