Some Kurds in the northeast announced the formation of a transitional autonomous administration on Tuesday after making key territorial gains against terrorists in recent weeks.

The Kurdish announcement was made after talks in the mostly Kurdish town of Qamishli days earlier and involves the division of Syria’s Kurdish region into three areas, each with its own local assembly, as well as representatives to a regional executive body.

The administration has been tasked with preparing local and general elections, along with handling an array of political, military, security and economic issues.

But the fact that the newly formed authority lacks the backing of several key parties has raised questions over whether it will be long lasting.

Currently, the transitional authority is formed by the powerful Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and several other smaller groupings, but not the Kurdish National Council (KNC).

“I think the [PYD] is moving in the wrong direction by individually announcing the local administration,” said Nuri Brimo, a member of the KNC.

The latest announcement comes amid a general strengthening of Kurdish rights in neighboring Turkey, and increasing moves toward independence by Iraq’s own autonomous Kurdish region.

NTJ/BA