Recent news:Last thread lasted two months, so keep in mind these events are separated by weeks.
Stalemate near Tishreen dam between the SDF and the SNA.
Insurgency developments & germination in the coast.
Israel announces it's not withdrawing from the newly-acquired Syrian territories.
Al-Julani forms a new government, formally dissolves the former SAA and declares himself president. New Ministry of Defense and army so far is barely cohesive and resembles one of those countless joint operations rooms we've seen before.
HTS attacks Lebanese areas under the justification of "combating smuggling". Withdraws quickly.
Clashes in the Druze Damascus suburb of Jaramana that were quickly defused. Suwayda (majority Druze region south of Damascus) is still de-facto autonomous and controlled by armed Druze factions.
Massive uprising by the insurgents in the coastal regions that was quelled in around 4 days. Hundreds of military casualties on both sides. Insurgents go back to guerilla mode after.
Massacres of Alawites in the coastal regions during said uprising. At least 1000 civvies dead. HTS and Julani blame undisciplined SNA units and say they're gonna punish the perpetrators.
HTS and SDF sign memorandum for integration.
Links:t.me/Medmannews - Well known channel (Egyptian owner). Posts frequently about MENA
t.me/Slavyangrad - Also posting a lot of news about Syria recently
t.me/Middle_East_Spectator - Iranian owner
t.me/Suriyak_maps - Posts maps/latest news. Less prone to hype/hysteria but slower.
t.me/rybar - Russian channel. Posts a lot about Syria too
https://nitter.poast.org/SAMSyria0 - Local Syrian army soldier. Used to post in Arabic. (Account deleted. RIP)
https://nitter.poast.org/WarMonitorshttps://nitter.poast.org/bosni94https://nitter.poast.org/Sy_intelligencehttps://nitter.poast.org/sayed_ridhahttps://syria.liveuamap.com/ >>2184924>they're literally folding in to HTSGod you are such a disingenuous faggot.
Why do you even do this? What do you think it serves?
Does it act as a salve to your hurt pride of thinking Homs will hold?
YPJ Commander on Qereqozax front: As long as the war continues, we will resist and liberate our land
The Turkish state and affiliated SNA (Syrian National Army) mercenaries continue their attacks on the Tishrin Dam and Qereqozax Bridge. YPJ-YPG and SDF fighters are putting up relentless resistance against the attacks that have been going on for months.
One of the fighters on the Qereqozax resistance front is YPJ Commander Şîlan Şoreş. Speaking to ANF, Şîlan Şoreş celebrated International Women's Day, and stated the following about the historic resistance at Qereqozax:
“As the whole world knows, the war has been going on for a long time. In particular, the attacks on the Qereqozax Bridge have been going on for months. We are in a battle position right now. The enemy is carrying out all kinds of attacks to capture the bridge, but as YPJ fighters, we do not give up our revolutionary stance against the enemy. Whatever the cost, we will not allow the enemy to seize the bridge and occupy our land. Until now, we have remained standing thanks to the determination of our people and fighters.
One of the reasons why we are able to put up such resistance against all the heavy weapons of the Turkish state is the moral strength we receive from our people. Against the technical superiority of the enemy, we fight on the basis of the philosophy and ideology of the Leader. Especially in recent times, we have seen the spirit of the revolutionary people's war. It is our people who enable us to fight and resist with such strength and morale. The war is still going on. Our greatest strength is our people. It is our people who have kept us standing until now. As long as the war continues, we will resist and liberate our land.”
FDPFDFDPDFDPD
>>2185013>The government at Damascus is literally worthless without the access to the Mediterranean and the hydrocarbon and agriculture wealth.and the burgerkommissariat glowjava just happened to be established on top of all the wheat and oil syria had
hmmmmmmmmmmm……..
>>2185382Depends what happens, i guess.
Importantly i think much of the Sunni population is to reactionary for the revolution, so even in a united syria i do not think the AANES view of society could ever work for a few generations at least.
Salih Muslim: Agreement between SDF and Damascus consistent with Abdullah Öcalan’s letter> PYD politician Salih Muslim said the agreement signed by SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and Syrian Interim President Al-Sharaa is consistent with Abdullah Öcalan’s letter.On Monday, the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazlum Abdi, and the Syrian Interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, signed an eight-article agreement. Salih Muslim, spokesperson for the PYD's foreign relations, spoke to ANF about the agreement and Abdullah Öcalan’s letter on Rojava and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, explaining the specific provisions.
On Monday, an agreement was signed between Mazlum Abdi, General Commander of the SDF, and Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. What is your first comment on this agreement?
This agreement was reached a few days ago at a joint meeting of the Autonomous Administration and the SDF. It was decided that committees would be formed and that the agreement would contain seven to eight articles. These committees will be established, and the details will be discussed within them.
We will go through each article, but how do you interpret the general framework? Can we say that the revolution in Rojava has been consolidated with this agreement? Has Rojava gained status, at least regionally?
Yes, we can say that it has been consolidated. After so much struggle and resistance, we are now partners in everything - this much is clear. We are partners in everything related to this state: its administration, constitution, daily life, economy, everything.
Let’s start with the first article: "Ensuring the right of all Syrians to representation and participation in the political process and all state institutions based on competence and responsibility, regardless of their religious or ethnic background." This project aims at the coexistence of all societal groups and has been implemented in Rojava. Will this project be implemented throughout Syria, or was it only discussed for Rojava?
It will not only be implemented for the Autonomous Administration. It is valid for all of Syria. The details are still being discussed, but the scope is nationwide.
The second article is important: "The Kurdish community is an indigenous component of the Syrian state, and the Syrian state guarantees their citizenship and all constitutional rights." In Syria, Kurds had no identity; they were not even considered citizens. How should this article be interpreted?
The Baathist regime’s policy of stripping people of their identity is over. There were also some old laws that will be corrected. In other words, Kurds will receive equal citizenship rights.
Another article calls for a nationwide ceasefire. However, attacks on Rojava continue. The Turkish state and affiliated groups are carrying out attacks. Will there be a unified stance against these attacks?
These conflicts and the actions of these groups will be deemed illegal. We will collectively resist these attacks. No one can claim that these groups are part of the state because they are illegal armed groups. If they continue their attacks, we will fight together.
Another article states: "The integration of all civil and military institutions in Northern and Eastern Syria into the administration of the Syrian state, including border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields." What can you say about this article?
We will jointly manage border crossings like Nisêbîn and Til Koçer. We will decide together on the distribution and administration of the revenues from these areas. This will be regulated by laws and agreements, and the details will be outlined in those agreements.
Another article ensures that “all displaced Syrians can return to their towns and villages under the protection of the Syrian state”. Afrin, Girê Spî, and Serêkaniyê immediately come to mind. What is the plan for these regions? What does this agreement mean in this context?
Everyone will be allowed to return to their homes. Many houses were seized and settled by outsiders. These people will return to their original homes. In a sense, this means liberating these areas from Turkish occupation.
What does the article stating "Supporting the Syrian state’s fight against the remnants of the Assad regime and any threats to its security and unity" means?
We will stand together. The remnants of the Baath regime will have no place. That means they will not be able to use our areas to fight against the new regime.
The seventh article rejects all calls for the division of Syrian society, hate speech, and attempts to sow discord. In this sense, the Turkish state, through HTS, has promoted monism. Can we say that this pressure has been neutralized with this agreement?
Syrian citizens will be regarded as equals, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. For example, no one will be able to say that they do not recognize the Yazidi community or force them to convert to Islam. With a broad democratic administration, everyone can live as they wish. In this sense, it is a great achievement, a significant gain for Alawites, Druze, Yazidis, and Christians.
Will the executive committees work to ensure this agreement is implemented by the end of the year? Does this also refer to drafting the constitution, or only practical actions will be taken? Will the constitution be prepared in the long term?
A committee will be formed for each of the eight articles. There will be a committee for armed forces, which will discuss how the forces will integrate. An agreement will be reached, and then there will be discussion on how governance will be. These committees will reach an agreement within a year. This could also include a constitution or an interim constitution. A referendum will then be held on this interim constitution.
What does this agreement mean on an international level? International support for the current transitional government is well known. We see that Western powers play an important role in shaping the new Syria.
International powers acted as mediators. Both our administration and the Syrian government had mediators. This means that these mediators have approved the agreement, and all parties will contribute to it. We are now officially a partner in this state.
Does this mean that international powers were involved in drafting this text, or are they supporting one side of the agreement?
In everything, we are partners in the affairs of this state, both domestically and internationally.
Another topic widely discussed in this context was Rêber Apo’s [Abdullah Öcalan’s] letter to Rojava. His statements, whether he spoke about disarmament or not, have been widely debated. Particularly in AKP-affiliated media, it was claimed that there was a call for SDF and YPG/YPJ to disarm. Did this agreement serve as a response to this propaganda?
This letter was addressed to the administration. As far as I know, it confirms that we are on the right path. That is, we want to be part of Syria, we want unity, we want peace. In other words, we have not deviated from what was stated in the letter. We have not exceeded the points mentioned by Rêber Apo.
Have you read the letter?
I was informed of its contents. Essentially, we accept making peace and being part of this state. Of course, we will take our place in this state while protecting our rights and identity. We have always said this, so we are not excluded. You mentioned partisan media. These media outlets will portray today’s agreement as "capitulation" or spread such propaganda. However, the reality is different. Reaching such an agreement is a significant victory for us. If something similar happened in Bakurê Kurdistanê [Northern Kurdistan], it would be very beneficial.
Since you know the content of Rêber Apo’s letter, let me ask again for clarity: Does he say anything about disarmament or giving up self-defense in his letter to Rojava?
No, absolutely not. There is nothing like that.
Can we say that the text of the agreement aligns with the perspective that Rêber Apo envisioned for Rojava?
We are part of Syria. We want to live together. We want to preserve our uniqueness. All of this is included in this agreement.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Our people should not believe biased media. We have never lied, so we ask them to listen to us. Thank you very much.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/rojava-syria/salih-muslim-agreement-between-sdf-and-damascus-consistent-with-abdullah-Ocalan-s-letter-78342 DAANES: Syrian national dialogue forms the basis for resolving the crisis and building unity
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) released a statement expressing support for the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi and the Syrian interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The agreement includes guaranteeing all constitutional rights of the Kurds and integrating North-East Syrian military and civilian institutions into the Syrian Government.
The DAANES statement on Wednesday reads as follows:
"The agreement signed between Mr. Ahmed Al-Shara and the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mr. Mazloum Abdi is an important and historic agreement at a sensitive and difficult stage that Syria is going through after the fall of the Baath regime.
We emphasize that this agreement and its provisions are an affirmation that the only option is to resolve our issue through dialogue. At the same time, it expresses our permanent position and our preservation of the unity of the Syrian territory and its societal fabric. It is a positive and important step in reducing the gap between all Syrian parties. It will also be an important and inspiring incentive to enhance the spirit of participation in drawing and building the future of the new Syria, and to move away from the mentality of exclusion and tyranny suffered by all Syrians of all sects. We in the autonomous administration of North and East Syria will work in a spirit of responsibility in leading the process as we have always been.
Since the first day of the fall of the Baathist regime, we in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria have stressed the need for agreement between the various Syrian national forces, seeking to launch a Syrian national dialogue that forms the basis for resolving the Syrian crisis and building a unified democratic Syria.
On this occasion, we congratulate our people on this step, which is a victory for the entire Syrian people, and a barrier against all those who try to undermine the victories achieved by our people through attempts to ignite strife and create a state of chaos, tension and dispersion among the components of the Syrian people. The former regime was also unable to break the historical relations between the peoples of the region, especially between the Kurdish and Arab peoples, as a result of which our people rose up in 2004 against injustice and attempts to tear the Syrian fabric. We will spare no effort in protecting the unity of our peoples and our gains. On this occasion, we remember the martyrs of the 2004 Qamishlo uprising with pride and remain loyal to them.
We call on our resilient people, who are credited with the victories we have achieved and are achieving, to achieve the goals of our revolution in the unity and democratization of Syria. We are continuing our work to bring Syria in general, and North-East Syria in particular, to safety. Today’s agreement is an important step to achieve your hopes and aspirations, and it will achieve its goals and spread peace in the region.”
>>2185597>I highly doubt the SDF will hand in their weapons after seeing recent developments w/ the Alawites.I don't think anyone really thinks they will. If pushed it would lead to serious splits because many are cautious of this deal. I think any that do split though will be branded as 'PKK elements', which there will be some truth to, and if involving the YPJ and elements of YPG probably will prove fatal.
Kurdish parties declare support for the agreement between Mazloum Abdi and Ahmed al-SharaaThe Syrian Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (YEKITÎ) hailed the agreement signed on March 10 in Damascus between Mazloum Abdi, the Commander General of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the Interim President of the Damascus government.
In a joint statement, the parties noted that the agreement, which was the result of repeated meetings and negotiations, represented all Syrians.
The statement remarked that the agreement contains very important articles, including the cessation of attacks on the entire Syrian territory, prevention of hate speech and sectarianism, ensuring the safe return of migrants to their lands and acknowledgment of the fact that the Kurds are an authentic part of Syria.
