PKK-affiliate PYD may open mission in Russia

The PKK-affiliated Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) plans to open a mission in Moscow, Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Leaders of the PYD will hold consultations with the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Wednesday, Kommersant said, including talks about further steps toward the opening of a Russian office. The purpose of the mission is to strengthen cooperation with Moscow in fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the newspaper said.

Turkey suspects Russia, which launched airstrikes in Syria three weeks ago, has been lending support to the PYD and its armed wing, the People's Protection Unit (YPG). Ankara has warned Moscow it would not tolerate YPG gains close to its frontiers in northwestern Syria.

Kommersant quoted a Turkish diplomatic source as saying the opening of a mission by the PYD would provoke a harsh reaction from Ankara, with which Moscow already has strained relations over Syria.

The PYD, which is accused of human rights violations by international right groups and observers, is reportedly preparing the YPG for a comprehensive offensive to take control of non-Kurdish regions of northern Syria.

The YPG, which previously got hold of the Arab and Turkmen populated city of Tal Abyad and some towns in Hasakah and the Raqqa governorate after driving out ISIS, has razed towns and villages, according to a recent Amnesty International report, which amounts to war crimes.

According to sources, the PYD, which Turkey considers a terrorist group because of its affiliation with the PKK, is organizing its YPG for a large operation to take the towns of Jarabulus and Azaz to complete its efforts to make the northern regions of the country controlled solely by the PYD. Some believe the offensive will deepen the chaos in the war-torn country and lead to greater numbers of refugees fleeing to Turkey, which has already taken in over 2.2 million Syrians.