The Clashes in Northern Syria and the Possible Effects

Syrian Kurds took control of the Kurdish-populated regions on Turkey-Syria border on July 19, 2012. It occurred without any clash after Assad’s regime decided to withdraw from the region. Kurds achieved to stay away from the clash to a great extent for more than a year during this process, and aimed at protecting their regions and securing their positions. The process was led by PYD, which is the most organized and armed wing of Syrian Kurds.

Another development that has taken place across Syria for a year now is the fact that radical Islamists have grown stronger in Syria’s armed opposition. Declaring their loyalty to Al-Qaeda under the name of Al-Nusra Front, those groups took advantage of the authority gap in the north of country; and they seized control of the areas near Kurdish settlements and also some settlements where Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen people live together. Clashes erupted between YPG and al-Nusra Front in Ras al-Ayn (Serekani) and spread to a considerable part of the Turkey.

This report was prepared due to the significance of the situation. It aims to help understand, foresee the process and establish right policies in an environment where the clashes and disputes still continue. The report deals with the process leading to the outset of period of clashes; the point arrived in the Syrian civil war and its impacts on Kurds; the power struggle among the Kurdish parties; and the in influences of clashes on the peace process in Turkey.