The statement emphasized that the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party fully support the agreement and its contents. The two parties called on all national forces and institutions in Syria to show commitment and make constructive efforts to implement the provisions of the agreement, which allows the construction of a new Syria.
>>2185012>God you are such a disingenuous faggot.>Why do you even do this? What do you think it serves?>Does it act as a salve to your hurt pride of thinking Homs will hold?That's what Glowjavans said bro they are going to merge into the national government which is headed by Jolani.
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-reaches-deal-integrate-sdf-within-state-institutions-presidency-says-2025-03-10/How is it disingenuous at all?
>>2185012Lol and this same anon was trying to call me ignorant for thinking the Kurds would fight the Alawites with HTS last thread.
>>2184024>Also are the Kurds going to join them in fighting the Alawites?<Please at least glance at a map before posting in this thread.>The deal also commits the SDF to combating remnants of Assad's regime. The Islamist-led authorities in Damascus have accused Assad loyalists of sowing civil strife in western Syria.Goddamn I hate Rojava stans so much. I really don't have much of any feelings about them, but I hate their dogshit stans and dealing with them here for the last decade, but it's been less and less because htey forget Rojava exists most of the time.
>copy/paste
He counted 8 checkpoints between his village and Banias on the coast - a 20 minute drive - from his village.
There were no Amn al-`Amm (gov security) at any of the checkpoints. He did not see any HTS uniforms or police uniforms. None of the vehicles had markings on them.
Most men at the 8 checkpoints were wearing masks to hide their faces. Those manning the checkpoints between the town of al-Midan and Sqibleh (the higher mountains) were strangers to the region.
Those between Sqibleh and Banias (the lower mountains) were from the Banias region. There were two very different types of men on the road.
In the 5 villages of Barmaya, Sqibleh, al-Midan, Khirbet al-Qabou, and Hamam Wasil, there were no "Ishtibakat", exchanges of fire. There were no people in any of these villages who fired at soldiers or who held guns. All shooting was completely one side
In Midan, many of the houses and shops were burnt. Some were hit by tank fire.
In Barmaya, houses were burnt. He saw a crowd of people. Someone was distributing bread because there is nothing left in the stores of the region and there is no food. These people not from the region. One car had written on it: Hukumat Inqath al-watani or National government rescue." There were men in military uniform.
In Sqibleh, stores were burnt.
On the main highway from Banyas to Jisr al-Qardaha, it was clear that there had been fighting between HTS and Alawite resistance because there were HTS cars burnt on the side of the road.
One #Syrian government official said that the burnt HTS vehicles were not necessarily destroyed by Alawites but by other Sunni militia fighters.
On the Autostrad from Banyas, there is a town named Qrfais where smoke and fires were still present.
In the first 10 minutes on the highway from Banias to Latakia, there were 3 check points. Almost no cars were seen on the main highway.
Burnt cars were clearly visible on both sides of the road. But no one was traveling on the highway.
10 kilometers from Latakia, in the town of Snobar Jableh, my brother-in-law rents to wear-houses from an engineer, Usama Saleh, who lived above the wear houses. Armed men stole all $45,000 dollars of his fertilizer, killed Usama, killed all members of his family, and burned his house.
Over 150 were killed in Snobar Jableh. Firas called a friend in the village to check on him. Someone else answered and said that the phone was no longer owned by his friend.
He arrived home safe from his village, where everyone had been hiding from attackers for several days. Those who helped him out of the village were very kind and polite to him.
Two days ago the village was attacked by armed me. None of the villagers had guns.
All of the villagers hid in the fields. Two were found by the attackers and shot in the head and killed.
They used a drone to search the place. One neighboring village, al-Midan, had many homes burnt. My brother-in-law's village was not burnt, possibly because it is lower in a valley and the attackers feared a possible ambushed.
Estimates of dead on the coast of #Syria - over 3,000 seem reasonable at this point, although my brother-in-law says that no one can be certain as people are not free to move and no accounting has been made.
People are saying that the dead bodies are being buried in mass graves and burnt, but we don't know the truth of these claims.
>>2185936https://x.com/RojavaNetwork/status/1899942189829865907"SOHR: Military forces flying the SDF flag and including foreign fighters of Chechen, Turkestani, and Uzbek nationalities have been deployed in the villages of Fahil, Al-Qabou, and Al-Sharqaliyah in the Homs countryside, which are predominantly Alawite
Local pages have also promoted the presence of the SDF in the region and on the Syrian coast, and the roaming of vehicles flying the SDF flag, raising citizens' fears of massacres against the people of these villages
Sources from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that the SDF has not left its areas, and that this news is completely false and intended to create unrest in Alawite areas, particularly on the Syrian coast and in the villages of the Homs and Hama countrysides."
https://x.com/RojavaNetwork/status/1899906415193432134PYD Leader, Saleh Muslim: It is not unlikely that we will send our forces to the coast. We say this is a duty and a priority needed by a component of the Syrian people. It is a call to arms for the Syrian Democratic Forces. We hope to move towards serious steps because the massacres are still taking place behind the cameras.
>>2186315They wont participate in a massacre but to try and police. Which I doubt will happen because the HTS are trying to genocide the region.
I wont be surprised in the future the Alawites could join the SDF and form their own factions. Which would lead to another clusterfuck
Autonomous Administration: "Draft Constitution" identical to the laws of the Baath regimeThe Autonomous Administration issued a statement regarding the signing of the "Draft Constitution" by the Damascus government as part of the transition process, saying that "This draft neither represents our people nor reflects the true identity of Syria."
The statement said: "Months have passed since the downfall of the Baath regime. The Syrian people rose against that regime and its oppressive practices, and were happy about its end. However, on Thursday in Damascus, the 'Draft Constitution' declaration was published. The articles in this so-called temporary draft constitution are identical to the laws on which the Baath regime was founded. This document is far from Syria’s reality and diversity. It doesn’t reflect Syrian society and its national identity. This draft constitution does not contain any elements that reflect the spirit and identity of the Syrian people, including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, and Assyrians."
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria underlined "the necessity of solidarity and unity among the Syrian people in order to determine a democratic future for Syria and to strengthen national participation and cooperation within the country.
Furthermore, we highlight that this temporary draft law disregards Syria’s diversity and the participation of its national components. Thus, this declaration once again reflects the 'monist mindset' that is a continuation of the previous system, which the people had already rejected.
This temporary draft constitution neither represents our people nor recognizes Syria’s true identity. It is a way to weaken the efforts to establish real democracy in Syria. Moreover, its content is completely detached from Syria and the aspirations of its people.
The correct constitution should be one that is agreed upon by all components of Syria, serving as a foundation for the country’s future and a lasting democratic path for generations to come. We hope that certain exclusionary, narrow-minded perspectives will not drag us back to square one, as this would leave Syria’s wounds open once again."
>>2187807As per my comment on the most brain dead retard nothing-sayers attracted to this general like flies on shit.
Where do they even come from?
>>2188031al-julani is ex-al-quaeda
al-nusra was always separate from isis
>>2188039He was in Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) with Baghdadi before Baghdadi declared its expansion into Syria, adding the second S in ISIS. Only then did Al Qaeda and the Islamic State split and become separate entities. So he was in ISI which was technically not ISIS yet.
Huge difference.
MSD: Draft Constitution is an attempt to reproduce dictatorship
Ahmed Al-Sharaa, leader of HTS and head of the interim administration in Damascus, signed the Draft Constitution for the transitional period on Thursday.
In a statement regarding the signing of the "Draft Constitution" by the Damascus government, the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) said, “We strongly reject attempts to reproduce dictatorship under the name of a ‘transition process’.”
<The written statement released by the MSDF on Friday reads as follows:
“The Syrian Democratic Council rejects the constitutional declaration presented by the transitional government. In our statement on February 26, 2025, we emphasized that the 'National Dialogue Congress' is not transparent in terms of representing social structures or political movements. The MSD reaffirms that any steps taken based on the results of this congress will be insufficient to solve the national issue.
This draft reproduces repression in a new form, creates a centralized administration, gives absolute powers to the government. It hinders political work, makes it difficult to establish parties, and eliminates the path to democracy. At the same time, it ignores transitional judicial mechanisms and deepens national unrest.
We strongly reject attempts to reproduce dictatorship under the name of 'transition process'. We emphasize that the draft constitution should be the result of a genuine national consensus, not a project imposed by one party alone. In this context, we demand that the draft be revised. The constitution must ensure a fair distribution of power, protect freedom of political activity and recognize the rights of all Syrian components. It should establish a decentralized democratic system and clear mechanisms to ensure a fair transition.
Syria is the country of all of us. We do not accept the re-establishment of a despotic system.”
Confederation of Democratic Society: Syria cannot be governed with a narrow national mentality
The Confederation of Democratic Community Organizations in North and East Syria made a statement regarding the Damascus government's 'draft constitution'.
The statement called for the strengthening of social solidarity and values of co-existence, emphasizing that Syria, which has rich social wealth, cannot be governed with a narrow national and religious mentality.
The statement pointed out that any unilateral method of determining the future of Syria would not only pose a danger to the social mosaic of Syria, but would also deepen the division between its components.
Noting that pluralistic and united societies are more likely to survive the remnants of wars than other societies, especially Germany after the Second World War and Africa after the nationalist system, the statement emphasized the importance of preserving social solidarity as the basis for the reconstruction of Syria. The Confederation called on all social parties, civil and democratic society organizations to reject the policies of neglect and to work for a democratic model that secures the rights of all components.
>>2184766Bookchinist anarcho-femino-socialism with Jihadi characteristics
BIJI KURDISTAN
https://jacobin.com/2024/12/syrian-revolution-assad-hts-democracy
<12.11.2024
<Bhaskar Sunkara<What does the fall of Assad mean for Syria going forward? Are there prospects for a stable government, or are we likely to see an even more fragmented civil war?
>Anand Gopal>It’s too early to say, but one thing we know for sure: the Assad dictatorship was one of the most brutal regimes of the twenty-first century. Whatever comes next will be better than what came before. Syria has been mired in civil war for thirteen years, in which upward of 500,000 people were killed and even more were displaced. Now for the first time, there’s a real chance the suffering will end. And after fifty years of dictatorship, in which nearly every family knows someone who has been killed or disappeared by the regime, the sense of catharsis among Syrians is profound — even among Assad’s erstwhile social base.Contrary to Assadist propaganda, there have been no massacres and no ethnic cleansing in former regime territories; in fact, Christian neighborhoods have been sites of joyous celebrations. In what are generally dark times around the world, the victory of the Syrian revolution is something every leftist, and indeed every human being, should celebrate.
None of that is to say that it’s all roses ahead. While HTS, the group leading the rebel coalition, has gone to great lengths to portray themselves in a positive light to Syrians and the world, it has a track record of suppressing dissent in Idlib province, the corner of the country it has controlled for the past few years. There’s no reason to expect that HTS will establish a democracy, unless they are forced to by popular movements. Meanwhile, another rebel alliance, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), is waging war on the Kurdish autonomous regions.
Whereas HTS is a disciplined and semiprofessional cadre force, the SNA are mercenaries and thieves. Joe Biden and Donald Trump have signaled that they will not support the Kurds, which means the autonomous zone will likely be overrun by the SNA. The possibility of Turkish-supported ethnic cleansing of Kurds in cities like Kobani is high. Finally, Israel is taking advantage of the situation to eviscerate Syria’s weapons depots — and therefore the country’s means of defending itself — while also possibly expanding from the Golan Heights to steal more Syrian land.
So many challenges lie ahead. But it’s important to keep in mind that for fifty years, it was effectively impossible to do politics, or be political, in Assad’s Syria. Only now, with the fall of the regime, can the struggle for democracy truly begin.
>>2188776Proptip: Just ignore Iron Felix.
He's an terminally online aesthetic leftist. He's not interested in learning things, only in reinforcing what he already knows.
>>2188928>Jolani was originally a foreign fighter in the Iraq War. He went from Syria to Iraq and joined up with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and [his organization] al Qaeda in Iraq. He spent some time in the infamous Camp Bucca prison. And then he became the emir or leader of the Nineveh region in western Iraq for the Islamic State of Iraq, which was essentially the predecessor group to what we now call the Islamic State.
<After the Syrian uprising began, Jolani talked to [Islamic State leader] Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi about a project in Syria. By summer 2011, Jolani went to Syria to build a new organization called Jabhat al-Nusra. It was essentially an official branch of the Islamic State of Iraq. They began to conduct operations once the Syrian civil war became militarized, and they became more integrated within some of the insurgency, especially those that were more Islamist in nature.
>Due to the successes that were seen in the initial year or so, Baghdadi wanted to essentially show publicly what was known behind the scenes—that Jabhat al-Nusra was one and the same as the Islamic State of Iraq. In April 2013, Baghdadi announced the Islamic State [of Iraq and Syria], or ISIS.
