In Syria, massacres continue on one side, while negotiations unfold on the other. Despite efforts to rebrand and legitimize it, the mindset of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continues to reveal its true face.
HTS has failed to establish an inclusive government. Instead of resolving conflicts through dialogue and democratic methods, it unleashes decapitating mercenaries upon the people. Wherever these forces go, smoke rises and hundreds of bodies are left behind. While people are already enduring massive devastation, they now face the added threat of HTS’s massacres, destruction, death, and forced displacement.
The meeting in Damascus, led by Tom Barrack, ended without any results. In his statements following the meeting, Barrack blamed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration. Rather than bringing the parties closer, building trust, or facilitating steps forward, his remarks served to obstruct the process entirely. As new efforts began to break through this deadlock, the Suwayda (Siweida) incidents erupted.
The attacks and massacres in Suwayda were widely interpreted as a plan to crush the Druze population, drawing criticism even from within the United States. Israel took a clear stance and intervened militarily. The events sparked concern and alarm in Europe and in the United States Congress.
Efforts to domesticate and legitimize HTS have not gone as planned. This led some actors to reluctantly acknowledge that the Autonomous Administration stands as the most reasonable force and model for Syria. Nevertheless, Turkey continued to invest all of its political capital in HTS. It did not even condemn the massacres committed against the Druze and Alevi populations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recognized that the tide was turning against HTS.
At the same time, it was announced that talks would take place in Paris between the SDF, the Autonomous Administration, and the Damascus government. In response, the Turkish government took action, issuing threats against the administration in northeastern Syria and pressuring Damascus not to attend the Paris meeting under those conditions. As a result, the talks scheduled for 25 July were postponed.
Following this postponement, the United States facilitated direct discussions between Syria and Israel. In parallel, a meeting between France, the United States, and Syria was also arranged. It is clear that none of this happened independently of Turkey. By securing guarantees from the United States and France, they sought to bring Syria back to the negotiation table.
Statements such as “HTS will once again become the central government, and the unity and sovereignty of the state will be recognized” were presented to the public as outcomes of this trilateral meeting. These declarations reflect not only the goals of HTS but also those of Turkey. While pushing these demands forward, Turkey intensified its threats against the Kurds and the Autonomous Administration in an effort to strengthen HTS’s position.
Turkey’s primary goal remains the disarmament of the Kurds and the Autonomous Administration. But such a move would leave the population defenseless. While massacres continue across Syria and no one’s safety can be guaranteed, disarming the Kurds would mean abandoning them to slaughter. Turkey insists, “My security comes first.” Yet there is no real threat of massacre looming over Turkey. It possesses a powerful military and has already implemented strict security measures along its borders. Moreover, the Kurds are not a force lying in wait to attack Turkey. On the contrary, the Kurds have consistently been the target of attacks. Turkey invaded Kurdish regions and forced people to flee their homes.
On 10 March, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the SDF, the Autonomous Administration, and the Damascus government. In this agreement, it was acknowledged that the SDF and the region would be integrated into the state structure. This confirms that the Kurds, Arabs, and other peoples of the region are not pursuing a separate state. What they are demanding is a decentralized, democratic Syria.
They say, “For over ten years, we have governed ourselves and built our own institutions; we do not want to lose those gains.” Nor are they demanding a separate army. What they want is for the existing military structure to be integrated into the Syrian army, as a part of it, not dismantled, but allowed to continue functioning where it is, as a guarantee of protection for the people.
Why is the people’s desire to protect themselves so strongly rejected? The population does not trust the groups affiliated with HTS, nor the remnants of al-Qaeda and ISIS. These forces have committed massacres before the eyes of the world. Moreover, the people have known them not just recently, but since the early years of the civil war, they have witnessed their crimes firsthand.
The United States and other members of the international coalition are not unaware of what is happening in Syria. They, too, have been present on the ground and know very well who is who and what has been done. If they act with fairness, they will not abandon the people to the hands of such forces.
However, relations and negotiations between states are based on interests, not on principles of justice and human rights. Turkey, using its membership in the NATO, continues to bargain with the United States and other powers against the Kurds. It seeks to exclude the Kurds from all political processes and to prevent them from gaining any form of status.
Turkey’s number one priority in Syria is to leave the Kurds without political status and to dismantle the SDF. However, the Kurds and the Autonomous Administration aspire to live in peace and coexistence within a democratic Syria. They are not demanding freedom only for themselves or their regions, they are demanding freedom for all of Syria, and especially for women.