As international reactions continue against the attacks by ISIS and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) mercenaries backed by the Turkish state on Northern and Eastern Syria, French writer and philosopher Patrice Franceschi, the author of To Die for Kobanê, who has closely followed developments on the ground in the Middle East and the Rojava Revolution since the first day, spoke to ANF about the latest developments.
A grave betrayal by the United States
Franceschi said that the main factor behind the Turkish state-backed occupation attacks, which began on 6 January in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo and then targeted the entire autonomous region, was the result of a grave betrayal by the United States against the Kurds. He described the agreement that was reached as a heavy but war-preventing option.
Franceschi said the United States had effectively given approval to the Turkish state and the Syrian transitional government for the attacks, noting that Washington had once again reverted to an approach it has displayed repeatedly in Afghanistan and in different parts of the world, this time at the expense of the Kurds. He said that rather than protecting its partners on the ground or building a long-term, coherent political and military strategy with them, the United States prioritized short-term interests and chose to leave the Kurds, like many other peoples and actors, on their own. He added that this approach has created deep distrust in the region and opened the door to new conflicts.
Al-Qaeda was chosen
Franceschi said that Al-Qaeda, in other words, jihadist forces, were chosen over the Kurds, adding that Turkey took advantage of this environment and, with the consent of the United States, moved to implement a project aimed at destroying the autonomous region through these jihadist groups.
Franceschi said: “Who is governing Syria today? This structure is Al-Qaeda and that this mindset is still being preserved. A jihadist does not undergo a change of mindset by wearing a tie. It is claimed that Ahmed al-Sharaa (al-Jolani) is being kept under control, but this is not the case. The recent attacks against civilians and the massacres clearly demonstrate this. We are already facing a structure that has slipped out of control. Once again, we are confronted with an entity that repeatedly fails to honor the agreements reached with the Kurds. Frankly, instead of the Kurds and Rojava, which are of vital importance for democracy in the region, this jihadist structure has been preferred.”
France’s stance is unacceptable
Franceschi said that the stance of European Union (EU) countries, France in particular, may not be described as an outright betrayal but is nevertheless riddled with serious errors and, in practice, amounts to abandoning the Kurds. He strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for hosting the leader of HTS, al-Jolani, in Paris, saying this was unacceptable and carried grave political and moral responsibility.
Franceschi said, “Accepting such a jihadist structure in Paris and attempting to legitimize this mindset is unacceptable. The images of President Macron embracing al-Jolani have not been forgotten. We know that France is now playing a diplomatic role in response to the attacks on Rojava. But it is far too late.”
A threat to Europe as well
Franceschi said the attacks on Rojava pose a threat not only to the Kurds but also to Europe’s security, warning that abandoning the Kurds, who fought against ISIS and defeated it militarily, would have consequences for Europe as well. He pointed to the presence of ISIS members in prisons across the region and said: “It was envisaged that the security of prisons holding ISIS members would be handed over to the Syrian transitional government. The images that emerged in Raqqa and other areas have clearly shown that this policy was a mistake. We do not know how many jihadists have been released. The presence of these jihadists in these facilities continues to pose a threat to Europe as well.”
A future cannot be built with an Al-Qaeda mindset
Franceschi also assessed the agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian transitional government, saying it should be seen as an option developed to avert a devastating war.
Franceschi said the international community was late in protecting Rojava in the face of the United States’ betrayal, and issued the following call: “Despite everything, there must be a struggle to protect this structure. A new Syria can never be built with an Al-Qaeda mindset. This would pose a danger to everyone, above all to all the peoples living in the country.”