<However, Jolani rebuffed this because he knew that Baghdadi was trying to begin liquidating opposition activists with assassinations and going against other rebel groups. Therefore, to pivot [but still] maintain some level of jihadi legitimacy, Jolani pledged allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri—the leader of al Qaeda at the time. But Zawahiri began to send operatives from Afghanistan to Syria, which Jolani wasn’t too happy about. So Jolani pivoted once again and broke ties with al Qaeda in July 2016.https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/11/syria-rebel-leader-jolani-hts-al-qaeda-islamic-state-isis/ >>2188952Yeah, Jolani was literally ISIS. That's also why some pro-ISIS Islamists hate him because they consider him an opportunist lol
Sharaa himself is rather irrelevant tbh. If you're in Salafist twitter a lot of them put more focus on hardline factions within HTS itself than on Sharaa, and based on news from the ground it is clear that the government is torn between its goal of normalization talks and enforcing party discipline
>>2188982Of course, we all wish for the Syrian government to quickly reestablish order. The problem is that i don't think Turkey is that invested in keeping peace in Syria, if anything they might inflame it to wipe out the Kurds as well.
A possibility i can see is for the new regime to open the door for Iran-aligned Shiite militias to enter Syria to help check the sectarian calculus in an equilibrium and prevent communal violence, but that will be a hard thing to sell to their Sunni Islamist grassroot supporters. Ofc, Sharaa alread reopened the door to Russia, so this might not be beyond the pale for their political strategy, and rumour is that the Iranian regime already has backchannels to Al Qaeda and thus to HTS. Only time will tell
>>2188986I thought for a while that Iran would face reality by establishing some relations with HTS in an attempt to maintain their ability to send weapons to Hezbollah and encourage HTS to fight Israel. When the Taliban kicked out the American puppet regime, Iran seemed to do this with them. People like Mohammad Marandi bizarrely started to rehabilitate the Taliban's image saying it was a different organization than before.
The Syrian civil war really split the muslim world in a negative way. Anectdotally, my friend who is a Syrian sunni refugee, told me her family used to have a portrait of Nasrallah in their home. Obviously, they were not big fans after the war started. Regardless of how they feel about Jolani and HTS, I don't think it would be strategically wise for them to start funding insurgents and shit. Time will tell.
>>2188998And why would HTS allow Iran to arm Hezbollah? You do realize that during the Syrian civil war a huge talking point among supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon's Shiite community is that they were the only ones going to Syria to defend the Shrines and the Hawzas right? What do you think "going to Syria" entails?
Besides, i do not think that Turkey would tolerate a return of the Shia triangle right in its backyard. Remember that the Ottoman empire spent centuries struggling with the various Iranian dynasties, and even longer for the Byzantines before them.
Besides, yeah of course the Syrian civil war will divide Muslims sharply. That is a religious war, brother! We are mostly godless atheists here so we don't comprehend it but for religious people this shit literally concerns your immortal soul. Of course they will be extremely invested in it to an illogical degree. When the ends revolve around something as Absolute as God and Soul the means ceased to matter. People who are normally pragmatic and cool headed turns into ravenous monsters braying for mass beheadings. The French during the wars of religion massacred their own neighbours, spouses, siblings and parents by the hundreds of thousands because they couldn't agree on whether the wine you drink during Communion transform into actual blood, such is the ferocity of Faith
>>2189009>And why would HTS allow Iran to arm Hezbollah?To prevent further Israeli expansion. Also unlike the Europeans, the Americans haven't lifted sanctions. Regardless of how much we think Jolani is a Zionist agent (I think this is very reductive), I don't think he's happy with Israel taking a large chunk of the country and encouraging Druze separatism. But you might be correct that this is unrealistic, it was just a thought that I had and if possible I think this would be the smartest move for Iran's geopolitical interests despite the bad blood.
>People who are normally pragmatic and cool headed turns into ravenous monsters braying for mass beheadings.Yeah of course, but when the war is over and shit calms down the guy's in charge might consider making deals for the sake of pragmatism again. Despite his past I don't think Jolani has very strong principles beyond his own power. He seems cool with the Russians staying in Syria and making deals with the kurds for example. But if he were to negotiate with Iran the biggest problem would be the highly ideological bloodthirsty people in his new army. I dunno, I'm obviously speculating here based on my own limited knowledge.
>>2189022>Prevent further Israeli expansionAs i said they already have Turkey with them. Israel won't dare open a front against a literal NATO member.
Ofc i'm sure Jolani is cunning enough to realize that allowing Iran to enter the country can be useful to pit the Turks and the Iranians against each other and give him more autonomy, that's why he allowed the Russians to come back, but again lots and lots of bad blood between these two factions that he can't just disregard especially with all the hardliners in the HTS ranks.
>I don't think he's happy with Israel taking a large chunk of the country and encouraging Druze separatism.Oh i'm sure someone calling himself "of Golan Heights" won't be happy about this Israeli encroachment, but he's not the only faction involved here.
Take Turkey's viewpoint here. The more Israel overstretch themselves to Syria, the more focus they will put into their land army, which means relatively less funding for Israel to put in the Mediterranean sea. That is an immediate W for Turkey.
Two, and i'm being a bit cynical here, but is Israel taking the Druze areas really that bad? Hell, they might as well take the Ismaili and Christian areas! The less religious minorities there are in Syria the less Jolani and his government will have to deal with hardliners accusing him of being an apostate for not genociding all of them, and from Turkey's perspective a smaller rump Syria will be much easier to manage and rule over.
Of course, i don't think the Druze are actually going in on this plan. Being seen to be allied with Israel will drastically reduce the strategic autonomy Druzes have in other Islamic countries, and tie their fortune to the capricious strategic interests of Israel. That is why Wadi Jumblatt is cultivating a lot of good relationship with the HTS state right now (well, aside from the fact that the Assad family merked his father) and i suspect the whole issue about Druzes supporting with Israel is a widely overblown media propaganda directed by Tel Aviv. And there is no way Israel would just take all these millions of extra Arabs into their apartheid state, not with the heightened racial tensions caused by Oct 7
DAANES: We will continue working to achieve the goals of our revolution
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) issued a written statement on the 14th anniversary of the popular uprising against the Baath regime in Syria.
The DAANES statement on Saturday includes the following:
"March 15 marks the anniversary of the launch of the Syrian movement against the tyrannical Ba'athist regime, through which the people demanded freedom, justice, and democracy.
This popular movement, this people's revolution, which has been ongoing for 14 years and is now entering its 15th year, is essentially a revolution of a people who rose up because they reject injustice, exclusionary policies, and a monolithic image in Syria. Over the past years, the Syrian people have sacrificed thousands of martyrs and wounded, while destruction, devastation, and forced displacement have occurred in most Syrian regions. However, the Syrian people have refused to be under the rule of a regime that does not recognize even the most basic rights of citizenship.
This revolution culminated in the fall of the Ba'athist regime on December 8 of last year. This was a great achievement and a source of hope, happiness, and pride for all Syrians, regardless of their sect or ethnicity. One of the most important goals and aspirations of the Syrian people was to be free of the Ba'athist regime and build a Syria for all Syrians.
On this occasion, we, in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, salute the struggle of our Syrian people, with all its components, and join our voice to theirs for a unified and democratic Syria for all Syrians, without exclusion or marginalization.
We renew our pledge to our people to continue working to achieve the goals of our revolution. We will continue to demand that the new Syrian constitution be one that protects the rights of all Syrian components, beliefs, and sects, without any marginalization or exclusion. This constitution must be the cornerstone for building a unified Syria and a protective shield for our homeland, Syria, and our people from any danger.
We also remember the martyrs of our revolution and bow in reverence to the resistance of our people, especially the families of the martyrs and victims. We salute the resistance of our people and our military forces, represented by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Internal Security Forces. We also call on all national political forces in Syria to unify their discourse and join forces to draft a national Syrian constitution, freeing us from the authoritarian mentality that the former regime has imposed on us for decades.”
>>2188986>Iranian regime already has backchannels to Al QaedaAl Qaeda leaders operated from Iran during the 2000's thats why AQI wasn't allowed to attack Iran until it finally broke up with Al Qaeda and becamed isis
anyways after the HTS massacres in the syrian coast Iran said they are not currently seeking to stablish relationships with the syrian regime and HTS has never attempted to do so either
SDF: Turkey increases airstrikes
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Media Center issued a statement confirming that Turkey has increased its attacks, targeting the Tishrin Dam as well as the Qarqozaq Bridge.
The statement said: "Despite the cessation of fighting in most Syrian regions following the fall of the former regime, Northern and Eastern Syria remains under ongoing attacks by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries. These attacks have continued for over three months. Our forces remain steadfast in defending the region, regardless of the intensity of the aggression."
The statement added: "On the Tishrin Dam front, Turkish occupation warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes on Saturday, including two targeting workers’ housing of the dam. Simultaneously, heavy artillery shelling continued in villages across the southeastern countryside of Manbij, causing material damage to civilian homes. Artillery fire also struck one of our positions, resulting in minor injuries to one of our fighters. During an attempted attack by the occupation and its mercenaries using suicide drones, our Martyr Haroun Units successfully thwarted the attack and shot down the suicide drone in the northern countryside of the dam."
The statement further detailed that "on the Qarqozaq front, Turkish occupation warplanes conducted several airstrikes on the villages of Ghasq and al-Tina, while a Turkish armed drones targeted one of our positions, leading to two of our fighters experiencing mild poisoning due to exposure to toxic explosive gases. These airstrikes were accompanied by ground attacks using heavy artillery, tanks, rocket launchers, and mortar shells on the villages of al-Tina, Ja’dah, Bir Hissou, Ghasq, Dekan, Melha, and al-Sana’, as well as areas around the dam, the Serrin junction, and the Saifi Hill and Qarqozaq Hill. More than 60 shells were indiscriminately fired, causing extensive material damage to civilian homes and property.
In response to these attacks, our forces launched an operation targeting the occupation’s bases, fortifications, and mercenaries west of the bridge. The full extent of the losses inflicted on the occupation forces remains unknown."
Bayık: Women and young people play major role in the new process
KCK Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayık said in the second part of his declaration that "Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] never considers the things he has developed to be complete or sufficient; he considers them incomplete and wants to develop them better. This keeps the freedom movement alive, developing, renewing, and achieving success."
Back in the days of real socialism, many organizations, forces, and even states were organized by drawing strength from it. Once real socialism collapsed, the parties and states affiliated to it also collapsed one by one. The PKK also emerged under the conditions of the 20th century and was founded under the influence of real socialism. Today only the PKK is left, while all the others were liquidated. The fact that only the PKK survives is related to the reality of Rêber Apo. From the beginning to the present day, Rêber Apo has based every single step on change, transformation, and reorganization. He always pursued an independent line in ideology, philosophy, organization, and struggle. He never considers the things he has developed to be complete or sufficient; he considers them incomplete and wants to develop them better. This keeps the freedom movement alive, developing, renewing, and achieving success. The fact that all the attacks and conspiracies against the freedom movement at the end remained unsuccessful is due to this. It is Rêber Apo’s character, which is based on success and development. He knows no limits. He solely focuses on what serves his purpose.
The freedom movement started in the form of a party, and its aim was to create a people who would fight for their freedom under all circumstances. This was achieved in 1993. Rêber Apo’s struggle since 1993 was entirely for a democratic society. The paradigm he developed in Imrali is also on this basis. We could not fulfill that paradigm completely because of all the interventions, and we also had our shortcomings. That’s why this process took a long time.
Rêber Apo has made a historic decision and is developing an accordingly historic intervention. He has decided to put the freedom movement completely into service of the new paradigm. The new paradigm is based on women’s freedom, social ecology, and democratic society. Rêber Apo works for brotherhood and peace on the basis of a free society. The freedom movement has gone beyond the borders of Kurdistan and has become an international hope. It is impossible to continue this struggle and achieve our goals just through a party. The party has fulfilled and completed its role. It does not sufficiently respond to the developing process; it remains narrow. Therefore, Rêber Apo is making changes in regard to organization and struggle according to the developments and changes. We do not give up our ideology, philosophy, and paradigm. We are carrying out a change and transformation on the basis of how we can apply them in regard to organization and struggle. The movement of Rêber Apo is being reorganized on this basis.
The PKK has greatly served not only the people of Kurdistan but all of humanity. Maybe some people today deny this, and some may even say, “The PKK is blocked; it has nothing left to do; all its paths are closed; there is only one way left, and that is to surrender.” They say this about Rêber Apo and the PKK. This is an insult. Only the unscrupulous and those who are sworn enemies of Rêber Apo and the PKK speak like this. Some of them have been hostile since the founding of the freedom movement, and they will continue to do so in the future. Our people must make sense of this. Those who are saying things like this right now, those who swear enmity against the freedom movement, and those who make such empty speeches are the ones who are weakening, are desperate, and are in great danger. They search to deceive everyone, hide their weakness, and make themselves look strong. They are waging a psychological special war against Rêber Apo and this movement. They are not doing this only today; they have been carrying out this policy since the very beginning. Maybe today they reached the highest level.
