SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The People’s Protection Units (YPG) on Thursday denied claims that its fighters had attacked Peshmerga forces on the border between the Kurdistan Region and Syria.
The YPG General Command said in a statement that there was no reason for its units to attack security forces in the Kurdistan Region.
Authorities in the Kurdistan Region accused the group of attacking a Peshmerga point near Sihela on the border between the Region and Syria.
It further said that what happened near Sihela on the border between Syria and the Kurdistan Region was the result of a lack of communication and coordination between the Region and the Autonomous Administration of North and East of Syria (AANES).
“Our forces did not carry out any unilateral attack on any of Peshmerga bases and positions in vicinity of Sihela,” the YPG said.
“There is no reason for our units who are responsible to protect Rojava borders to attack security forces of Kurdistan Regional Government,” the YPG stated, referring to Kurdish areas in northern Syria.
“We respect autonomy of Kurdistan Region of Iraq and call on the Kurdistan Regional Government to abandon their aggressive and provocative stance and rhetoric towards AANES,” it added.
The YPG general command also called for the issues to be resolved through dialogue between them.
On Wednesday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said a large group of YPG fighters had attacked a Peshmerga base in Sihela.
“Our brave Peshmerga forces responded swiftly, repelled the YPG fighters and foiled the attack,” the KRG prime minister said.
“I condemn this reckless, unprovoked attack by the YPG in the strongest terms. This was a clear and illegal violation of the territory of Kurdistan Region and the authority of the Kurdistan Regional Government,” Barzani added.
He called on the U.S.-led Coalition forces to ensure that the YPG “does not repeat this act of aggression.”
“The YPG cannot be allowed to exploit foreign assistance to launch attacks on our territory. Any repeat would be seriously damaging to regional security,” he said.
