VOA Kurdish: Syria's interim constitution raises fears of sectarian division
Despite widespread protests, Syria's newly signed interim constitution is raising deeper concerns about the country's future. Experts warn that its provisions could form the basis of Syria's permanent constitution in five years. And many fear the constitution will lead to sectarian rule and threaten Syria's stability.
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The Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Sun
Kurdish PKK fighters to destroy weapons in ‘goodwill' act: commanders
SULAIMANIYAH: Fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party will soon destroy their weapons as a 'goodwill gesture' to signal their commitment to disarming after decades of conflict with Turkey, two commanders said. The planned disarmament marks a turning point in the militant group's transition from armed insurgency to political negotiation, as part of a broader effort to end one of the region's longest-running conflicts. The group declared an end to its armed campaign in May -- a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since 1984 and long strained Turkey's relations with its Kurdish population and regional neighbours. 'As a gesture of goodwill, a number of PKK fighters, who had taken part in fighting Turkish forces in recent years, will destroy or burn their weapons in a ceremony in the coming days,' the commander said, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media. The move was confirmed by another commander who also spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. The Kurdistan Workers' Party -- widely known by its Kurdish initials PKK -- has led a decades-long armed campaign for Kurdish rights in Turkey and is considered a terrorist organisation by Ankara and its Western allies. Representatives of political parties, local observers and the media will attend the ceremony, which will take place in the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. The commander said the PKK had yet to decide on the exact number of fighters -- men and women -- who would disarm, the location and the timing of the event. In recent months, the PKK has taken several historic steps, starting with a ceasefire and culminating in its formal dissolution announced on May 12. The shift followed an appeal by its founder Abdullah Ocalan, delivered in a letter from Imrali prison, on an island south of Istanbul, where he has been held in solitary confinement since 1999. The first commander said a new statement from Ocalan was expected soon. A delegation from the pro-Kurdish Turkish DEM party, which has played a key role in facilitating contacts between Ocalan and Ankara, is expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week before visiting Ocalan in prison. Most of the PKK's fighters have spent the past decade in the mountains of northern Iraq, where Turkey also maintains military bases and has carried out frequent operations against Kurdish fighters. Until now, there has been little detail about how the dissolution mechanism would work but Ankara has said it would carefully monitor the process to ensure full implementation.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Turkey says PKK disarmament could start 'within days', says AK Party spokesman
FILE PHOTO: Turkey's European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Turkish Embassy in London, Britain, September, 14, 2017. REUTERS/Will Russell/File Photo Turkey says PKK disarmament could start 'within days', says AK Party spokesman ANKARA - The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could start handing over its weapons "within days", a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that efforts to secure the outlawed group's disarmament may be nearing a breakthrough. Asked by reporters whether there was a timeline for the PKK militants to lay down their arms, spokesman Omer Celik said: "I don't want to give a definite timeline at this stage. (...) Now we've reached a stage where it could happen in a matter of days." Celik added that the coming days would be "extremely important for a Turkey free of terrorism". The PKK, which has been locked in a bloody conflict with the Turkish state for more than four decades, decided in May to disband and end its armed struggle. Since the PKK launched its insurgency in 1984 - originally with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state - the conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, imposed a huge economic burden and fuelled social tensions in Turkey. The PKK's decision to disarm could boost NATO member Turkey's political and economic stability and encourage moves to ease tensions in neighbouring Iraq and Syria, where Kurdish forces are allied with U.S. forces. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Rudaw Net
2 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Blaze scorches hundreds of dunams in Sulaimani province
Also in Kurdistan Erbil emergency water project enters testing phase Explosive drone crashes in Duhok camp housing Yazidis President Barzani, former Iraqi deputy PM discuss Baghdad-Erbil ties, regional developments Kurdish parties hold key meeting in Kirkuk as pre-election political jockeying intensifies A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Wildfires sweeping through Sulaimani province have scorched hundreds of dunams of land, destroyed centuries-old trees, and caused widespread environmental damage, as officials and residents warn that limited resources and difficult terrain are hampering firefighting efforts. 'Many trees and shrubs have caught fire and been destroyed at a time when we are already facing water shortages and a lack of pasture. These fires are often caused by visitors who fail to extinguish their campfires, or by individuals who throw cigarette butts from their cars,' Behzad Abdullah, a local villager, told Rudaw on Monday, expressing concern over a fire that broke out in the area. A destructive wildfire swept through the mountainous Mawat district on Monday, burning vast stretches of land, including forests, vegetation, and grass. The fire affected areas along the vicinity of five villages, causing widespread environmental damage. Yousif Mohammed, a member of the forest police, described the worsening situation, emphasizing that extinguishing fires has become increasingly difficult due to a lack of infrastructure. He told Rudaw that they 'don't have helicopters,' stressing that they 'don't have enough staff as well.' 'If I try to reach the top of the mountain, I'll be out of breath. There's no way for us to get there, and the car can't reach it either,' he lamented. A dunam is 1,000 square meters. Volunteers and firefighting teams from Mawat and Chuarta districts responded to a wildfire in the Keli area, but efforts were hindered by strong winds, hazardous terrain, and the presence of landmines and explosives. The wildfire destroyed centuries-old trees and caused severe environmental damage, with hundreds of mountain bird and animal species perishing in the blaze, according to locals. Earlier in June, A huge fire engulfed Sulaimani province's Mount Qaradagh. Dozens of dunams of land containing straw, vegetation, and trees were burned - habitats for dozens of birds and wild animals.