The PKK has achieved great things. It prevented denial, extermination, and assimilation. It revived the Kurdish people who were in the sleep of death and were facing extinction. The PKK turned the people to freedom and democracy and made them struggle for it. It paved the way for democratic politics, peace, and solutions. It created an identity for the Kurds and developed Kurdish unity. It developed a democratic revolution. It created changes in the mentality, personality, and life of Kurds. It developed the women’s revolution. It restored everything that had been taken away from the Kurds. The PKK has brought the Kurds to this stage. Now it is struggling to solve the issues of freedom and democracy. Rêber Apo has declared this move. The Kurdish people have become a respected people all over the world. The struggle for democracy and freedom is based on Kurdish women, Kurdish people, Rêber Apo, and his paradigm. And now Rêber Apo wants to remove the effects of real socialism from the movement. This is also one of the reasons why he is developing this initiative. Just as he wants to solve the problems of the peoples, he also wants to solve the problems of socialism. That is why the initiative he is developing is so big and historic.
When Rêber Apo expressed that he wanted to develop the initiative for peace and democratic society, many people tried to prevent it. They wanted to prevent Rêber Apo from making his statement. Trustees were forcefully appointed, arrests and insults were made, and all kinds of attacks took place. With these, they tried to create a reaction and prevent the declaration of the move, knowing that the announcement of the move would create many changes both in Turkey and in the Middle East. They did not want democracy, freedom, and peace to develop. Because they are profiting from war. But still, Rêber Apo announced this move with determination and courage. No one can stand in front of Rêber Apo and his paradigm anymore. Maybe they will attempt to sabotage Rêber Apo; they will try to isolate him, will try to weaken him, and will even try to destroy the belief in Rêber Apo. They will do whatever they can. Our people should be aware of this. And just as these groups want to sabotage the initiative and gain profit from it, our people, our international friends, the forces that strive for freedom and democracy, and those who work to establish socialism must also protect Rêber Apo and the initiative he has initiated. They must unite around Rêber Apo. Rêber Apo has undertaken a heavy and historical mission, and as he has pointed out – everyone must share this responsibility. Just as Rêber Apo has pioneered this move, everyone must also take part in this move and lead it. They should aim for peace and the creation of a democratic society. Our people in Turkey, all the peoples living in Turkey, will achieve great results through it. If democracy develops in Turkey, all problems in Turkey, including the Kurdish question, will be solved. This will have a great impact in the Middle East, as democratization will also develop there. A democratic nation, brotherhood of peoples, unity of peoples, and justice will be achieved. The effects of the initiative can already be seen in Syria.
Northern and Eastern Syria and the government in Damascus have formed an alliance. This can be a positive beginning. This situation has developed through the struggle of the people of Northern and Eastern Syria. They fought and struggled heroically, and as a result, this alliance has developed. With this step, they want to take the struggle they have been waging for years – paying a heavy price and suffering great pain for it – to a new stage, a new era. They want to create a new Syria on the basis of democratic politics and a democratic nation. This move also serves this purpose.
If the initiative developed by Rêber Apo and his call reaches a conclusion in Turkey, it will have an even greater impact on the Middle East. And it will even have a great impact on humanity. For those who strive for peace, for those who strive for freedom and democracy, and for those who struggle for socialism and justice, Rêber Apo has developed precisely this initiative. Everyone must take part in this initiative and fulfill their duty. Everyone should focus on how to lead this initiative and how to build democracy, freedom, and peace.
The main role here falls on women and the youth. The women’s movement expressed that the initiative developed by Rêber Apo is essential for them. Our movement also said that the move is a manifesto for us for the 21st century. Women and the youth are asked to lead this, to create a democratic society. The paradigm developed by Rêber Apo is based on women’s liberation, social ecology, and the democratic nation. Women and the youth must play a strategic role in the realization of this paradigm. Both women and the youth have declared that they are ready for this, and I congratulate them on this occasion.
The Alevi people should know that they are also one of the main forces of this initiative. The move developed by Rêber Apo will keep them alive. The move developed by Rêber Apo is for all peoples, for all religions, beliefs, and cultures. It is a move for a democratic nation, freedom, democracy, peace, and justice. It is for everyone. It is not only for the Kurdish community, the Kurdish people, but also, for example, for the peoples of Turkey, the society of Turkey, the intellectuals, and politicians of Turkey. With this move, everyone will win. There is no loser in it. That is why no one should be against this move. The opposition in Turkey, especially the CHP, the socialist and democratic forces, should support this initiative. The Kurdish people support the initiative and struggle based on it. The Turkish state, the current government, has poisoned Turkish society. They need to remove this poison from Turkish society. And this is not only the duty of Rêber Apo, the freedom movement, and the Kurdish people, but also the duty of the peoples of Turkey. It is also the duty of those who lead those peoples, and those who struggle for democracy, freedom, and socialism in Turkey.
Rêber Apo pointed out that he should be given the opportunity to play his role; opportunities must be created so that he can take the movement to political and legal grounds. “I can do this,” is what he said. In this course he also called that “the PKK must dissolve itself and lay down its arms. For this, a congress should convene and take these decisions.” The PKK leadership also responded and clearly said that they are ready, that they are behind the move developed by Rêber Apo and the call he made. “In order for this to happen, a two-sided ceasefire must be established,” is what they said. Because the Turkish state has not given up the war. Every day UCAVs are hovering. Their daily bombardments with planes, tanks, and artillery continue. Everyone can assume that it is basically impossible and dangerous to convene a congress under these conditions. If the state really wants this, and considering the call of Rêber Apo, as well as the reaction of the leadership of the PKK, the appropriate conditions must be created so that a congress can take place and the necessary decisions can be made. The movement has pointed this out, and so did we, as the co-presidency of the Executive Council.
Some people in the Turkish state make speeches in their institutions, in the press, and in politics. We see with their speeches that they want to create chaos and muddy the atmosphere. This, of course, does not give confidence to anyone. If they want to solve the Kurdish question, if they want Turkey to be free from danger, and if they want Turkey to be democratized, then they should stop making these statements. Everyone wants and expects this.
As I stressed out, this is a very sensitive process, and it will not develop in a relaxed manner. Our people need to be aware of this. In order for the initiative developed by Rêber Apo to achieve results, the global campaign that was started for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo must not only continue but must even intensify. All of our people and international friends must mobilize on this basis. It is required to ensure Rêber Apo’s physical freedom and destroy the Imrali system. The struggle for this must be strengthened. This is what is asked of all of us. Not only in northern Kurdistan and Turkey, but in all parts of Kurdistan and abroad. All international friends of the Kurdish people must struggle on this basis. Everyone must take action for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo in order for him to be able to play his role. Only in this way can the initiative he has developed reach its conclusion.
If the struggle is strengthened on this basis, Rêber Apo’s physical freedom will be ensured and the Imrali system will collapse. This will create a new situation for our people, for all the peoples. Our people and our international friends should know that Rêber Apo has always fought for the Kurdish people and for all the peoples and humanity, even facing the most difficult conditions and conspiracies. From the first day the freedom movement was founded until today, he never lived a day for himself. He put his entire life at the service of the Kurdish people and humanity. He wants to bring this struggle to its goal. The initiative he has developed is entirely on this basis. We all need to embrace this, shoulder Rêber Apo’s burden, and not leave him alone. The Kurdish people, the peoples of Turkey, the peoples of the Middle East, and humanity will also win as a result of this move. Based on this, I once again congratulate everyone on Newroz and the Ramadan celebrations and express my greetings and respect.
>>2189250>>2190569Eh, the YPG will never be able to stroll in take Damascus and keep it without instafalling to reactionary forces.
They themselves know that they exist within a reactionary sea, it is why they bank so much on education and women's liberation.
>>2190721I don't know why people are so surprised about this naked collaborationism. Which country was never attacked by ISIS and what was "Ahmed al-Sharaa" doing a decade ago? Which country was giving medical aid to ISIS militants? Answer this question and you'll know who ISIS and HTS were really working for.
>>2189362>I remember all the ziggers praying for a kurd genocide on december. How the times change.And I remember back in 2011 when it was pretty obvious to me and anybody with a fucking brain what would happen if the rebels won while you and yours were dick-riding them like you dick-ride every single other pro-Western "democratic movement". Now you're trying to disown the "revolution" you simped for over 14 years.
>copy:pasteWill anyone be punished for the bloodbath in Syria? No one covers up their war crimes anymore. They film them, celebrate them, post them on X.
So we have videos from Syria this week showing Islamist fighters making terrified Alawite men get on their hands and knees and howl like dogs. In one video, the victims crawl along a street spattered with blood and gore as a bearded gunman clubs them with a wooden pole. The camera comes to rest on half a dozen bodies. Then we hear rifle shots. There has been a massacre of Alawites in Syria this past week: hundreds of civilians have been killed.
For some, the true face of the country’s new rulers has been revealed. At the very least, whether the guilty men are punished will tell us what kind of country Syria has become after the fall of the Assad dictatorship.
The killings were perpetrated by the militias that put Syria’s new President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in power. Two of the videos of men being made to crawl to their deaths were filmed at an Alawite village named al-Mukhtariyah. I spoke to a man originally from there, Hussein (not his real name, of course). He is afraid that speaking to me will get him killed: “These are very, very vengeful people.” He recognized the streets in the films and the anguished faces of his neighbors.
We spoke about the gunmen’s mixture of anger and glee, joyfully humiliating their victims, no doubt seeing it as a reckoning for the Assad years.
Hussein told me that his village had not become rich under the old regime. They were ‘simple’ people who made a poor living as farmers, growing mainly oranges and grape leaves. He thought the worst thing about the video was that it was published without shame: “They are proud. That is the horrific thing.”
As soon as rumors reached Hussein of an attack, he started phoning his relatives. At one house, a teenage boy answered, apparently spared because he’s severely disabled. “My father and my cousin are dead,” the boy said, before telling Hussein what had happened.
At around 7 a.m. on 7 March, a convoy of cars pulled up on the motorway overlooking al-Mukhtariyah. There was heavy machine gun fire into the village for a long time, “just firing, firing, firing.” Some families fled into the fields. Most hid behind locked doors. Two cars drove down the main street. Armed men got out and shouted: “Stay indoors and you won’t be harmed.” Then the rest of the convoy arrived. They went from house to house, making the men come out.
Hussein’s 31-year-old cousin, a shopkeeper, stepped out at gunpoint. So did the man’s two brothers-in-law, who lived next door. “My cousin was killed in front of his house and in front of his pregnant wife. The 2 brothers of his wife were killed, also in front of their wives & children.
They told all of the women: ‘Don’t touch the bodies, don’t move them, don’t bury them.’” Hussein also spoke to a woman whose 70-year-old father-in-law was killed. They shot him inside the house and told his wife the same: “Don’t move him, and don’t move either, or we’ll make you suffer.” She sat for hours next to her dead husband, weeping.
Hussein said that any male not shot straight away was made to crawl through the village, past the corpses, getting blows from boots, fists, and rifle butts, being forced to make animal noises, until eventually, they reached a piece of open ground. There they were all killed. Late in the day, men who had escaped to the fields returned to check on their homes, which had been set alight. Many were killed in a second round of shooting when the gunmen returned. Hussein lost 10 members of his family. The village lost 148 people.
All were shot at close range, most in the head. There was one woman among the dead; the rest were male, the oldest in his eighties, the youngest 16. The dead could not be moved until two days later, once the regular security forces arrived. They were from the new government of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant (HTS). Hussein wouldn’t speculate about whether the gunmen who did the killing were also members of HTS or if they were from another armed group. Dozens joined together to get rid of Assad and are now part of the ruling coalition. All he could say was there seemed to be a mixture of Syrians and foreign jihadis. The HTS soldiers watched over the villagers while they buried their dead. There were no shrouds in which to wrap the bodies and no water to wash them.
There was time to dig only a mass grave. Afterwards, the men from HTS said they had to go and told everyone to hide in the fields again. They told them not to take photos or talk to anyone about what had taken place.
That was one of many massacres of Alawites.
There are reports that Christians and Druze were murdered, too. The fuse for this explosion of violence was lit last week when a new Alawite rebel group, the Military Council for the Liberation of Syria, launched an armed insurrection. There’s been a growing insurgency in the Alawite homeland of Latakia since the new government took over in December, but this was a dramatic new offensive. It started with an ambush on a convoy of police recruits, killing as many as 20, according to one source I spoke to.
The rebels set up checkpoints, effectively seizing a few small towns and villages. They allegedly fired on ambulances and workers coming to repair power lines. In response, thousands of government loyalists poured into Latakia.
An aerial photograph of one of the main roads showed a long tailback of pick-up trucks packed with armed men. You can see the signpost for the turning to al-Mukhtariyah in that photograph. It was the village’s misfortune to be one of the first Alawite settlements on the highway from northern Syria.
Many of the Sunni armed groups based there are little more than criminal gangs, the dregs of the anti-Assad rebels, rejected by the CIA as too thuggish and too extreme. Instead, they were taken up by Turkey to use against the Kurds. One of these groups is the Suleiman Shah Brigade, named after a founder of the Ottoman empire to please their Turkish paymasters. It is led by a notorious commander named Abu Amsha. Before the civil war, Abu Amsha was a humble farmworker.
