Syrian regime hired YPG militants to protect oil fields: leaked documents

(Translation by Yusra Ahmed)

6 documents obtained by Zaman al-Wasl and fellow newspaper, Eqtsad, from the archive of the Syrian Oil Company, have revealed that the Syrian regime admitted through official documents its recognition of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) as a key partner in protecting oil fields northeast Syria.

Most documents go back to 2013, but some show that since the end of 2012.

According to one of the documents issued by the Director General of the Syrian Oil Company, dated on 27-January-2013, referred the issue to the Syrian regime’s cabinet in regard to the prior approval for consensual contracting YPG to protect some of oil wells to the Northeast of the country.

The interesting points of these official documents issued from official institutions in the Syrian regime, were the explicit use of the name " Kurdish People's Protection Units Kurdish", and the term "Kurdish-majority areas," in reference to the Kurdish areas in Syria. 

To the contrary, the open attitude of the Syrian regime toward the Syrian revolution describes it and other supporting countries as a plot to divide Syria. However, the regime itself, acknowledged the existence of separatist ethnic militias, and formally cooperated with them and used their names in official correspondence.

The leaked documents also revealed that Kurdish organizations worked to return the Kurds’ rights in Syria had cooperated with al-Assad regime for more than two years, despite al-Assad’s responsibility for depriving Syrian Kurds of most basic rights, even since Assad’s father era.