Ilham Ehmed, Executive Committee Chairperson of the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD), does not expect the trilateral memorandum signed by the two Nordic countries and Turkey to affect their relations with Sweden and Finland.

In the memorandum signed ahead of the NATO summit in Madrid, Sweden and Finland pledge not to provide support to the People's Defense Units (YPG) and the political party PYD. The MSD and the multi-ethnic military association SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) are not mentioned in the commitment. The YPG and the YPJ (Women’s Defense Units) are important components of the SDF and have contributed significantly to the crushing of the Islamist terrorist organisation ISIS at the cost of thousands of casualties.

"The fight against ISIS is a question of national security for all"

The Kurdish politician spoke to Hawar News (ANHA) and said: "We have good relations with Sweden and Finland. They have provided humanitarian assistance to us in the framework of the Global Coalition against the Islamic State. Our relations will continue, especially in the framework of the fight against terrorism. Thousands of ISIS supporters are currently detained in prisons under the control of the autonomous administration. Members of the Global Coalition should now take more responsibility than before. They should not shirk their responsibilities in the face of threats from the Turkish government. This is also a matter of national security for them."

"A limit must be set to Turkish expansionism"

The efforts of Turkish President Erdogan to have the PYD classified as a terrorist organisation at the international level have failed so far, Ilham Ehmed said and continued: “Turkey's threat of another war of aggression against the autonomous region of northern and eastern Syria, which is against international law, is not new and is based on the government's expansionist concept. The Turkish state wants to show strength in the run-up to the upcoming elections and therefore relies on war, occupation and massacres. It also draws its power from NATO, it relies on NATO politically and militarily. Those who suffer most are the civilian population. The threat will only end when a limit is set to the expansionist policy.”

“Measures are to be prolonged”

Commenting on the state of emergency recently declared by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Ilham Ehmed said: "The state of emergency was imposed against possible attacks for further invasions. These measures are not temporary and are to be prolonged because we are now facing a global war and need to take action in all areas."

RELATED NEWS: