© AFP 2017/ DELIL SOULEIMAN
"We believe that Washington's Greater Middle East project is aimed at creating Kurdistan among other things. There is a possibility of the US establishing a Kurdish state in Syria and Iraq. This depends on the one who came up with this initiative, Washington. We think that if this project truly exists, it must take into account the rights of all Kurds. Otherwise, establishing a Kurdish state would not be possible," he said.
Washington has provided extensive support to the Kurdish forces fighting Daesh in both Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon has relied on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and has named the SDF as the main force tasked with liberating Raqqa, the capital of Daesh's self-proclaimed caliphate. The SDF is composed primarily of the People's Protection Units (YPG), Syria's principle Kurdish military faction. The YPG are affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), one of the leading Kurdish political forces in Syria.
Washington's reliance on the SDF prompted some to say that the US leadership has pledged to back the Kurds in their effort to achieve greater autonomy in Syria. Kurdish politicians told Sputnik that these claims are groundless.
Salih Muslim, co-chairman of the PYD, said that he was not aware of any talks involving the Syrian Kurds and Washington with regard to creating an independent Kurdish state.
"We have not heard anything on the issue. No one has promised us anything in return for conducting the operation in Raqqa. This information is not grounded in reality. It is a figment of the imagination of those who spread these speculations. This is a lie," he asserted.
Chairman of the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party in Syria Mustafa Hanifi shared these sentiments.
"There is not official information on this issue. For our part, we have not heard anything about such a deal. The operation in Raqqa is currently a priority for the United States. The fighting near the Tabqa Dam is ongoing. The United States and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) have carried out a joint operation against Daesh. I am not aware of any other agreements between the two," he said. "We have not heard anything about America's plans to establish a Kurdish state in Syria."
Ewwas Eli, a senior member of the PYD responsible for foreign relations of the party's branch in Kobani, dismissed these speculations as not being grounded in reality.
"We have created a federation in northern Syria, but it makes no mention of Kurdistan. It is called the Democratic Federal System of Northern Syria," he said.
Rezan Hiddo, Chairman of the Syrian Democratic Council (DSM), maintained that the operation aimed at liberating Raqqa is not linked to the political future of the Kurds.
"We are determined to take part in the operation aimed at liberating Raqqa to free locals, our Arab brothers, from Daesh. Our goal is to liberate all those suffering from terrorists in Syria. We will conduct an operation in Deir ez-Zor if we receive a corresponding request. In other words we are ready to fight anywhere where Daesh is present," he said.
Hiddo underscored that the Kurds want to achieve greater autonomy through negotiations since Syria is "our motherland."
"We want to discuss the issue of creating a federation with the Assyrians, Arabs, Circassians and other ethnic groups living in Syria. We believe that this system is the only way to resolve the Syrian crisis," he asserted.
Nasir Hec Mansur, a commander with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), shared these sentiments, saying that a federation will help to bring the six-year-long war to an end. He also said that there were no talks on Kurdish independence with Washington.
"We have not discussed this issue with the US leadership. Let those who claim otherwise ask the Americans. For our part, we have not conducted such negotiations. I am convinced that those who claim otherwise have no reliable information on the matter," he said.
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