KRG President Barzani: PKK at dead end, PYD crueler than Baath regime

Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Masood Barzani said that the PKK is at a dead end since they target civilians and that the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian extension of the PKK, has inflicted more cruelty than the Baath regime. Turkish daily Türkiye reported on Sunday that KRG President Barzani met with several deputies of Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the KRG capital and Irbil and during the meeting Barzani criticized the PKK and PYD. Reportedly, Barzani said: "The PKK came to a dead end after it turned the cities into battlefields and started to target civilians. And the PYD has been inflicting more cruelty than the Baath regime."

Stressing that they have been struggling against the Iraqi regime for decades to gain their rights, Barzani said that despite fighting against the regime, they never targeted infrastructure or civilians. "My father never let civilians be hurt during the 50-year-long fight against the regime. We never destroyed any schools, roads or energy plants," he said.

Commenting on PYD cruelty, the Kurdish leader said that the PYD is crueler than the Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. "The tribal leaders fleeing from PYD violence came to us for shelter. We have always been aware that waiting for peace for 10 years is more valuable than fighting for a day. Assad took the advantage provided by the PYD, but didn't pledge anything to guarantee the status of the Kurdish people," Barzani added.

Reiterating his remarks that the PKK corresponds to the PYD, Barzani said that PKK and PYD are exactly the same. "Any support to the PYD means support for the PKK [because] they are exactly the same," said Barzani, emphasizing that the PYD does not appear to be sincere about democracy due to its actions on the ground.

Commenting on the fate of the Rojava Kurds in northern Syria, Barzani said: "None of the parties – the Syrian government or opponents – recognize the rights of the Kurdish people. … Assad benefited from the PYD, but he doesn't have any commitment that guarantees the rights and status of the Kurds." He added that none of the parties recognize the rights of the Kurdish people.