Kurdish Parties in Syria Sign ‘Dohuk’ Deal to Fight ISIL

Kurdish political parties in northern Syria signed Wednesday the “Dohuk agreement” to defend Rojava, a Kurdish-majority area in northeast Syria, against the militants of the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) terrorist group.

After 10 days of negotiations, the agreement was announced between the Kurdish National Assembly in Syria, or the ENKS, and the Western Kurdistan Democratic Social Movement or Democratic Society Movement, or the TEV-DEM. Both sides also held a meeting with the Kurdish regional government’s leader, Massoud Barzani.

“A system based on a democratic partnership will be implemented. The two sides will defend Rojava and will accept it as a duty. To defend the people, all possibilities will be mobilized and everyone will do their part,” Alldar Khalil, representative of the Democratic Society Movement, said at a press conference in Dohuk.

The Democratic Society Movement is a political coalition governing the democratically autonomous areas of northern Syria linked with the Democratic Union Party, or the PYD, the dominant party in the Rojava region.

The Kurdish National Assembly in Syria is considered close to Barzani.
Dohuk is the capital of Dohuk Governorate in Iraq.

PKK is listed by Turkey, as well as by the U.S., a terrorist organization.
Kobani has been the scene of fierce battles between Kurdish groups and ISIL since mid-September.