“Naturally in light of the Turkish attack on our areas and the Russian collusion with them, and the Russian support for them, Sochi no longer has any meaning in order to participate in it,” Khalil told Reuters.
Khalil is co-president of the executive body of the Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM), the governing coalition in Rojava, the Kurdish-dominated self-autonomous enclave in northern Syria.
Another group, the Kurdish National Alliance in Syria, a coalition of five parties in Rojava, announced on Monday that they will not be participating in the Sochi congress because of Russia’s actions with respect to Turkey’s Afrin campaign.
The purpose of the Sochi congress was to “contribute to finding a political solution for Syria and putting an end to a 7 year long conflict, but we were surprised with the Russian retreat, giving the chance for the Turks to instigate a new flame of war,” the Alliance stated in a published statement.
“We do not see the point in holding such congress or participating in it,” they concluded.
Turkey launched “Operation Olive Branch” on Saturday, the stated aim of which is to clear “terrorists” from Afrin and return the region to Syrians.
Moscow withdrew its troops and military police from Afrin after Turkey launched the attack, a move Rojava officials said was giving a green light to Turkey’s military to enter Syrian territories.
Afrin is currently under the control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the main party within TEV-DEM, and the armed YPG, which Ankara consider terrorist organizations with ties to the PKK. The region in Syria’s northwestern corner has been largely untouched by the country's conflict and is sheltering many people displaced from other areas of the country.
The PYD has been excluded from previous Syrian peace efforts in Geneva and Astana at the insistence of Ankara. Russia, however, invited them to the Sochi congress, scheduled for January 29 – 30, Khalil had stated, though he told Reuters they have not received a formal invitation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed on Monday that Kurds had been invited, though he did not specify which group.
“Kurdish representatives have been included on the list of Syrians invited to participate in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress,” he said.
Syrian Kurds should have an “ensured” role in the “future political process,” Lavrov stated.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry official claimed that the PYD was not on the list of some 1,600 participants, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Khalil had expressed to Reuters earlier this month doubt over how much success the Sochi congress could see.
