Kurdish fighters have agreed to join forces in a standoff with hundreds of Islamist rebels in northeastern Syria, an activist opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said on Friday, according to the Voice of Russia.
This decision was taken after a series of clashes between Kurds and Islamists of the opposition Syrian Free Army (SSA) in the Kurdish city of Ras Al Ain which is on the border with Turkey.
The agreement sets the stage for an expanded conflict in the area between Islamist rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian Kurdish forces.
The two councils are the main Kurdish organizations active in Syria.
On July 11, the Kurdish National Council, which comprises several Syrian Kurdish parties, met in Iraq with the People’s Council of Western Kurdistan, which is close to the PYD.
At the meeting they decided to form the Supreme Kurdish Council.
Kurds make up about 10% of Syria’s population. For years they accused Damascus of discriminatory policies and the suppression of their national movement. However, they have not participated in the confrontation with the regime of Bashar al-Assad.