Now he is fabulously wealthy. He is under American sanctions, accused of ordering kidnapping, extortion, and theft on a scale that brings in $10s of millions a year. One year, he is said to have seized the entire olive crop from Kurdish farmers in the territory he controlled.
https://x.com/joshua_landis/status/1900216223456993580 Rockets fired from Syria again hit Lebanese villages, and Aoun vows to respond to the sources of the fire.
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent in the Bekaa Valley reported renewed artillery shelling on the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali on Monday, with clashes reported between Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham militants and the town's residents.
Our correspondent also said, "The Lebanese army is responding to the sources of fire inside Syria, which targeted the towns of Al-Mashrafah and Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali."
The Lebanese army's response came after "renewed rocket fire from the Syrian side on Lebanese border villages."
According to the Lebanese presidency website, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called Foreign Minister Youssef Rjei, who is in Brussels, and asked him to communicate with the Syrian delegation participating in the "Ninth Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria" to work on resolving the border issue as quickly as possible.
The Lebanese President also stated that "what is happening on the eastern and northeastern borders cannot continue, and we will not accept its continuation," noting that "I have given my directives to the Lebanese Army to respond to the sources of fire."
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent confirmed that residential homes were targeted yesterday, not Hezbollah sites, as is being circulated and promoted.
For its part, the Lebanese Army Command confirmed in a statement that its military units responded to the sources of fire with appropriate weapons after Lebanese villages and towns in the area were subjected to shelling from Syrian territory. The command also reinforced its deployment and maintained security.
On Sunday evening, a child was killed and four others were injured as a result of shelling from the Qusayr countryside in Syria on border towns in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon.
Lebanon: 7 martyrs and dozens wounded in Tahrir al-Sham shelling of border towns in two days
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Monday evening that the death toll from the developments over the past two days on the Lebanese-Syrian border had risen to 7 dead and 52 wounded.
In detail, she said that six people were killed today and 42 were injured. Yesterday, a 15-year-old boy was killed and 10 people were injured, including a 4-year-old girl.
Earlier today, Al-Mayadi's correspondent reported that six people were killed in a shelling carried out by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali in the Hermel district of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, on the border with Syria.
Our correspondent reported that rockets had fallen on the border town of Al-Qasr, originating from the Syrian countryside of Al-Qusayr.
Our correspondent noted that the armed groups are more than 500 meters away from the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali, stressing that the talk of an incursion into the Lebanese part of the town is false.
He added that a Lebanese army aircraft carried out an airstrike on artillery positions targeting civilians in the town.
Syrian media reported the deaths of at least five members of armed groups during today's clashes on the Syrian-Lebanese border.
The Lebanese army's response comes after Lebanese border villages and towns were subjected to shelling from Syrian territory. In a statement issued today, the army confirmed that it had brought reinforcements from special units to the Hermel region after several of its positions were targeted from the Syrian side.
He added that the deployed military units focused their fire on their targets within the firing zones to stop attacks on Lebanese territory.
He added that contacts between the army command and the Syrian authorities are ongoing to restore calm and control the situation in the border area.
The Lebanese presidency reported that President Joseph Aoun called Foreign Minister Youssef Rjei, who is in Brussels, and asked him to communicate with the Syrian delegation participating in the "Ninth Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria" to work towards resolving the existing border issue as quickly as possible.
The Lebanese president also stated that "what is happening on the eastern and northeastern borders cannot continue, and we will not accept its continuation," noting that he had instructed the Lebanese army to respond to the sources of the fire.
>>2191685>>2191739 (me)
Lebanon: Ceasefire agreement reached with Syria, calm restored on the borderThe Lebanese Ministry of Defense announced a ceasefire agreement with Syria, restoring calm to the border areas on both sides.
According to a ministry statement, National Defense Minister Major General Michel Mensa called his Syrian counterpart, Marhaf Abu Qasra, to discuss developments on the Lebanese-Syrian border.
The statement added, "An agreement was reached on a ceasefire between the two sides, with continued communication between the Lebanese Army Intelligence Directorate and Syrian Intelligence to prevent the deterioration of the situation on the border between the two countries and avoid the loss of innocent civilian lives."
Complete calm prevailed on the Lebanese-Syrian border with the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the Lebanese and Syrian defense ministers, according to Al-Mayadeen's correspondent .
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called Foreign Minister Youssef Rjei, who is currently in Brussels, and asked him to communicate with the Syrian delegation participating in the "Ninth Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria" to work towards resolving the existing border issue as quickly as possible.
On Monday , six people were killed and 42 injured on the Lebanese side. On Sunday, a 15-year-old boy was killed and 10 people, including a 4-year-old girl, were injured in clashes on the border with Syria, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
>>2191542>secular Muslims>SyriaDoes not exist anymore. Alawites will probably revert to extremism because world response and SDF will be useless, Sunnis will remain inbred jihadists, anyone "secular" left the country anon. You can't return to secularism anymore when Saudis pump garbage sectarian slop.
>>2191749I give it a month
>>2192494 (me)
First thing I noticed is they group together all pro-government forces into one, while splitting the opposition groups into many. Even adding all opposition factions together there's still a massive difference if these numbers are to be believed.
https://xcancel.com/timand2037/status/1901985269655781585#mVideo source.
Would you go with them bros? Rob Ashlar says they're misunderstood, do you not trust his expertise from doing research in Afghanistan and refashioning US govt archive material into twitter posts beloved by so many DSA 3rd worldist hybrids? I am skeptical if my tone fails to convey that :^)
Fırat: The agreement between SDF and Damascus government applies to all peoples, including Alawites
Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, attacks carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against Alawites sparked outrage both in Turkey and worldwide. Although the HTS has attempted to portray these attacks as an effort to 'eliminate remnants of the Assad regime,' emerging evidence clearly indicates that Alawites were the direct target.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) strongly opposed the massacre of Alawites and subsequently announced that they had reached an agreement with the Damascus government, with the primary condition being the cessation of attacks against Alawites. While this agreement initially faced criticism in some circles, HTS's admission that its own forces were responsible for the massacres, along with its pledge to launch an investigation and punish those involved, confirmed that the core of the agreement was indeed focused on halting attacks against Alawites.
ANF spoke with Celal Fırat, Istanbul MP for the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and a member of the Alawite community, about the agreement between SDF and the Damascus government, as well as the situation of Alawites in Syria. In his remarks to our agency, Fırat stated that the much-debated Article 6 of the agreement is fundamentally rooted in the legacy of the Baath regime. He explained that the long-standing portrayal of Assad and the Baath regime as an 'Alawite government' has fueled these discussions. Highlighting an often-overlooked point, Fırat emphasized that the SDF entered into negotiations with the condition that massacres against Alawites and attacks on other communities must come to an end.
>The Assad regime was portrayed as an Alawite government
Celal Fırat pointed out that the portrayal of the Assad regime as an 'Alawite government' has led to Alawites being blamed for all the negative developments in Syria. He said: "There are multiple reasons behind the massacre of Alawites in Syria. One of the main factors is, of course, the persistent portrayal of the Assad administration and the Baath regime as an 'Alawite government' as if it were a regime ruled entirely by Alawites. Because of this, the past wrongdoings of the Syrian government were attributed to the Alawites, and they were targeted as scapegoats for revenge. Alawites were made responsible for the actions of the regime.
We know that the backlash against the current administration in Syria is not limited to Alawites. There has been opposition from secularists, Alawites, Druze, Christians, Assyrians, Armenians, Kurds, and many others. However, these reactions have continuously been framed as merely coming from supporters of the former government, with Alawites being singled out the most. The old regime was equated with Alawites, but in reality, this was not the case. The Alawite community has historically been one of the most impoverished and politically marginalized groups in Syria. The former government was actually a Sunni Arab administration. Another crucial reason for these massacres is the ideology of jihadist groups like ISIS, which have influenced Syria, the Middle East, and even the world. These groups view everyone outside their own ranks as enemies and consider it their duty to wage jihad against them."
>Salafists target both non-Muslims and Muslim sects
Fırat added: "Salafist groups do not limit their takfiri ideology to non-Muslims; they also label various groups within Islam as infidels and wage jihad against them. In this regard, Alawites have become one of the primary targets of this extremist mentality in many parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East and, of course, in Syria. For these groups, it makes no difference whether an Alawite supports Assad or not, or whether they consider themselves part of Islam or not. Regardless of their stance, they are among the foremost targets of these jihadist, reactionary, Salafist circles. We have witnessed this firsthand; killing Alawites has been presented as one of the keys to entering paradise. These factions see themselves as avenging the Battle of Siffin, continuing Muawiyah’s Umayyad ideology, and perpetuating the legacy of Yazid, who was responsible for the massacre at Karbala. Their ideology is fundamentally based on the slaughter of those who support Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt."
>Massacres aim to erase Alawites and block reconciliation
Fırat continued: "This massacre did not emerge suddenly; rather, it has reached its peak. For the past two or three months, there has been a systematic pattern of detentions, mistreatment, disappearances, forced displacement, and continuous killings in Alawite-inhabited areas. There are, of course, many reasons behind this. One of the main factors is the presence of a system that does not align with the power dynamics in the region, leading to an urgent desire for revenge. Killing Alawites serves multiple purposes: altering the region’s democratic structure, erasing Alawite presence, and seizing their lands, properties, and homes. Another possible motive is an attempt to obstruct a reconciliation, agreement, or restructuring process between the SDF and the Damascus government.
Turkey may also have played a role in these events. When the massacres began, certain groups in Turkey, including the pro-government media, openly threatened Alawites and did everything possible to justify the massacres taking place there."
Fırat noted that instead of a formal agreement between the SDF and HTS, it would be more accurate to speak of a preliminary agreement. He explained that this understanding is focused on Syria’s reconstruction process and that its fundamental condition, set by the SDF, was halting the massacres of Alawites.
Fırat continued: "‘I do not think it is entirely accurate to speak of a direct agreement between the SDF and HTS. The SDF, primarily representing the Kurds, has engaged with the newly formed Syrian administration, reaching a preliminary agreement with them. This is not merely a deal between two organizations; rather, it is an initial framework for reorganizing and rebuilding Syria’s governance and structure. This preliminary agreement is of vital importance for the future of Syria’s peoples and religious communities. Additionally, the fact that stopping the massacre of Alawites was set as a precondition makes it all the more significant."
>A vital agreement for Alawite existence
Celal Fırat emphasized the significance of the agreement, stating: "This agreement is essentially the key to building a new Syria, which is why it is so important. As outlined in its provisions, it lays the groundwork for an inclusive system that embraces all identities and religious communities, regardless of their background. This agreement can be seen as a starting point, one of the first steps toward creating the conditions for all peoples, faiths, and differences to coexist in Syria.
Another critical aspect is the declaration of a nationwide ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. Naturally, this will also lead to an end to the massacres of Alawites. Of course, this will not fix everything overnight or completely eliminate the risk of further massacres, but at the very least, it signifies a crucial step forward.
For the Kurds, this is already a major achievement. We are talking about a people who, just 15 years ago, did not even have official citizenship status. Now, they are becoming part of a new system, a new order, and a new state. This is immensely significant in terms of securing their identity, language, and future.
This development is not just for the Kurds; it applies to all peoples and faiths in Syria, especially Alawites. Everyone will be able to exist with their own identity and essence. From this perspective, I see it as a truly significant step."
>The Baath regime should not be equated with Alawites
Fırat pointed out that Article 6, which has been widely debated in the public sphere, was initially perceived as alarming to Alawites. He emphasized that Alawites have been equated with the Baath regime, even though the regime itself was not an exclusively Alawite administration. He urged for the provisions of the agreement to be understood within Syria’s unique context. He said: "Article 6 is a major topic of discussion in the public sphere. In this article, remnants of the Assad regime are referred to as ‘leftovers of the old regime.’ This is understandably concerning for Alawites because they have long been conflated with the old system, the government, Assad himself, and the Baath regime. As a result, this language is perceived as an attack, and that is how it is being interpreted. Of course, such an interpretation, especially for Alawites in Syria and for all of us, raises serious concerns and discomfort. However, it is crucial to assess each article within Syria’s specific conditions and to interpret it accordingly.
Equating Alawites with the remnants of the regime or defining them as such is completely unacceptable, regardless of who says it. However, officials from SDF and the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria have made critical statements on this issue. They have clarified that this was not the intention and reaffirmed that every identity, faith, and people in Syria must be able to exist with their own identity. Furthermore, the preliminary agreement explicitly states that hate speech, mistreatment, and the targeting of any group will not be tolerated.
That being said, I want to make one thing clear: we know that jihadist, Salafist, and ISIS-like groups seek to massacre, take revenge on, and even commit genocide against Alawites in Syria. It would be misleading to say that everything has been resolved with this preliminary agreement and that there are no longer any problems. We are only at the very beginning of this process. There is an urgent need for democratic politics, the Alawite community, civil society, Turkey, international powers, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), and various human rights organizations to remain actively engaged in this process. A monitoring delegation must be sent to the region, a humanitarian corridor must be opened from Hatay, and those responsible for these massacres, particularly within HTS and other groups, must be held accountable and brought to justice."
