The opposition National Alliance dubbed as "hostile" forces Kurdish groups that control large swathes of the country's north after they proclaimed a provisional self-rule. This step harms the opposition and serves the regime, Ahmed Ramadan, member of the alliance's executive office. Kurdish armed groups, dominated by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) decided to declare provisional self-rule in areas under their control. They held the Afrin region of northwestern Syria and big chunks of the northeast for more than a year. Source: MENA