Two Kurdish groups in northern Syria, whose previous talks for unity in 2012 failed, restarted negotiations a few months ago under U.S.-brokered talks. The two sides last week announced the success of the first round of the talks.

The Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS) and the movement affiliated with the ruling Democratic Union party or PYD have expressed satisfaction with the negotiations in the first round. William Robak, the U.S. envoy to areas under the control of Syrian Kurds and the U.S. embassy site in Syria, also announced a relative agreement has been made between the Kurdish parties in Syria and expressed U.S. satisfaction with the deal.

On the U.S.'s goals in mediating between Syrian Kurds, Nicolas Heras, a researcher at the War Studies Centre, told VOA that the United States seeks to unite Syrian Kurds because it wants stability in northeast Syria to continue fighting against the IS.

He added in this regard that the United States' main objective in uniting Kurds is to diversify political elements in northern Syria to allow Turkey-backed Kurdish party to participate in the region's governance and provide its security.

Uniting Syria's Kurds is a local measure that has geopolitical effects on the US policies in Syria and the coalition’s efforts to counter IS, the expert stressed.

But Suleiman Osso, a leader of the Syrian Kurdish National Council, said the success of the latest agreement between the two Kurdish parties in northern Syria depends on the level of U.S. support and Washington's political investment in the Syrian Kurdish region.

Mazloum Kobani, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Kurdish-Arab forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), noted the goal of the agreement between the two Kurdish factions is to protect the achievements of the Syrian Kurds against Turkey’s attempt to eliminate the achievement. The recent agreement among Syrian Kurds will prevent Kurds from being exploited by external elements as well as being divided, he told VOA.

Nicholas Heras believes the participation of the pro-Turkey ENKS in the North-East Syrian self-ruling system could ease Turkish concerns about the PYD’s dominance in northern Syria.

Still, Turkey's recent massive attacks on Kurdistan Region under the pretext of the presence of PKK forces in the region and their coinciding with Syrian Kurdish negotiations have raised concern among Kurdish movements which have linked the bombings to Syrian Kurdish negotiations as well as protests by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) rallies in Turkey. The Kurds believe any attempt by the Kurds will prompt a radical Turkish response. Turkey has also bombed a northern Kurdish village in Syria, killing several people in the air-raid on the Syrian Kurdistan.

Reporter’s code: 50101