The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released a statement marking the first anniversary of the fall of the Ba’ath regime, calling it “a fall of a mentality based on monopolizing power and ignoring the will of the people.”
The SDF statement on Monday said, “The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces extends its warmest congratulations to our people across Syria, and especially to our people in North and East Syria, on the first anniversary of the fall of the Ba’ath regime; a regime that dragged the country into catastrophe, entrenched authoritarianism, and practiced the harshest forms of violence against Syrians for long decades.”
The statement noted that “the regions of North and East Syria were the first to break the grip of the regime’s security and military apparatus since the March 12, 2004 uprising, and expelled its security forces in 2012, when the people rose up, expelled its repressive institutions, and established a democratic civil administration and a unique model for community organization and service provision.”
The statement pointed out that “the popular protection forces that were formed and later became the Syrian Democratic Forces, which sacrificed thousands of martyrs in battles of liberation and defense, have become the most effective and professional force in confronting terrorism.”
The statement affirmed that “what has been achieved was not the result of a moment, but the product of legitimacy rooted in the people’s resistance and steadfastness, and the sacrifices of their sons and daughters who defeated the ISIS project and liberated vast areas of Syria on behalf of the entire world. This legitimacy, created through blood and through protecting the people, is what gives our forces today their status, role, and responsibility in maintaining security and stability.”
The statement explained that the expulsion of the Ba’ath regime from the regions of North and East Syria in the early years of the revolution constituted a strategic blow that broke its influence, deprived its security apparatus of key resources, and weakened its ability to continue its crimes. “Today, its fall is not merely a political event, but a fall of a mentality based on monopolizing power and ignoring the will of the people. Reproducing this mentality in any form would mean returning Syria to the same tragedy for which the people paid a heavy price.”
The SDF added: “The Syrian people paid dearly for decades of Ba’ath Party dominance, which turned the state into a machine of repression and committed documented crimes against Syrians, especially against the people of North and East Syria, who faced exclusion, starvation, forced displacement, demographic change, and deprivation of basic rights. That dark era must be closed forever.”
The SDF warned that “while Syrians are busy building a new future, the language of incitement and hatred is still being used by some actors in power and their affiliates, who are trying to recycle the same divisive discourse. Those who still think with the logic of the moment, without any serious reading of Syria’s future or current realities, insist on following the same methods that destroyed the country and led its people into catastrophe. This tense and arrogant discourse is no longer acceptable, nor can it form the basis of a new nation. It is merely a continuation of the mentality of the old regime, which has fallen and will not return.”
The statement stressed that “the fall of the regime is a historic opportunity for all Syrians to rebuild their homeland on new foundations. The next stage requires launching a genuine and inclusive national dialogue free of exclusion and unilateralism, and establishing a new social contract that ensures rights, freedoms, equality, and decisively prevents the return of tyranny and authoritarianism.”
Regarding the issue of displaced civilians, the statement said: “With the collapse of the regime, hundreds of thousands of displaced people from Afrin, Gire Spi, and Serekaniye remain deprived of their right to return to their homes.” SDF stressed that this issue will remain a national priority, and that no political solution can be just or complete without guaranteeing their safe and dignified return.
The statement concluded by affirming that “the Syrian Democratic Forces will remain, during this sensitive stage, the primary force defending our people, and will confront any aggression or threat to the security and stability of North and East Syria. Our fighters carried the banner of freedom with their lives and made the greatest sacrifices defending human dignity. We draw from their legacy and journey our responsibility to protect the land and the people and safeguard the achievements of years of resistance. The future of Syria begins today by surpassing the mentality of the old regime with all its tools and methods, and building a new Syria founded on freedom, justice, and partnership, a state worthy of the sacrifices of the martyrs and the steadfastness of millions.”