Syria Kurds set-up oil refineries for first time on record

31 July 2015 RPS Partnership

This an important development in the war in Syria. We have reports which were obtained yesterday on 30 July 2015 that indicate that Syria's Kurdish minority is operating an oil-refinery in the northern city of Hasakeh.

The Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) battled the Islamic State (IS) for control of the oil fields in northern Syria, specifically Rmelian - Syria's largest oil field in terms of surface area. Aided by the American-led coalition against IS, the Kurds were able to take control of Hasakeh, which is believed to be the de-facto capital of the Kurdish region in Syria.Have a look at the map to see the location in the north east of Syria.

The development is significant in that it indicates Syrian Kurds' may be able to control, sustain and develop areas autonomously.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has produced and refined oil for years, resulting in virtual political autonomy from the central Iraqi government. However, it remains to be seen whether Turkey's new airstrike campaign against Kurds will impact the YPG's ability to maintain control of Hasakeh and other territories in northern Syria.

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Map: with thanks to mapsontheweb.zoom-maps.com