The appeal to the Syrian authorities came from Sipan Hamo, commander of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). “It is necessary to take measures to protect the borders and territory of Syria,” the military leader emphasized. “We are ready for joint action to prevent Turkey from implementing its plan.”

The address to Damascus and Hamo’s analysis of the developments in the northwestern part of Syria were voiced at a news conference held for foreign news agencies in a town controlled by the “West coalition.” The reason for such high concern was the artillery attack and air strike launched by Turkey against the arms depots and footholds of YPG in Syria and Iraq, and Ankara’s escalating warmongering rhetoric, with threats of organizing a Turkish military operation to defeat Kurdish troops in northwestern Syria.

“Turkey intends to occupy the Syrian territory between Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) and Ras al-Ayn, and is in talks on establishing control over the city of Manbij and its surroundings,” Hamo explained. “On behalf of myself and the authorities of the east of the country, I am addressing the Syrian government: we are Syrians, and this is our Syrian land. The state must defend its territory and sovereignty by all means available to it. Our disagreements with the authorities are internal, related to democracy and politics, not the territory or borders. The government should take a decisive stance to stop Turkey’s actions. Unfortunately, the government is ambiguous on this issue. If the Syrian authorities are ready to confront Ankara, we will be able to have a dialog on cooperation in protecting the state border and taking joint actions against Turkey.”

YPG does not currently have any official contacts with the Syrian government, the commander said, admitting that last talks with Damascus had taken place a year ago. Then, in early December 2017, the Syrian party, citing military intelligence data, notified Kurds about a military operation that was being prepared by Turkey in order to seize the Afrin district in the northwestern part of the country. Kurds were offered to submit control over the district to government troops in order to preserve stability and prevent Turkish intervention.

Leaders of the People’s Protection Units flatly refused the proposal. The Russian military police stationed in Afrin (about 300 servicemen) were re-deployed to another area of Syria…

Speaking about YPG’s relations with Russia and the headquarters of the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria based in Khmeimim, Hamo admitted that “contacts were interrupted after the developments in Afrin.” “Moscow agreed with Ankara’s actions in the area and is quite satisfied with its anti-American sentiments,” he said. “At present, Russia’s main adversary in Syria is the United States.”

It is difficult not to agree with some of the points made by the Kurdish leader. But some additional facts are needed to explain the background of the current situation.

It should be noted that the first armed confrontations with government law-enforcement agencies began in February 2011 in Afrin, the area traditionally populated by Kurds, resulting in deaths of 20 Syrian policemen and military men. Immediately afterwards, a big number of civilians left for the neighboring Turkey. Investigation established that Kurds and Turkey supporters were implicated in the massacre. And only later, in March, a wave of discontent rose in Daraa in the south of Syria.

In 2012-2013, Russia actively organized unofficial talks with the leaders of Syrian Kurds with assistance of the Syrian military, trying to get their forces to go over to the government’s side and protect their traditional territory from the Islamic State (an international terrorist organization prohibited in Russia) and, naturally, Turkish aggression. Moscow guaranteed Syrian Kurds broad supply of arms and military equipment, but only under the supervision of the Syrian government army.

Kurds turned down the offer and at the time were already in talks with representatives of the US special services and the Pentagon. They ignored all arguments made by Russia about the unreliability of their chosen ally and the disastrous nature of this policy. Recently, James Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria and former US ambassador to Turkey, officially announced in Ankara, “Turkey remains our main reliable ally in the region,” while Syrian Democratic Forces was a US partner in a “transactional relationship” for the purpose of fighting terrorism.

This cynical American statement came as a sobering cold shower for the hotheads in the Kurdish camp. Sipan Hamo responded by saying that “the position of Washington, Moscow and Damascus is a plot against Syrian Kurds…”

The US Department of State and the Pentagon have warned Turkish leaders that “any attempts of Ankara to oust the US from Manbij or the eastern Euphrates area will threaten the friendly disposition of Washington.” However, Kurdish leaders understand only too clearly that Turkey remains America’s strongest NATO ally and Washington will do everything it takes to keep Turkey in the organization. It would even agree to swap Syrian Kurds for Turkey. And that is exactly what Moscow warned them about.

As to Russia’s stance, it is simple and clear: friends are chosen based on their actions. Betray me once, as they say…

The ideological foundation of Syrian political parties and public organizations is far from homogenous. The incommensurate military and financial aid provided by the US to Kurdish People’s Defense Forces that are outlawed in Turkey and some other countries spurred the determination of many Syrian Kurdish leaders to demand (or fight for) full independence from the central government, up to establishing their independent state. With support of American and Western advisors, the Syrian Kurdistan developed an action plan that envisages establishment of own legislative and executive bodies, independent from Damascus.

By the way, the latest official talks between Kurdish leaders and the Syrian government officials on the matter took place in Damascus in summer 2018, under the auspices of Russian diplomats. The meeting ended in a quarrel, and only the Russian military helped the Kurds to avoid arrest and come back to the north of Syria safe by military aircraft.

Russia will do everything it can to ensure independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria. This is the only foundation that will make a political settlement in the country possible. All forces and countries advocating the opposite are Moscow’s opponents. Any attempts at separatism contradict the interests of both Syria and Russia.