PKK pledges terrorists to Assad in exchange for Afrin

Representatives of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terror group and Syria’s Baath regime recently convened at the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus to strike a bargain regarding a possible Idlib attack.

The so-called co-chair of PKK Ilham Ahmad, Head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate Jamil Hassan and Bashar al-Assad’s Special Security Adviser Ali Mamlouk conducted a meeting to reach a deal based on delivering Afrin to PKK terrorists in return for them dispatching 6,000 troops to support the Syrian regime in an attack on Syria’s northwestern Idlib province.

Damascus is in preparation to attack Syria’s Idlib and has already started to harass southern Idlib, speeded up its military deployments, dispatching dozens of troops, tanks, armored vehicles, missile-launching platforms with the support of its Iran-backed Shia militia’ allies.

Idlib, located in northwestern Syria on the Turkish border, has faced intense attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime after a vicious civil war broke out in 2011. Since March 2015, Idlib is no longer under the control of the Assad regime and has been overrun by opposition groups.

Speaking to Yeni Şafak daily, Syrian Opposition Commander General Adib Shelaf stated that the negotiations are still ongoing and that the main aim of PKK terrorists is surrounding Afrin by backing an attack on Idlib.

On Jan. 20 Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army members liberated its city center, on the 58th day of the operation.

“Turkey, Russia and Iran have been conducting peace-oriented diplomatic activities for a year but Assad (Baath regime) wants to sabotage this process,” he added.

The regime has also started using its airborne propaganda leaflets in Idlib to threaten civilians.

“The regions within the scope of the Euphrates Shield operation took significant steps on education, agriculture and infrastructure with Turkey’s help. Damascus is worried about this progress. The regime has done nothing for Aleppo. This is why people are reacting to the Assad administration, and rightly so. The regime wants to hide its incompetence and conduct terror attacks by using terror organizations that are under its control such as the PKK and Daesh. They target the stability established in the region,” Shelaf said.

In its Operation Euphrates Shield which began in August 2016 and ended in March 2017, Turkey cleared the northern Syrian regions of Jarablus, Al-Rai, Al-Bab, and Azaz of YPG/PKK terrorists.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.

“Security and stability was established in the region thanks to Turkey. The regime wants to take Idlib and they often attempt to harass the region. People are worried, but the only source of our safety is Turkey’s 12 observations point set up in the region. We see these points as security and peace centers. Millions of Syrians have this trust,” Shelaf stated.

“We are ready to shield any attack against the Turkish stations. The Aleppo district cannot be separated from Turkey despite all the problems.”

“Turkey will emerge much more powerful from this period,” he concluded.

Under the Astana agreement, Turkish forces are present at 12 points from Idlib's north to south.

Turkey has stated that any attack on Idlib would result in the country withdrawing from the Astana talks and lead to a great disaster.

On the other hand, UN Special Envoy for Syria Jan Egeland on Thursday said that the UN will request Turkey to keep its borders open for civilians to flee if a battle breaks out in Syria’s opposition-held Idlib.