The PKK denies any presence in Syria, urging an end to foreign intervention and warning of Turkey's military activities near Mosul.
Dana Taib Menmy
Iraq
23 December, 2024
NEW ARAB
Speaking exclusively to The New Arab, Zagros Hiwa, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated. [Photo provided to TNA]
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) categorically denied allegations that Maher al-Assad, the brother of Syria's former dictator Bashar al-Assad and head of the Fourth Division, is hiding in Iraq's Qandil Mountains under PKK control. Speaking exclusively to The New Arab, Zagros Hiwa, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), dismissed the claims as "baseless and politically motivated".
"These claims are part of a psychological warfare operation against the Kurdistan Freedom Movement," Hiwa stated. "I categorically deny the reports regarding the presence of former Syrian government authorities in Medya Defence Regions." Medya Defence Regions is the PKK's term for areas under their control in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
The accusations, first reported by Saudi outlet Al-Hadath, allege that Maher al-Assad and former Syrian National Security Bureau chief Ali Mamlouk met with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers and Hezbollah operatives in Qandil. Both the PKK and Kurdish officials rejected the claims, labelling them as "fabricated".
Hiwa also outlined the logistical implausibility of the allegations. "Medya Defence Regions have no airports and are hundreds of kilometers away from Damascus. The borders between Syria and Iraq are heavily fortified by KDP and Iraqi forces, under constant surveillance by the anti-ISIS Coalition," he said. "Former Syrian Baathist officials could not simply walk or fly to Qandil unnoticed."
The PKK's ties with the Syrian regime were severed decades ago after the expulsion of Abdullah Ocalan, the group's founding leader, from Syria, due to pressures from Turkey. "Our political relations with the Syrian regime ended long ago," Hiwa emphasised. "Many of our cadres were arrested by the Syrian regime and handed over to Turkey, where they remain imprisoned."
The KCK, an umbrella organisation encompassing left-wing groups in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, adheres to Ocalan's ideology, which advocates for democratic autonomy and multicultural governance in the region.
Denials from Kurdish and Iraqi officials
The Iraqi government and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) also staunchly dismissed the claims. Brigadier General Muqdad Miri, spokesperson for Iraq's Interior Ministry, called the accusations "completely unfounded," urging media outlets to rely on credible sources.
Saadi Ahmed Pira, spokesperson for the PUK, echoed these sentiments. "The PUK abides by Iraq's laws and would never host figures like Maher al-Assad," Pira told TNA last week. "These claims are ridiculous and likely motivated by financial incentives to defame our party."
Hiwa alleged that Turkey, with KDP support, has expanded its influence in northern Iraq, annexing Kurdish land and establishing military outposts near Mosul. Hiwa warned of broader geopolitical consequences.
"If there is going to be a bleak scenario for Iraq, it hinges on the AKP-KDP-ISIS axis. Turkey has already deployed thousands of jihadist fighters and fortified its military presence in northern Iraq," he claimed, "I think they are waiting for the green light from those who lit it for HTS. The best way for Iraqi authorities to prevent this scenario is to abolish the capitulation agreement that was signed with Erdogan on 22 April this year."
TNA contacted a senior KDP official, but the official refused to comment on Hiwa’s allegations, describing them as "fabricated".
TNA also contacted Karim Abu Suda, head of the security and defence committee in the Iraqi parliament, but he was not immediately available for comment.
Ocalan and the peace process
The PKK, founded by Abdullah Ocalan in the late 1970s, has waged a decades-long conflict with Turkey, claiming over 40,000 lives. Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned since 1999, recently expressed willingness to end the conflict after meeting his nephew, Kurdish lawmaker Omar Ocalan, on 23 October 2024. This was his first visit in 43 months.
Hiwa called Abdullah Ocalan's prolonged solitary confinement a major obstacle to peace. "Leader APO has been held in isolation for 26 years. Any meaningful peace process must begin with ending his isolation. He is our chief negotiator and can lead the region from conflict to peace," Hiwa said.
Meanwhile, Turkey's recent actions in Syria have added a new layer of complexity. On Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Syria's de facto leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who was instrumental in toppling Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that all weapons would come under state control during a press conference with Fidan, who said that PKK and YPG fighters should be expelled from Syria.
Sharaa stated that, after consultations with defence and military officials on a new structure for the military, armed "factions will begin to announce their dissolution and enter" the army. "We will absolutely not allow there to be weapons in the country outside state control, whether from the revolutionary factions or the factions present in the SDF area," he added, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Turkey has long supported Syrian opposition forces and views Assad's ousting as an opportunity to reshape the region's geopolitical landscape. Ankara has vowed to facilitate the return of millions of Syrian refugees and bolster the Syrian National Army (SNA) to counter the Kurdish YPG militia, which spearheads the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Fighting continues in northeast Syria, where Turkey-backed forces clash with the Kurdish YPG. Ankara regards the YPG as a terrorist organisation and has conducted multiple cross-border offensives to weaken the group. Turkey's defence minister recently expressed confidence that Syria's new leadership would drive YPG fighters from the region.
Hiwa criticised Turkey's actions, accusing Ankara of exploiting peace rhetoric to mask aggressive policies. "Turkey uses peace rhetoric as a tool for psychological warfare while waging a war of political and cultural genocide against the Kurds," he said. "They bomb northern Iraq and Syria daily, killing civilians and targeting Kurdish areas with chemical weapons."
"We have no active presence in Syria now. We spearheaded the fight against DAESH and helped the Kurds and other peoples in Syria defeat this Turkey-backed terrorist group," he stressed, "With the new reality in Syria, we think that all foreign intervention must end and the territorial integrity and unity of Syria should be respected. We support a model in which all the peoples can live peacefully together based on democratic self-rule for all the religious and ethnic groups."
Hiwa stressed the importance of a democratic resolution to regional conflicts. "Syria's peoples have suffered from nationalism and sectarianism. We advocate for a democratic model where all ethnic and religious groups can coexist and rebuild the country together," he said.
Rejecting foreign intervention on Iran
On Iran, Hiwa called for systemic reforms, rejecting foreign intervention as a solution. "The only viable path forward is democratization, closing prisons, abolishing capital punishment, and releasing political prisoners," he added.
The allegations regarding Maher al-Assad's presence in Qandil remain unsubstantiated, with strong denials from the PKK, Iraqi officials, and the PUK. Turkey's expanding role in post-Assad Syria further complicates the geopolitical landscape, raising questions about its long-term intentions.
While Maher al-Assad's whereabouts remain unclear, the controversy underscores the intricate web of alliances and rivalries shaping the region. Transparency, dialogue, and democratic reforms are crucial to navigating these tensions and fostering stability.
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