>>2192494werent isis and hts civilian killings incredibly well documented? why the low numbers?
something tells me this is salafi propaganda
=SDF: Six drones shot down, several mercenaries eliminated and wounded==
The Press Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released the balance sheet of attacks by the invading Turkish army and allied mercenaries and retaliatory actions by their forces.
The SDF statement on Monday includes the following:
"Yesterday, Sunday, the Turkish occupation mercenaries launched an attack on one of our positions near the Tishreen Dam. Our forces repelled the attack, leading to intense clashes that resulted in the elimination of three mercenaries and the wounding of two others. This response was part of our retaliation for the martyrdom of one of our fighters the day before.
Following the failure of their ground attack, the occupation and its mercenaries launched a second attack using multiple drones against our positions. However, our Martyr Haroun Units successfully intercepted and shot down six drones, three of which were suicide drones. Meanwhile, Turkish occupation UCAVs continued to patrol the airspace over the area.
On the Qara Qwzaq front, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries shelled the villages of Bir Hisso and Khashkhasha with heavy artillery, firing more than eight shells and causing damage to civilian property. Additionally, Turkish occupation drones were observed flying over the city of Kobani, the town of Ain Issa, and the surrounding countryside throughout the day."
Alliance of Kurdish political parties to be declared in Rojava
The First Kurdish Women’s Conference in Rojava was held on March 23 in Azadî Park, Qamishlo, under the slogan 'Kurdish National Unity Is Realized Under the Leadership of Kurdish Women.' The conference brought together 300 delegates.
The conference concluded with the release of a final declaration consisting of twelve articles.
Îlham Ehmed and Nergîz Bekir, who were among the participants, spoke to ANF about the significance of the conference.
Îlham Ehmed, Co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department of North and East Syria, stated that the First Kurdish Women’s Conference in Rojava would mark a new chapter in the history of Kurdish women: “Through this conference, Kurdish women will strengthen their organization, shape their future accordingly, and continue to lead with even greater determination.”
Nergîz Bekir, from the Kongra Star Coordination in Aleppo, emphasized that the consensus reached among Kurdish women would also play a significant role in the rewriting of Syria’s constitution.
<An important discussion environment to take the right steps
Îlham Ehmed emphasized the importance of organization, consensus-building, and unified positioning ata time when genocidal policies against the Kurdish people continue. She said: “During the conference, everyone was able to express their views freely. In such a process, an important discussion environment has been created for the Kurdish people to take the right steps. And it is Kurdish women who are leading this process. The step taken in Rojava Kurdistan will be a historic one for the other parts of Kurdistan as well.”
<A new chapter in the history of Kurdish women
Ehmed recalled that Kurdish women have been engaged in an unyielding struggle for years and continued: “Kurdish women made enormous sacrifices on the frontlines of war. Many fell as martyrs,and many more were wounded. At the same time, they played an active role on the political front. They have played a vital role in raising global awareness about the Kurdish cause and the genocidal policies waged against the Kurdish people. This conference is the result of a multifaceted struggle, and we believe it marks a new chapter in the history of Kurdish women. Through this conference, Kurdish women will strengthen their organizations, shape their future accordingly, and continue to lead with even greater determination. A free society can only be built with free women. If we are to fight for a free country, we must first liberate society, and to liberate society, women must be free. Therefore, this conference, which brought about consensus and a common stance, will pave the way for important developments.”
<Alliance crucial to prevent a new civil war
Ehmed stated that the Kurdish National Women’s Conference in Rojava laid the groundwork for the Kurdish National Conference in Rojava. She added: “Tremendous efforts have been made to prevent the Kurdish people from reaching a consensus, to obstruct their unity, and to keep them divided. The fact that women are coming together and forming a shared vision today will have a profound impact on the Kurdish people as a whole. In this context, the first steps have been taken, and a concrete result will be reached soon. An alliance will also be declared among the Kurdish political parties in Rojava. This alliance is crucial both to prevent a new civil war in Syria and to secure the Kurdish people’s rights.”
<Universalizing the women's struggle will help transform the patriarchal mentality
Nergîz Bekir noted that the conference also addressed how women would take part in shaping Syria’s future. She said: “Every opinion voiced at the conference reflects the power of women. Through these views, women’s organization, struggle, and willpower will be brought to the forefront. Kurdish women have fought tirelessly for over 13 years to change the fate of Syria. Their struggle must inspire unity among all women. Universalizing the women's struggle will help transform the patriarchal mentality that continues to shape society. Especially through their efforts in Syria, Kurdish women must take the lead in all four parts of Kurdistan. It is women who have suffered the greatest pain—oppression, violence, and massacres. And so, their struggle must be equally powerful.”
<Paving the way for new developments
Bekir stated that the Kurdish women's struggle that reached its peak during the Rojava Revolution and the unity of Kurdish women will open the door to new developments. She concluded: “The consensus reached among Kurdish women is of great significance for the rewriting of Syria’s constitution. Moreover, it will contribute to spreading the women’s libertarian and democratic nation model throughout Syria, while also laying the foundation for Kurdish unity and the democratic nation paradigm.”
US gave Syria list of conditions for partial sanctions relief, sources say
>Among the conditions placed by the United States are Syria's destruction of any remaining chemical weapons stores and cooperation on counter-terrorism, the two U.S. officials, the Syrian source and both sources in Washington said.
<Another demand was making sure foreign fighters are not installed in senior roles in Syria's governing structure, the U.S. officials and one of the sources in Washington said.Syria has already appointed some foreign ex-rebels, including Uyghurs, a Jordanian and a Turk, to its defense ministry - a move that alarmed foreign governments.
>Washington also asked Syria to appoint a liaison to assist U.S. efforts to find Austin Tice, the U.S. journalist who went missing in Syria over a decade ago, according to the two U.S. officials and both sources in Washington.
>In return for fulfilling all the demands, Washington would provide some sanctions relief, all six sources said. One specific action would be a two-year extension of an existing exemption for transactions with Syrian governing institutions and possibly the issuance of another exemption.
>The U.S. would also issue a statement supporting Syria's territorial integrity, the source said.https://www.reuters.com/world/us-gave-syria-list-conditions-partial-sanctions-relief-sources-say-2025-03-25/DAANES: The new cabinet is no different from previous administrations and ignores social diversity
>The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria pointed out that the new government does not include all segments and emphasized that they will not give up their struggle for a common and democratic Syria where everyone has equal rights
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) made a statement on the newly formed government in Syria.
The statement pointed out that Syrians have been suffering from the pain caused by the unilateral and exclusionary governance approach for years and said: “The previous regimes, which ignored the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country, dragged Syria into a deep crisis by excluding a large part of the people from political processes. The people expected an end to this mentality and the establishment of a democratic and pluralistic government. However, the new government announced in Damascus on Saturday evening, March 29, dashed these hopes. It was clearly seen that the new cabinet is no different from the previous administrations and that social diversity is again ignored. The fact that all segments of the Syrian people must have a fair and real representation was once again ignored.”
DAANES noted that the Damascus government has persistently excluded different segments and ethnic groups of the Syrian people from the political processes and pursued a unilateral governance approach. Syrians initiated a revolutionary process and demanded a radical change precisely by opposing this understanding, it added.
“Any government that does not reflect Syria's many-voiced and multicultural structure cannot govern the country in a healthy manner and cannot offer a way out of the current crisis. On the contrary, such governments deepen the crisis and create new deadlocks instead of solving the root causes of the problem. Therefore, we have no obligation to implement the decisions of such governments. Repeating the mistakes of the past will only harm the Syrian people and will never pave the way for a comprehensive political solution.”
Underlining that the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria will never give up the fundamental rights of Syrians, the statement concluded with the following call to the Damascus administration: “Our aim is to build a common and democratic Syria where all citizens have equal rights. No party or ethnic group should be allowed to monopolize the government, and everyone should be allowed to participate fairly in the political process. To this end, we call for a governance approach that includes all peoples, faith groups and social components and rejects exclusionary policies.”
MSD: The new cabinet is a continuation of exclusion policies
The Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) made a statement regarding the newly formed government in Syria, describing this development as a continuation of exclusionary policies.
In its statement, the MSD noted that the new government does not reflect Syria’s political and social diversity; on the contrary, it conveys the dominance of a specific faction. While some technocratic figures were included in the cabinet, the overall structure of the government was described as marked by a unilateral tendency.
The statement also pointed out the absence of women in the new administration, emphasizing that women—who have paid a heavy price during the years of war through displacement, loss, violence, and political exclusion—are once again being disregarded.
The statement emphasized that the current government representation is far from being solution-oriented, and that a government shaped by ideological bias cannot offer a healthy model for the country’s future. It stressed that a genuine government must be established on the basis of national partnership and include all influential forces on the ground.
The statement noted that the appointment process followed the process since the formation of the dialogue committee has shown that the Damascus government has not adhered to the principles of participation and diversity. It added that this reveals the absence of a genuine transitional process capable of enabling the reconstruction of the Syrian state based on sound political standards.
The statement included a call to all national forces in Syria to work together to build a new political approach based on democracy and the equal representation of all components of society, rather than exclusionary politics. It emphasized that Syria needs new solutions rooted in dialogue and reconciliation, instead of old methods that have only deepened the crisis and increased the suffering of its people.
People in North-East Syria visit cemeteries of martyrs on Eid al-Fitr
People in Aleppo and North-East Syria flocked to the cemeteries of martyrs early in the morning on the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
The residents were welcomed by the families of the martyrs and the heads of military and security institutions.
During the visits, flowers were laid on the graves of the martyrs, children were given candy and Eid greetings were exchanged.
Shengal Autonomous Administration: We will put Leader Öcalan’s renaissance perspective into practice
On March 18, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a letter to the Yazidi people, saying: “The Call for Peace and Democratic Society is also a response to the 73rd Yazidi massacre. The process we have started will most of all ensure the existence and freedom of our Yazidi people.”
Öcalan saluted the struggle of our Yazidi people and expressed his unwavering support for their demands for freedom under all circumstances, stating: “The freedom of the Yazidis is intertwined with the freedom of the peoples of the Middle East. The process we have initiated will, above all, ensure the existence and freedom of the Yazidi people. This call is a Renaissance, and it will be, above all, the Renaissance of the Yazidi people. This process will achieve success through shared emotions and struggle.”
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of Shengal released a statement responding to Öcalan’s letter.
Reading the statement, Cîhan Celo, Co-Chair of the Democratic Autonomous Assembly of Shengal, said that the Yazidi community received great morale and strength from Öcalan’s letter and vowed that they will increase their struggle in line with the perspective he presented for the Yazidi community.
Cîhan Celo stated, “The letter offers us the perspective of strengthening the Yazidi faith and taking the philosophy of freedom as a basis in order to prevent another genocide. In his letter, Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] said, 'This call is a Renaissance, and it will be, above all, the Renaissance of the Yazidi people.’ We will put this renaissance into practice on the basis of our own organization and self-defense.”
Cîhan Celo stated that the letter penetrated into the souls of the people of Shengal as the spring and said, “Like the flowers that bloom with the warmth of the sun, this message has beautified Shengal. It has opened the door from darkness to light for the Yazidi community. The perspective given in the letter has rekindled the hopes of the Yazidi community for freedom in the future.”
Cîhan Celo continued: “Now is the time for the freedom of Yazidis. This time was born with Leader Apo's paradigm coming to life in Shengal. The Yazidi community, looking to the future with hope, is now building its freedom with the principle of 'Democratic Society' put forward by Leader Apo. The freedom of Shengal is directly linked to the freedom of Leader Apo. It is the Yazidis who need freedom the most and it is Leader Apo who is leading the struggle for freedom most strongly. We know that the freedom of the Yazidi people is possible through the freedom of Leader Apo.”
Saluting the upcoming birthday of Öcalan’s birthday on April 4, Cîhan Celo said: “With this awareness and determination, we welcome April 4 with great enthusiasm and excitement. April 4 is a date when we reject slavery, despair and surrender and start freedom and resistance. We are marching towards a free and successful future with commitment and will. As new history is being written in the mountains of Shengal on this meaningful day, we salute Leader Apo with the deepest respect and love. We will continue to build a democratic society and realize our own renaissance. With a hope for the days when we will meet with Leader Apo and build a free and autonomous Shengal, we congratulate all humanity on the birthday of Leader Apo.”
Military forces from withdraw from Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo
On April 1, the Council of Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmeqsûd) and Ashrafiyah (Eşrefiyê) Neighborhoods and the Damascus Administration signed a 14-point agreement, including the promotion of coexistence, protection of residents, prevention of armed actions and regulation of internal security.
An article of the agreement envisaged the withdrawal of military forces from both neighborhoods to the eastern side of the Euphrates, taking their weapons with them.
Under the agreement, both sides have started to fulfill their obligations.
In accordance with the agreement, 146 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) were released in exchange for 97 members of the Damascus government on Thursday.
Today, the military forces in both neighborhoods moved to the east of the Euphrates in accordance with Article 6 of the agreement.
A new government has been formed in Damascus and it's all but inclusive
A new government has been formed in Damascus under the leadership of Ahmet al-Sharaa. As it is known, al-Sharaa was appointed as president during a military meeting. A commission appointed by HTS drafted a provisional constitution, while another commission convened the national congress. All these actions have taken place without any sharing with people. Things are being conducted with a true coup mentality, leaving the Syrian people to face a fait accompli.
