The Kurdish people and all communities of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), now face renewed and dangerous attacks on their existence, democratic achievements, and vision of a peaceful and pluralistic Middle East. Since the start of the Rojava Revolution in 2012, a unique model of self-administration based on grassroots democracy, women’s liberation, ethnic and religious coexistence, social justice, and ecological responsibility has been established which stands as a living and powerful alternative to authoritarianism, sectarianism, and religious extremism which is operating in the region.
This unique democratic project is under threat. The multi-ethnic and democratic self-administration of DAANES is under attack by the former Al-Qaeda successor organisation Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, presenting himself as the head of the so-called Syrian transitional government. The integration and political promotion of HTS within this transitional framework represents a danger and betrayal of the people of Syria and a dangerous whitewashing of an organisation responsible for repression, violence, killings and Islamist authoritarianism.
These attacks are being tacitly tolerated, and in some cases indirectly promoted, by international actors who prioritise geostrategic interests, regional power balances, and economic profit over human rights, democracy, and lasting peace. Under the guise of diplomatic pragmatism and “stability,” an authoritarian and inhumane Islamist force is being legitimised, while one of the most progressive democratic experiments in the region is being undermined, attacked, and sought to be eradicated.
Let us condemn the silence and inaction of the International Coalition against the so-called Islamic State, which consists of more than 70 countries from every continent, and is led by the United States. Since 2014, this coalition has been active in Iraq and Syria. It relied heavily on the People’s Defense Units (YPG) and Women’s Defense Units (YPJ) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to defeat IS militarily. Thousands of Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian, Armenian, and international fighters sacrificed their lives to stop the advance of IS and to protect not only the peoples of the region, but also global security.
Despite this shared history and responsibility, the coalition is now remaining silent while DAANES comes under attack, and the silence is not neutral. It emboldens aggressors, undermines hard-won stability, and sends a crushing message to those who fought and sacrificed in the fight against ISIS terror: with the message that their lives and contributions are disposable when geopolitical priorities change. A result of this is that the transitional government has declared war on Rojava and DAANES in which Turkey plays a mentoring and enabling role. While publicly staging talk of peace and reconciliation, particularly in Turkey, the Turkish state continues to pursue a strategy of war against the Kurdish people and their political achievements through direct military intervention, proxy forces, political pressure, or diplomatic manipulation. Peace is spoken of in words, while war is waged in practice. The international community’s continued silence in the face of this hypocrisy is tantamount to active complicity.
Although the Islamic State was defeated militarily, not least as a result of the YPG/YPJ’s armed resistance and strength, it has not disappeared. It continues to exist as an underground network, exploiting instability and chaos to reorganise and recruit. The ongoing attacks on DAANES directly strengthen ISIS dynamics. Prisons and camps holding thousands of captured IS fighters and supporters are being targeted. Any mass escape dramatically increases the danger in the region and beyond.
It is deeply alarming that an organisation with roots in Al-Qaeda is now being presented as a legitimate governing actor, while the Kurdish-led, multi-ethnic administration which is founded on democratic principles is declared an outlaw. This inversion of reality reveals the extent to which international politics has abandoned its own stated principles. Those who uphold democracy, gender equality, and pluralism are isolated, while those who represent repression, killings and exclusion are rewarded with recognition and power.
The people of North and East Syria have shown, under the worst circumstances imaginable, that another Syria, and Middle East is possible. Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmen, Yazidis, Christians, Muslims, and others have lived and governed together through councils and assemblies rooted in popular grassroot participation. Women have taken leading roles in political, social, and military life. One might say that the model is still not perfect, but it is real, evolving, and born from the lived experiences and aspirations of the people themselves.
Let us together call on the international community, civil society, trade unions, feminist movements, human rights organisations, and democratic forces worldwide to break the silence and immediately end the attacks on the DAANES and to recognize it as a legitimate political actor.
Solidarity with Rojava is not only solidarity with the Kurds. It is solidarity with all people struggling for democracy, dignity, and self-determination against authoritarianism and religious extremism. The defense of Rojava is the defense of hope in a region that historically has known too much war, betrayal, and silence.
Let us all stand united next to Rojava and North and East Syria and at the same time commemorate the people who fell while defending their people and land. We do not accept a future where those who fought terror are abandoned, while their enemies are empowered in the name of global political convenience.