Earlier this month, Syrian Interim Government President Ahmed Al-Sharaa (Al-Jolani) targeted the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, claiming these structures do not represent the Kurdish people.
SDF fighters rejected Ahmed al-Sharaa’s remarks and stated: “The SDF represents all of Syria. It represents not only the Kurdish people and North and East Syria, but all the components of Syria. Yet al-Sharaa and the forces under his command do not even represent the Sunni Arab community, let alone all of Syria.” The fighters stressed that the SDF will defend all Syrian territory.
Al-Jolani and his government cannot inspire trust in the Syrian people
Stêra Dêrik, noting that she lives within the democratic system built in North and East Syria where Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy has taken root, underlined that the SDF bring together diverse ethnic and religious groups. Stêra said: “The SDF is not made up only of the Kurdish people. It includes Arabs, Syriacs, Armenians, Alawites, Druze, and many other ethnic groups. Because the SDF takes Abdullah Öcalan’s Democratic Nation paradigm as its foundation and is its practical implementer.
In recent times, we do not accept nor take seriously the statements of a person whose past is tied to Nusra, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS, and we do not consider them representative of Syria’s ethnic fabric. A person whose history includes massacring the peoples of Syria cannot now take control in Damascus and claim to govern all of Syria.
The Syrian people have suffered for years under the Ba’ath regime. For this reason, they want a democratic, peaceful, and free future. Al-Jolani and his gangs cannot give this to the Syrian people. Because neither in philosophy nor in practice can Al-Jolani and his government rule Syrian society or inspire trust. All the peoples of Syria and the peoples of the world know this very well.”
Al-Jolani massacred the Alawites
Muhsin Hama, a young Alawite serving within the SDF, said: “As the SDF organized according to Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy, we are ready to defend Syria. The SDF is not composed only of the Kurdish people and does not represent only Kurds; it represents all the peoples and faiths living in Syria. For this reason, we do not take al-Sharaa’s statements seriously, because he does not represent all the peoples and beliefs of Syria.
We witnessed this very recently. The massacres he carried out against Alawites living in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama show that al-Sharaa’s mentality has not changed and that he cannot represent all of Syria. Therefore, the only force capable of governing and defending Syria is one that bases itself on Öcalan’s ‘Democratic Nation’ paradigm. That force is the SDF.”
The SDF is the composition of all the peoples of Syria
Guerrilla Tolhildan emphasized that the SDF consists of different nations and faiths and noted that all peoples in North and East Syria live democratically and freely. Tolhildan said: “In North and East Syria, Öcalan’s ‘Democratic Nation’ paradigm has come to life. Within this framework, all peoples and faiths live together democratically and freely. The SDF, which are based on this paradigm, defend Rojava. Together with Kurdish, Arab, Yazidi, Syriac, Druze, Alawite, Sunni, and Christian peoples and faiths, we defend our communities and beliefs on the same front, in the same trenches. We safeguard the values of our peoples and faiths.
Al-Sharaa and his mercenaries, however, do not represent or defend all of Syria; instead, they threaten the peoples by carrying out massacre attacks against Syrian peoples and faiths. The massacres against our Alawite community in Syria’s coastal region and the attacks against our Druze community in Suwayda show that al-Sharaa and his government cannot govern or represent the Syrian people.
As the SDF, we declare that we will always defend all the peoples and faiths of Syria and protect their values. That is why we say: the SDF is the composition of all the peoples and faiths of Syria.”
The SDF is the defender of the Democratic Nation paradigm
Hana Dêrik, a Syriac fighter, emphasized that the SDF are the true defenders and will of the peoples and faiths of Syria. Hana said: “As the SDF, we are always ready to defend our lands. The SDF made Abdullah Öcalan’s ‘Democratic Nation’ paradigm, a paradigm that will liberate all humanity and faiths, its foundation and bring it to life. We, too, were inspired to join by seeing how Öcalan’s paradigm came to life within the SDF, and we became its defenders. Through its practice, the SDF has shown that it is the only force capable of defending and protecting all of Syria. The SDF is the true defender and will of the peoples and faiths of Syria.”
We are positioned and capable to defend all Syrian peoples
Arab fighter Mazlum Qamishlo spoke about the threats directed at the SDF and Rojava, saying that the SDF is ready to defend all of Syria. Mazlum said: “We do not take the recent threats and rhetoric against the SDF and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria seriously, because Al-Jolani’s claim that ‘the SDF does not represent the Kurds’ is empty words. The SDF represents not only the Kurdish people but also Arabs, Syriacs, Alawites, Druze, Sunnis, Christians, Yazidis and Armenians. If it did not, these peoples and faiths would not join the SDF.
Our peoples joined the SDF after seeing how it has brought Abdullah Öcalan’s paradigm to life; they see in the SDF the future, liberation, democratization and defense of Syria. Our numbers are growing. For this reason, the statements from the Syrian Interim Government are misplaced and hollow; the Syrian peoples and faiths do not take them seriously. Al-Jolani cannot bring peace, democracy or freedom to Syria, nor can he end the 14-year civil war. His rhetoric and practice, rather than ending war or democratizing Syria, offer nothing to the Syrian peoples but massacres. All the peoples of Syria know this.
The massacres carried out by Al-Jolani and his mercenaries against our Alawite community in the country’s coastal region and the attacks on our Druze community in the south demonstrate that al-Sharaa and his government cannot govern or represent the Syrian people. Because we believe the SDF is the only force capable of defending Syria, we joined the SDF. Today our ranks are growing and we are becoming stronger. We are in a position to defend all Syrian territory, peoples and faiths.”
Syrian peoples aware of interim government’s schemes
Rêzan Dêrik accused the Syrian Interim Government of attempting to sow discord among the peoples living in Syria and said the country’s communities and faiths are fully aware of those manipulations. Rêzan said: “We have seen efforts to create confusion and mistrust among peoples, with particular attempts to pit Kurds and Arabs against one another. Those plans have failed. The peoples and faiths living in Syria understand what Al-Jolani and his backers intend, and they will never allow it. We have united around Öcalan’s ‘Democratic Nation’ paradigm, and within that framework Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Druze, Alawites, Armenians and other communities and faiths stand together under a single political outlook.
The proof of this unity is the SDF fighters and the martyrs. As Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Armenians, Druze and Alawites we live together under the SDF banner and organize ourselves on the basis of Öcalan’s paradigm, and we protect our peoples and beliefs. The battles in Deir ez-Zor (Dêrazor), Raqqa (Reqa) and Manbij (Minbic) demonstrate this reality. We fought and will continue to fight side by side, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder, against those who attack our values. From now on we will also block such schemes.
As SDF, we will always protect and defend the peoples and faiths of Syria, and we have the capacity to do so. We are ready to carry out whatever duties fall upon us.”