U.K. authorities began mediation efforts between the PKK's Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), and opposition Kurds in Syria, local sources said Thursday, aiming to establish alliances for the terrorist organization. According to information obtained from the National Council of Syrian Kurds (ENKS), a group that represents Kurds in the National Coalition for the Syrian opposition and the Revolutionary Forces (SMDK), the U.K.'s attempt at reconciling the YPG and ENKS emerged as the previous efforts by France ended in failure. Earlier in July, France met representatives of the council, offering to help them resolve their differences with the YPG terrorists.
During the meeting in the northeastern Qamishli province of Syria, the ENKS had ruled out a French proposal that they open offices in YPG-occupied areas in northern Syria, unable to trust the terror group. At the behest of the U.S., a British delegation went to Qamishli to discuss the same issue on Wednesday morning. The council's position would depend on the applicability of the U.K. committee's proposals, the source underlined. The ENKS is a coalition of 10 Syrian Kurdish parties and known to oppose the YPG after the group became more dominant in northern Syria.
The ENKS is also a part of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), a representative body of the Syrian opposition in Geneva talks since 2015. The ENKS has been critical of the YPG's oppression of rival political voices and actions, like burning down its offices, arresting or kidnapping its members. It has also claimed that the YPG is working with the Bashar Assad regime. The YPG has been kidnapping Kurdish politicians and important figures, who criticized them for a number of reasons. In addition, they collect ransom from local businesses.