View source for Rojava–Kurdistan Region relations

{{Infobox bilateral relations|Rojava–Kurdistan Region|Rojava|Kurdistan Region|map=Iraqi_Kurdistan_Rojava_locator.png}}
[[File:Syrian, Iraqi, and Lebanese insurgencies.svg|thumb|{{Colorbox|#D2CD7E}} '''[[Kurdistan Region]]''' {{Colorbox|#E2D974}} '''[[Rojava]]''']]

'''Rojava–Kurdistan Region relations''' refers to the relationship between the [[Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria]] (commonly called Rojava), and the [[Kurdistan Regional Government|Government]] of Iraq's [[Kurdistan Region]]. While they share much culturally, they also have many political differences. There has been military cooperation with [[Kurdistan Region]] and the [[United States]] in the conflict against [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL), although neither gives official support for Rojava or its [[People's Protection Units]] (YPG). The [[Kurdistan Regional Government]] enforced a unilateral economic blockade against Rojava which has damaged and limited the [[Rojava#Economy|region's economy]]. The "[[Sultanism|Sultanistic]] system" of Iraqi Kurdistan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://carnegie-mec.org/2015/08/17/kurdistan-s-politicized-society-confronts-sultanistic-system/ieta|title=Kurdistan's Politicized Society Confronts a Sultanistic System|publisher=Carnegie Middle East Center|date=2015-08-18|accessdate=2016-06-08}}</ref> stands in stark contrast to the [[democratic confederalist]] system of the Rojava.

The dominant political party in Rojava, the [[Democratic Union Party (Syria)|Democratic Union Party]] (PYD), is a member of the [[Kurdistan Communities Union]] (KCK) organisation. Although KCK member organisations in the neighbouring states with autochthonous Kurdish minorities are either outlawed (as in [[Iran]] and Turkey) or politically marginal with respect to other Kurdish parties (as in [[Iraq]]), the PYD-governed NES region has acquired the role of a model for the KCK political agenda and blueprint in general.

There is much sympathy for Rojava, in particular among [[Kurds in Turkey]]. During the [[Siege of Kobanî]], a large number of ethnic Kurdish citizens of Turkey crossed the border and volunteered in the defence of the town. Upon their return to [[Turkey]], some of these took up arms in the renewed [[Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present)|Kurdish–Turkish conflict]], where skills acquired by them during combat in Kobanî brought a new quality of urban warfare to the conflict in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/09/turkey-kurds-pkk-daglica-war-be-sustained-bloody-day.html|title=6 reasons why Turkey's war against the PKK won't last|publisher=Al-Monitor|date=2015-09-08|accessdate=2016-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://warontherocks.com/2016/03/kurdish-militants-and-turkeys-new-urban-insurgency/|title=Kurdish Militants and Turkey's New Urban Insurgency|publisher=War On The Rocks|date=2016-03-23|accessdate=2016-05-20}}</ref>

Like the KCK umbrella in general, and even more so, the PYD is critical of any form of nationalism,<ref name=musliminterview>{{cite web|url=http://aranews.net/2016/08/syrian-kurdish-leader-will-respect-outcome-independence-referendum/|title=Syrian Kurdish leader: We will respect outcome of independence referendum|publisher=ARA News|date=2016-08-03|accessdate=2016-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019142847/http://aranews.net/2016/08/syrian-kurdish-leader-will-respect-outcome-independence-referendum/|archive-date=2017-10-19|url-status=dead}}</ref> including [[Kurdish nationalism]], putting them at odds with the Kurdish nationalist visions of the KDP-sponsored [[Kurdish National Council]] in Rojava.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aranews.net/2016/08/kurdish-national-council-announces-plan-setting-syrian-kurdistan-region/|title=Kurdish National Council announces plan for setting up 'Syrian Kurdistan Region'|publisher=ARA News|date=2016-08-04|accessdate=2016-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206050619/http://aranews.net/2016/08/kurdish-national-council-announces-plan-setting-syrian-kurdistan-region/|archive-date=2017-12-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Foreign relations of Rojava]]
*[[Foreign relations of Kurdistan Region]]
*[[Rojava conflict]]
*[[Syrian civil war]]
*[[Iraq–Syria relations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Foreign relations of Kurdistan Region}}
{{Portal bar|Asia|Politics|Kurdistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurdistan Region-Rojava relations}}
[[Category:Foreign relations of Kurdistan Region|Rojava]]
[[Category:Iraq–Syria relations]]
[[Category:Kurdish nationalism]]
[[Category:Politics of Syria]]
[[Category:Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Politics of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria]]