Kurds in Syria

In: Obrana a strategie: Defence & strategy, Band 15, Heft 1, S. 31-46

Abstract

The paper focuses on Syrian Kurds, who compared to Kurds in Iraq and Turkey were out of the spotlight of academic community of researchers. Introduced are Syrian Kurds and their relationship to various regimes that ruled Syria. Complicated relation of Kurds in Syria towards consequences of the Arab Spring is also explained. Relations to the Arab Spring are affected by the historical experience. Kurdish traditional political parties were careful to join the Syrian opposition, but young activists and the diaspora (also diaspora in the Czech Republic) was less hesitant to join the opposition movement. Fight with the so called Islamic State has united Kurds in Syria, (and the same happened in Iraq as well) however some differences among them remain.