...and the PKK's Collapse in Syria
Hello everybody!
With Ukraine's power network being so throughoutly destroyed by the Russians that the majority of the population has electricity for perhaps 4-6 hours a day (if as much) - and troops on leave are complaining they've got more electricity and warmth in their field fortifications than in cities further west - these days, it's very hard for me to get reliable info out of the country.
Thus, I'll remain focused on Syria, and here’s another brief update.
'General' Mazloum's meeting with Sharaa in Damascus was cancelled. That said, his demands like for 'five days' of consultations (supposedly because his own commanders were refusing to follow his orders), and different other ideas - have all been turned down by Sharaa.
Additional negotiations might become problematic considering even the 'Head of the Autonomous Administration's delegation' negotiating with Sharaa in Damascus - Abdul Hamid al-Mahbash - defected from the 'SDF' (a.k.a. the PKK).
To help keep you up to the speed, here a map of the military situation as of 18 January:
Obviously, this map is meanwhile obsolete, though…
As of the last night, the PKK's control over north-eastern Syria continued crumbling - usually at such pace that the Syrian Army had a problem to keep up the pace. The Army has reached the outskirts of Hasakah in the late afternoon, though, and thus linked-up with local Arab tribes that are in uprising against the PKK.
The PKK then not only issued a call for ‘young Kurds’ in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Europe to ‘unite’ and ‘join the resistance’, but pulled its primary blackmail: it declared that it's out of control of the ash-Shaddadi prison (some 1,500 inmates), and began blaming US troops based abour 2km outside of it for a failure to secure it. Then began releasing Daesh-idiots. Initial reports were indicating 'all the prisoners': meanwhile, it seems that about 120-200 came away before the Syrian Army reached the place. The same is now - amid ongoing clashes with the PKK - combing the area. Sources differ, but 81-90-150 escapees have been caught/re-detained as of this morning.
Mind: the PKK was, and remains at the standpoint that all the women and children it held incarcerated in such facilities were 'ISIS-members', too...
'Particularly troublesome' for the PKK: 'even' the Kurds of Ayn al-Arab/Kobani and Qamishli have turned against it. There's fighting going on in both towns. Must be, they are ‘anti-Kurdish-Kurds’?
(Is similar to Zionism and Jews critical of it, or the MAGA and US-Americans critical of King Dumb Dumb: they are all 'mentally deranged', 'self-hating' and simply 'anti-Semites', 'silly', 'dumb' and whatever else...)
The PKK seems to have attempted something similar in the case of the al-Aqtan prison, outside Raqqa, but that didn't work because the locals and the army were quicker: the PKK-administration of this facility then ‘entered negotiations’ with the Army.
The Sanadid Forces (Shammar Tribe's militia that fought for the SDF) has defected. Is a co-reason why the PKK has issued a sternous threat it’s going to destroy any Arab tribe that turned against it - in most lovely, peaceful-, Syrian-, and democratic fashion imaginable, of course.
As result, the PKK has lost control over all of eastern Hasakah yesterday - which, actually, means that the map attached below is obsolete by now, too (even more so because it’s lacking insights from the area south and east of Qamishli).
…while, the latest news is that as of this morning, the Syrian Army has actually entered Hasakah.
As always, a very interesting and illuminating read. I wanted to comment on your previous post, but I’ll take this opportunity now. That being said, I’m left with many questions.
I must say, I come from a leftist background, and over the years I’ve known many people who went to Rojava and fought there. Kurds were always framed as operating under leftist organizations and principles, gaining sympathy in Western leftist circles.
That being said, it always “hit me,” your stance on them in your commentary. I’ve read your blog and your books for many years now, so I know you “know better” on the subject, but… Yes, they may be designated as terrorists by most Western countries, but so was Al-Shara not long ago.
And I must say, the direction in which Al-Shara’s Syria is going seems clear: a state similar to Saudi Arabia or Egypt — a dictatorship, but aligned with the West, one that doesn’t antagonize Israel and therefore can have access to Western markets, technology, and weapons.
That being said, I have the impression that after so many years of war and suffering, the Syrian people just want peace and to rebuild. Al-Shara seems to be the “best horse” to reunify Syria, reintegrate it into the global economy, and bring some improvement to people’s lives. This is the political capital on which he is working.
It is indeed a very complex matter, filled with propaganda. I would love to hear your thoughts — if not here, then in your next commentary.
Very much appreciate the detail on this Tom. Such detail is, of course, missing from Legacy Media 🤷🏼♂️.