Why Is Turkey So Opposed To The Syrian Kurdish PYD & YPG?
Syria Deeply has published a piece by Aaron Stein and Michelle Foley explaining why Turkey is so vehemently opposed to the Syrian Kurdish PYD and its military wing the YPG -- which is fighting against the IS group in northern Syria -- attending the Syria peace talks.
The piece explains that the PYD has shared overarching political goals with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK -- a U.S. and Turkish-designated terror group.
In mid-July 2012, the Syrian government withdrew its forces from a large amount of territory along the Turkish border. This move allowed the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Kurdish nationalist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) -- a U.S.- and Turkish-designated terrorist group -- to take administrative and military control over the self-declared cantons of Efrin, Kobani and Jazira, collectively named Rojava. The link between the PYD and PKK challenges Turkey’s interests in Syria and, by its own estimate, its national security.
'No One Expected It To Be Easy': Kremlin On Determining 'Moderate Opposition'
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented this morning on the ongoing difficulties over finalizing an agreed list of terrorist groups and moderate opposition in Syria.
Peskov was responding to questions from journalists about the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition, which has reiterated a list of demands to the UN ahead of the talks, including that bombardment of civilian areas be stopped.
"The stopping of some active operations, but not regarding terrorist groups, this has long been an issue. But for this we need to finally determine with all the lists who are the terror groups and who are the moderate opposition," Peskov said.
Peskov said that the process of finalizing the list was not easy.
"No one expected that this would be easy or fast," he added.
Suspected Russian Raids Kill 44 In IS-Controlled Syria
At least 44 civilians have been killed in suspected Russian air strikes in parts of northern Syria controlled by the IS group, the Britain-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said.
SOHR said raids on Jan. 27 killed 29 people in IS-controlled villages in Deir al-Zor province and Deir al-Zor city.
Some 15 people were killed in raids in the IS stronghold of Al-Bab in Aleppo province.
Suspected Russian Raids Kill 44 In IS-Controlled Syria
At least 44 civilians have been killed in suspected Russian air strikes in parts of northern Syria controlled by the IS group, the Britain-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said.
SOHR said raids on Jan. 27 killed 29 people in IS-controlled villages in Deir al-Zor province and Deir al-Zor city.
Some 15 people were killed in raids in the IS stronghold of Al-Bab in Aleppo province.
Saudi-Backed Syrian Opposition Waits For UN Reply Ahead Of Talks
The Saudi-based Syrian opposition grouping, the High Negotiations Committee, is still waiting for clarifications from the UN this morning as it met again in Riyadh one day before UN-brokered peace talks are set to start in Geneva.
The HNC insists that it must be the only opposition delegation at the talks and has asked for more information after the UN issued invitation to other opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.
Turkey's Daily Sabah has tweeted this quote from Syrian opposition leader George Sabra saying that the Syrian Kurdish PYD and its military wing the YPG should not be involved in the Syria peace talks, set to start tomorrow in Geneva.
The YPG is involved in fighting against the IS group in northern Syria.
Turkey Says Kurdish PYD Has No Future In Syria
Turkey's top national security council, the MGK, has said that the Syrian Kurdish PYD and its military wing the YPG have no future in Syria, Hurriyet reports.
“It has been stated that neither the current regime nor any terror organization, especially [IS] and the PYD-YPG [the PYD’s military wing, the People’s Defense Units], should participate in constructing Syria’s future,” the MGK said in a written statement released late on Jan. 27, following the meeting.
The YPG is fighting the IS group in northern Syria.
U.S. Considers Military Intervention In Libya As IS Expands
The United States is considering options for military intervention in Libya, where the IS group is expanding its reach and attacking oil installations and a unity government is struggling to get off the ground.
"We're looking at military options, a range of other options as… the situation in Libya unfolds," said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook late Jan. 28, Deutsche Welle reports.
Cook added that the "metastasis" of "IS" from outside of its strongholds in Iraq and Syria had led the U.S. Defense Department to examine ways to contain the spread of the militant group.
Mass Grave Found In Iraq's Ramadi
Iraqi authorities say they have found a mass grave in the city of Ramadi that contains at least 40 bodies, including women and children, Reuters reports.
The people whose bodies were left in the shallow grave are believed to have been killed by IS militants when they overran the city in May.
Anbar Governor Sohaib al-Rawi tweeted about the discovery of the mass grave, saying that the authorities believe the victims were the last to fight IS before the city fell.
In this tweet, al-Rawi has included a photo showing the bodies found in the mass grave being guarded by police.
We are now closing the live blog for today. Join us again tomorrow morning for all the latest news on Islamic State.