Kurdish parties disagreed on Monday over the return of Syrian refugees to Kurdish-administered areas east of the Euphrates River.
While the Syrian Union and the political wing of the People’s Protection Units (YPG). called the Kurdish Movement for a Democratic Society, have both welcomed the return of Syrian refugees to Kurdish self-administered areas as a result of the safe zone deal reached between Washington and Ankara this month, the Kurdish National Council warned that the move could produce a demographic change in the area, similar to what happened in the Kurdish city of Afrin.
Leader of the Kurdish Movement for a Democratic Society Aldar Khalil told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday: “We have no problem if Syrian refugees in Turkey return to the self-administered areas as they constitute the base of the Syrian people and have the right to live here.”
Khalil explained that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using those refugees to interfere in the Syrian internal affairs and to enlarge the geographic area controlled by his forces in Syria.
This month, American and Turkish officials had agreed to establish military arrangements 70 to 80 kilometers long and 5 to 14 kilometers deep between the cities of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad.
Their plan also stipulates the establishment of a joint operations center in the area, which will be patrolled jointly by Turkish and US troops.
Ankara and Washington also agreed on the withdrawal of the YPG and the removal of their heavy arms 20 kilometers away from the border, where Turkish reconnaissance aircraft are allowed to monitor the area.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Biro, an official from the Kurdish National Council, an opposition group in Syria, warned on Monday from allowing Syrian refugees to reside in the safe zone area, which is expected to be established soon.
“The war has not ended and therefore, the return of Syrian refugees remains difficult,” Biro said, adding that the National Council fears that Turkey resettles more than 3 million Syrian refugees in the area.
