The Kurds Have their Way

In a bit of little noticed but extremely important news, a border crossing between Iraq and Syria that had been under the control of the jihadist segment of the Syrian rebels was taken by Kurdish fighters in the last few days.  The Al-Yaarubia crossing was a major entry point into Syria for both supplies and fighters for the rebels fighting the Assad regime.  The Kurds are not part of the Assad coalition, but they are much closer to Assad than to the al Qaeda linked elements of the rebels who they ousted.

In Iraq, Turkey and Syria, there are substantial Kurdish populations that have been seeking autonomy, with some trying to create a Kurdish state from pieces of those three countries.  For the last five years at least, there has been an autonomous Kurdish area in Iraq.  At the same time the Turkish government has been doing all that it can to stamp out the Kurdish movement in Turkey.  With the disarray in Syria due to the civil war, the Kurds in that country have been fighting against all others for their own separate fiefdom.

The loss of the border crossing is a serious blow to the rebels and a gain for the Assad forces.  It makes more likely an ultimate victory by Assad.  Of course, if Assad wins, he will surely turn on the Kurds and end their hopes for a separate country or even an autonomous area.  In the meantime, the Kurdish national hopes are causing repercussions across the region.