The powers granted to Ahmet al-Sharaa are almost unlimited. They have given the president powers similar to those granted during the Ba'athist system. The drafted provisional constitution has not been discussed among intellectuals, legal experts, or political circles. However, constitutions are supposed to be social agreements. They should mature through months of public debate and include the rights of all segments of society. Yet, HTS is shaping everything according to its own framework while ignoring large sections of society. The worst part is that they are deliberately excluding organized groups.
The announced government will rule Syria for years. However, many parties, dissenting voices, and minorities are absent from the government. A completely monolithic mindset prevails. HTS is seizing Syria’s entire legacy and the gains of the revolution. It acts as if this revolution were solely HTS's achievement. In reality, Kurds, Druze, Assyrians, Syriacs, intellectuals, and broad segments of society resisted and fought against Ba'athism. While HTS was influential in Idlib, it now behaves as though all of Syria is its base and that no one else deserves a role in governance.
The path HTS is following is surely anti-democratic. It is replacing the Ba'athist system with its own, using coup-like methods. It does not allow for a democratic debate; there is no transparency or governance open to the public. Decisions are made behind closed doors and imposed on the people. HTS has taken over the state-controlled media left behind by the Ba'athist regime, using it to silence the public, intellectuals, and those with differing views. Society is being directed through one-sided policies and propaganda.
Reports of massacres against Alawites have reverberated worldwide. It was announced that a commission had been assigned to investigate these massacres. However, the person who appointed the commission is Ahmet al-Sharaa himself, i.e. the same person who authorized the attacks and operations against the Alawites. Who would believe that this commission will conduct an independent investigation and transparently present its findings to the public? This commission should have been established under the United Nations supervision. Yet, as seen in all areas, HTS is playing its own game by its own rules.
An agreement was signed with the Autonomous Administration. Nearly one-third of Syria’s population lives in autonomous regions, where the people govern themselves. These regions have a certain level of organization. However, the newly formed government has not even been discussed with the autonomous region—there has been no exchange of views whatsoever. The Druze community also made a statement declaring: "This government does not represent us." They, too, were not consulted about the government. The situation of the Alawites is evident. Assyrian-Syriac, Armenian, and other communities have also been excluded from these decisions. So how can the government announced by Ahmet al-Sharaa claim to represent the Syrian people?
The United States, the United Kingdom, and European countries are closely following developments in Syria, and it appears they recognize the Damascus administration as their counterpart. However, HTS remains on the list of terrorist organizations, and the embargo against it has not been lifted. This suggests that these countries still do not fully trust HTS. Nevertheless, they passively observe as HTS establishes an extreme, centralized, and despotic rule based on sectarianism in Syria. Their silence regarding the provisional constitution announced by HTS is highly concerning. This constitutional draft stands against a democratic Syria. It designates religion as the foundation of the constitution and mandates that the president must be a Muslim.
It is unclear what agreements HTS has made with the US and the UK or what commitments it has entered into. However, these foreign powers are encouraging the Autonomous Administration and other forces to engage with and even reach agreements with HTS. Yet, instead of establishing a democratic state, HTS is building a fanatical regime based on sectarianism and religion. It is evident that this state will be even more monolithic, repressive, and prohibitive than the Ba'athist regime. As the saying goes, "Village in sight needs no guide"—HTS’s intentions for the state it seeks to establish are clear. Syrians who oppose the formation of a regime worse than Ba'athism must take action before it is too late.
The Syrian people are not well-organized, and HTS is exploiting this opportunity to consolidate its own organization. Having lived under Ba'athist oppression for many years, the people have not developed a strong democratic culture. Therefore, Syrian intellectuals and pro-democracy forces must quickly mobilize. However, organization cannot happen without awareness. In this regard, educating and enlightening the public should be a top priority. A widespread political and ideological struggle must be launched in Syria without delay.
>>2210354The agreement:
A 14-article agreement, aimed at affirming coexistence and promoting peace in Aleppo, was signed between the Sheikh Maqsoud-Ashrafieh Neighborhoods Council and the Damascus interim administration. The agreement also seeks to implement the broader agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus interim administration. It was reached within the framework of cooperation between the civilian council of the two neighborhoods and the committee appointed by the Damascus interim administration.
The agreement reads as follows:
"This agreement is based on the goal of promoting coexistence, preserving civil peace, and achieving the aspirations of the Syrian revolution for freedom and dignity. It also stems from the belief that consensus among the diverse components of the Syrian people is the best way to confront the existing challenges.
On this basis, the following articles have been agreed upon:
The Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, where Kurds form the majority, are considered part of the city of Aleppo and are administratively affiliated with it. The protection, respect, and social and cultural privacy of the residents of these two neighborhoods are essential for promoting peaceful coexistence.
The provisions of this interim agreement will remain in effect until the Joint Central Committees agree on a sustainable solution.
The Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Internal Security Forces, is responsible for protecting the residents of the two neighborhoods and preventing any attacks or threats against them.
To ensure civil peace and the safety of civilians, armed demonstrations are prohibited in both neighborhoods, and the use of weapons is restricted to the Internal Security Forces under the Ministry of Interior.
Until security and stability are fully restored in both neighborhoods, soil barriers on public roads will be removed, while main checkpoints will remain under the supervision of the Internal Security Forces.
Military forces will withdraw from both neighborhoods to the eastern side of the Euphrates, taking their weapons with them.
Two internal security centers have been established in each of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods.
The right to free movement for residents of both neighborhoods is guaranteed, and any individual who was wanted before the agreement and whose hands are not stained with Syrian blood will not be prosecuted.
A coordination committee will be formed to facilitate movement between the city of Aleppo and the regions of North and East Syria.
Committees will be established in both neighborhoods to oversee the implementation of the agreement on the ground.
Civil institutions in both neighborhoods will operate in coordination with other civil institutions in Aleppo without any form of discrimination. Services will be provided to these institutions through the two municipal branches in the neighborhoods.
Both sides in Aleppo Governorate will empty their prisons and exchange all prisoners captured during the conflict.
The neighborhoods will be granted full and fair representation in the Aleppo Provincial Council, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and all other relevant sectors, in accordance with the applicable laws.
Until the Joint Central Committees agree on a sustainable solution, the existing service, administrative, and educational institutions, as well as municipalities and local councils in both neighborhoods, will be preserved.
>Trump says he told Netanyahu he 'has to be reasonable' about any disputes with TurkeyUS President Donald Trump said Monday that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he "has to be reasonable" over any disputes he has with Turkey, as the US president also lauded his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve. I mean, as long as you're reasonable, you have to be reasonable. We have to be reasonable," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he hosted Netanyahu, using an older English word for Turkey.
"Bibi, if you have a problem with Turkey, I really think you're going to be able to work it out. You know, I have a very, very good relationship with Turkey and with their leader, and I think we'll be able to work it out. So I hope that's not going to be a problem. I don't think it will be a problem," he added, using a nickname to refer to Netanyahu.
Trump said he has "great relations" with Erdogan, whom he described as "a tough guy, and he's very smart, and he did something that nobody was able to do," referring to earlier remarks in which he said he believes "it was Turkey" that orchestrated the downfall last December of Syria's former longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.
"I said, Congratulations, you've done what nobody's been able to do in 2,000 years. You've taken over Syria with different names, but same thing. I said, you've taken it over. He's taken it over through surrogates," Trump said of his prior conversations with Netanyahu.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-says-he-told-netanyahu-he-has-to-be-reasonable-about-any-disputes-with-turkiye/3530982 >>2218894
and it's supposed to be the SDF who are pro Isreal according to retards on this site.
‘Two tent cities in North Syria repurposed to resettle Gazans through Turkish and Qatari efforts'
Two massive tent cities in northern Syria, near the Turkish border, are being repurposed to resettle hundreds of thousands of Gazans through Turkish and Qatari efforts, Syrian sources told i24NEWS on Thursday.
The two camps, one between Al-Bab and Akhtarin, and the other east of Azaz, were originally built during the Syrian civil war to keep displaced Syrians from entering Turkish territory.
“Now that Syria is becoming more stable and many displaced Syrians are beginning to return home, as reported by SANA, Qatar and Turkey are engaged in efforts, in coordination with the new Syrian government, to redesignate the camps for displaced Gazans, the report said.
According to one Syrian source, two Turkish organisations, Avaaz and IHH, are overseeing the implementation of the plan. Neither organization has responded to i24NEWS' inquiries regarding this report.
The report pointed out that: “This information comes amid unconfirmed reports that the resettlement of Gazans in these camps is part of a broader agreement reached with the US to recognize the new Syrian administration in exchange for lifting sanctions on Damascus, although the sources could not corroborate this.”
https://thecradle.co/articles-id/29627
<How Syria's HTS is quietly dismantling the Palestinian cause>Under Ahmad al-Sharaa's direction, Syria’s new Islamist leaders are systematically sidelining Palestinian factions, favoring the US-backed PA, dismantling Iran-linked groups, and reshaping refugee dynamics in alignment with a broader US-backed strategy to neutralize the Palestinian resistance.>Since the fall of the Syrian government on 8 December, the direction of the new interim administration, headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa, has become increasingly clear. Politically, militarily, and legally, Damascus now appears aligned with Washington’s long-standing vision of dismantling the Palestinian cause.>This alignment is taking shape on three key fronts: first is the Palestinian Authority (PA), resistance factions such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other factions splintered from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Second, is the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) tasked specifically to aid Palestinian refugees in the region, and third, are the camps housing Palestinian refugees and displaced Syrians.>Two developments underscore this shift. First, both Turkiye and Lebanon have blocked Palestinians holding Syrian documents from returning to Syria on the same basis as Syrian nationals. Second, US media has revealed ongoing talks between Washington and Damascus over the possibility of Syria absorbing tens of thousands of displaced Gazans, in exchange for sanctions relief or a broader political arrangement, particularly in the aftermath of the Coastal Massacres earlier this year.
<Front 1: The PA and the resistance factions>More than four months into the transition to new governance, one thing is clear: former Al-Qaeda affiliate leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, now Syria's president, is keeping Hamas at arm’s length. Despite repeated requests by Khaled Meshaal – head of Hamas’s political bureau abroad – to visit Damascus, the interim authorities have stalled, aiming to avoid direct confrontation with Israel or the US. >The day after HTS forces entered Damascus, they launched a wave of closures targeting Palestinian faction offices. Those belonging to Fatah al-Intifada, the Baath-aligned Al-Sa'iqa movement, and the PFLP-GC were shuttered, with their weapons, vehicles, and real estate seized.
<Decapitation campaign: arrests, confiscations, and settlements>The factions complied by drafting a letter declaring that their holdings were lawfully acquired and that they were prepared to limit their activity to political and media outreach, in full alignment with Syria’s new posture. The fate of the letter to Sharaa and its response are unknown.>What followed was a systematic decapitation of the Palestinian factional structure in Syria.
<Front 2: Palestinian refugee camps in Syria>The crackdown on political groups has created a leadership vacuum in Syria’s Palestinian camps. Living conditions – already dire – have deteriorated further.
<Front 3: UNRWA, sidelined and undermined>Though the new Syrian authorities have not openly targeted UNRWA, their lack of cooperation speaks volumes. UNRWA no longer appears to be viewed as the primary institution responsible for Palestinian affairs in Syria. (An official ceasefire announcement between the SDF and Turkish forces is expected in the coming days, according to multiple diplomatic sources.)
Tishrin Dam Agreement Marks Key Step Toward De-escalation in Northern Syria
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – A U.S.-mediated agreement involving Washington, Ankara, Damascus, and Qamishli has led to a significant de-escalation around the strategically critical Tishrin Dam in northern Syria, North Press has learned from a well-informed source involved in the negotiations.
On Saturday, a joint delegation from the U.S.-led International Coalition, the Syrian government, and special units from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) conducted a field visit to the dam, located on the Euphrates River between Manbij and Kobani. The visit came amid reports of an evolving agreement to secure and neutralize the area after months of violent clashes.
According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, the parties reached administrative and security understandings that aim to remove the dam from military confrontation zones, ensure its operational continuity, and establish joint responsibility over its security.
<Key Terms of the Agreement
Under the terms of the agreement:
The dam will be officially designated a neutral zone, shielded from ongoing hostilities.
A phased reduction of military presence on both sides of the dam will begin immediately.
Turkey-backed armed groups will withdraw from the western bank of the dam, to be replaced by units of the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
On the eastern side, the dam facility will continue to be protected by the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), with technical management handled by staff affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
The source also emphasized the pivotal role of American diplomacy in achieving the breakthrough, highlighting Washington’s quiet shuttle diplomacy with all parties over recent weeks.
The area around Tishrin Dam had been a flashpoint for nearly four months, witnessing intermittent clashes between SDF forces and Turkish-backed factions affiliated with the Syrian National Army (SNA). The dam, one of Syria’s most vital sources of electricity and water, became a symbol of both strategic leverage and vulnerability during the escalations.
The current truce, though unofficial, has already led to a period of calm in the surrounding countryside. Local residents have reported a visible decline in military activity, and logistics teams have resumed access to the dam for routine maintenance.
“This agreement is not only about water and electricity—it’s about securing stability for thousands of civilians,” the source said.
If implemented successfully, the Tishrin Dam agreement could mark a rare moment of cooperation between disparate actors in Syria’s fragmented landscape. It also signals a cautious return to coordinated deconfliction efforts, with Washington playing a behind-the-scenes role in bridging gaps between AANES, Damascus, and Ankara.
While the presence of Turkish-backed forces near sensitive infrastructure has often triggered instability in the region, the current agreement appears designed to mitigate those risks by reintroducing formal state oversight on one side and preserving local governance on the other.
Moreover, it underscores the role of the SDF and AANES in securing and operating essential infrastructure, a task that has earned the trust of international partners and local communities alike.
An official ceasefire announcement between the SDF and Turkish forces is expected in the coming days, according to multiple diplomatic sources. If realized, this would mark a substantial development in the broader effort to reduce frontline tensions in northern Syria.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi to Al-Monitor:
• The agreement with Sharaa dropped preconditions demanded by #Turkey. Turkey has begun using more moderate language in its official statements, and we have noticed acceptance of the idea of integrating the #SDF and the administrative institutions into the Syrian state.
• The atmosphere during the signing of the agreement with Sharaa was friendly and calm, and we were received with respect. He called me by my official name.
• It is not true that the American side was involved. Rather, it only played the role of facilitator and secured transportation to Damascus.
• The American side strongly supports the agreement with #Damascus because it wants stability in Syria.
• The new administration does not oppose the Kurdish language, but it was not included in the interim constitution, and this was disappointing.
• Our red lines are: not concentrating administrative authority in Damascus alone, and we want to preserve the identity of the #SDF within the ranks of the Syrian National Army that is being formed.
• In our last meeting, Sharaa did not express any objection to Arabs remaining within the ranks of our forces.
• It is unlikely that Turkey is aware of the agreement signed in Damascus.
• Sharaa asked us to give up control of Arab-majority areas such as Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, but he does not consider that a priority, and the status of those areas will be discussed.
• The remnants of the regime must not be allowed to disrupt and sabotage efforts to build a new, democratic Syria.
• We are determined to help the government resist any similar moves by the remnants of the regime.
Report: US tells Israel it will begin withdrawal from Syria within 2 monthsThe Trump administration has informed Israel that it will begin a phased withdrawal of US troops from Syria within two months, the Ynet news outlet reports.
A senior Israeli official tells the outlet that Jerusalem believes the move will result only in a partial withdrawal but is still working with American counterparts to convince them to keep troops in Syria.
Israel predicts that a US withdrawal will increase Turkey’s “appetite” to control Syria, and as such tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara would increase if America leaves, says the official.
The US has kept Israel up-to-date on its plans, Ynet says.
There are about 2,000 troops in Syria, the US said in December. Trump’s team talked openly about withdrawing them before the president returned to office.
>>2223494What the fuck are you seething about?
Kongra Star calls for safe humanitarian corridors to deliver urgent aid to the Syrian coast
Kongra Star, the umbrella organization of women in North-East Syria, released a statement calling for solidarity with the people along the Syrian coast after the obstruction of trucks of aid dispatched to the region.
The Kongra Star statement said the following:
“After the fall of the Ba’ath regime and the rise of HTS to power in Syria, the Syrian people had hoped that a new Syria would be built—one with democratic principles, where all communities could participate with their own culture, language, identity, and specificity. Unfortunately, once HTS began governing Syria, the pain and suffering of the Syrian people were intensified—especially in the last two months, when groups of mercenaries connected to the fascist Turkish state, with the support of HTS, launched an operation against the Alevi population along the Syrian coast, implementing a campaign of genocide and erasure.
Claiming that the Alevi community were a product of the Ba’ath regime, they carried out massacres against them that go beyond any human principles. This attitude reveals the truth, that these mercenaries are a continuation of ISIS and Islamic fundamentalism: they act according to the principles of a nationalist, religiously fundamentalist, and sexist system. Such a force has no place in determining Syria’s future.
As women from North and East Syria, we cannot accept the massacres committed under this system and mentality against women, children, and the people as a whole. On this basis, we—as Kongra Star in Rojava and women’s organizations across North and East Syria—have launched a campaign of voluntary humanitarian aid for those facing crisis, hunger, rape, violence, abductions, killings, and forced displacement. Women and children, in particular, have been sacrificed and made to suffer immensely as a result of this conservative system and ideology.
That’s why we, as women’s organizations, have come together to collect essential goods for those victims on the coast. As Kongra Star, we see it as our duty to be responsible to these women and children.
For 14 years, we have been the vanguard of our society in the Rojava revolution, and today we continue to stand at the forefront of the struggle for all Syrian women, aiming to build a democratic, decentralized, and diverse Syria—one that reflects the values and vision of women. A Syria in which, above all, children, women, and all communities can live in freedom, peace, and equality—and be at the forefront of the resistance and fight against a system of genocide and erasure that denies the existence of women.
In the face of these massacres, rapes, displacement, and the ongoing economic and social hardships on the Syrian coast, we, as the peoples of North and East Syria, gathered 15 trucks of aid—4 of which were organized by women. Our intention was to reach the coastal cities. Coordination was initiated and contact was established with the relevant parties, and the caravan departed on April 1st to deliver aid to the victims on the Syrian coast.
Even so, when the caravan reached the checkpoint known as Xanasir, many obstacles were placed in our way—disrespectful actions that violated basic human ethics. These actions were carried out by the mercenaries of al-Amshat, a group linked to the fascist Turkish state involved in the Alevi massacre, and supported by HTS, who attempted to seize the humanitarian aid. After long hours of discussion, we were forced to turn back. The drivers, along with the people who had come with the intention of distributing the aid in a spirit of solidarity, were threatened. Confusion was deliberately created among the drivers, but since they had been informed in advance about the risks and possible provocations, the attempts by HTS and its allies failed.
We, as Kongra Star, call on all women’s organizations to stand with the women of the Syrian coastal towns, whose struggle to reclaim their dignity is a crucial step toward reclaiming the freedom of all women. Furthermore, we also call for solidarity with our Alevi people who are facing this policy of erasure and genocide. We make an appeal to the United Nations, the international community, and human rights organizations to quickly open a humanitarian corridor in order to deliver urgent necessities to the Syrian coastal areas."
>>2233972No. It's pretty normal.
I would post about US starting to withdraw troops from north eastern Syria, but it's rather small, and not total.
>>2233983More like the spineless dictator who was willing to sell out anybody or anyone to save his own hide. WikiLeaks revealed that in 2010 Bashar Assad told the US government that he’d be willing to betray Hamas — who he compared to the Muslim Brothers his father massacred — in exchange for lifting US sanctions + a Golan-related peace deal with Israel
https://x.com/rohmerfan1127/status/1864036956612530191Not to mention said Alawites had been distancing themselves from Assad for years.
Nice "genocide prevention", bro.
>>2234092He operated CIA blacksites you retarded faggot.
Jesus i hate this site.
>>2234168These responses all feel like pointless gotchas a CIA bot would bring up.
The proof is in the pudding and the current pudding is undeniable.
>>2234038Hamas congratulated the new goatfucking leader of Syria while he's arresting PIJ and snitching to Israel with GPS coordinates for airstrikes.
So yes. I'd say Assad was fair in not giving a shit about their cause, considering they ditched him during the civil war.
>>2234092>>2236711So realpolitik for me but not for thee?
Also not even Iran thought Assad was a reliable member of the Axis of resistance.
https://www.ft.com/content/0311cae9-f35b-4e7a-952b-e26aba870549
>At the same time, Iranian officials viewed Assad as increasingly unreliable, if not outright treacherous, while analysts and insiders accused him of failing to prevent Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in his country.
>The insider said there had been long-standing frustration with Assad in Tehran. “For more than a year, it was clear his time had passed. He had become an obstacle, a liability — some even called him a betrayer. His inaction cost us dearly, and he aligned himself with regional actors who promised him a future that never materialised.”
>Some within Iran’s government believed Assad had begun courting Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates, lured by promises of postwar reconstruction aid in exchange for distancing himself from Iran, said analysts and politicians.
>In the aftermath of Assad’s fall to insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni rebel group, recriminations have mounted within Tehran’s leadership. “People within his regime were leaking information about the whereabouts of Iranian commanders,” the insider claimed. “Assad turned his back on us when we needed him most.”https://carnegieendowment.org/middle-east/diwan/2024/12/why-did-iran-allow-assads-downfall?lang=en
>By early 2024, both Iran and Russia had changed when it came to the Syrian president. Russia was particularly incensed by his repeated violations of the Idlib deescalation agreement and stubborn resistance to any form of a negotiated settlement. Meanwhile, Iran found its once-considerable influence over Damascus steadily eroding, with Assad increasingly charting an independent course that often conflicted with Tehran’s regional objectives. Iran’s suspicions of Assad deepened after a series of leaks disclosed the movements of IRGC officials that culminated in Israeli strikes on these officials in Syria. The Quds Force, once given relatively free rein in Syria, now found its movements increasingly restricted by the Syrian authorities, with Assad refusing to allow the use of the Golan Heights as a potential front against Israel. Perhaps most provocatively, Damascus had begun limiting Shiite religious activities throughout Syria—a direct challenge to Iran’s efforts to expand its ideological and cultural influence in the region.
>By the time rebels launched their offensive, neither Iran nor Russia saw sufficient value in expending further resources to prop up a regime that had become more liability than asset. Assad’s growing independence had effectively undermined the very partnerships that had sustained his rule for over a decade. Eventually, Russia offered Assad asylum on humanitarian grounds but Moscow’s disdain for Assad seemed apparent in Sergei Lavrov’s comments at the Doha forum, where he chastised the interviewer for wanting “to drown [him] in Syria” questions.
>The Syrian army’s fundamental weakness became glaringly apparent even before the rebels captured Aleppo. Discussion on Iranian social media platforms, particularly pro-IRGC Telegram channels, reflected this reality. Ordinary Iranians in these forums began openly criticizing Assad and his military’s incompetence. Perhaps most telling was the shift in sentiment among traditionally staunch IRGC supporters, who began expressing indignation at Assad’s corruption and the Syrian army’s ineffectiveness.
>Iran’s initial response suggested a familiar playbook—the mobilization of Iraqi militias to shore up Assad’s defenses. However, the Iraqi government refused to allow these forces to cross into Syria. Rather than challenge this decision, Iran acquiesced with surprising ease. In a stunning development, Iranian-backed forces abandoned their most strategic asset—control of the Syrian-Iraqi border crossing—without any resistance. The IRGC and pro-Iran Iraqi fighters had already pulled out of Deir al-Zor before Kurdish forces moved in, leading to the swift capture of the crucial Qa’im-Bukamal border crossing by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
>The governorate of Deir al-Zor and its border crossing at Bukamal had served as Iran’s crown jewel in Syria, representing a vital link in Tehran’s regional ambitions. After capturing control of Deir al-Zor from the Islamic State group in 2017, Iran transformed this eastern Syrian region into a crucial corridor for projecting power across the Levant. The Qa’im-Bukamal crossing became the linchpin in Iran’s land bridge to Lebanon, facilitating the movement of weapons, fighters, and supplies to its proxy forces throughout the region.
>The significance of Deir al-Zor was not just in its logistical value. Iran had invested heavily in securing this territory, establishing a network of military bases, and cultivating deep ties with local tribal leaders. The Iranians exploited Arab grievances against both the Islamic State and later the SDF, while simultaneously using the region to pressure U.S. forces stationed at the Tanf garrison and near the Conoco gas field. Iranian-backed militias frequently launched attacks against American positions from this territory, making it a theater in the broader U.S.-Iranian regional competition. Yet when Assad’s regime began to fall apart, Iran made the surprising decision to cede this vital territory to the SDF. This retreat perhaps reflected a more nefarious, long-term strategy—betting that the persistent tensions between Kurdish forces and the local Arab population and Turkish-backed rebel forces would eventually create new opportunities for a return of Iranian influence.
>Iran’s withdrawal from Syria extended far beyond abandoning Deir al-Zor, marking a complete reversal of its military presence across the country. The night before Assad fled Damascus, the New York Times revealed that Iran had begun evacuating its military commanders and personnel from Syria. The stark reality of Iran’s capitulation was captured by an analyst close to the regime who told the newspaper: “Iran is starting to evacuate its forces and military personnel because we cannot fight as an advisory and support force if Syria’s army itself does not want to fight… The bottom line is that Iran has realized that it cannot manage the situation in Syria right now with any military operation and this option is off the table.”So your so-called anti-genocidal "benevolent dictator" was an incompotent buffoon whose people hated him, who had plans to both back-stab Palestine and Iran prior to him being ousted, and knowingly acted for his own interest as opposed to the collective ones of his allies?
Some "Lion of Damascus" you got there.
>>2248649 (samefag)
More vids:
>sectarian demonstration during the initial clashes where some guy holds a comically large sword>another sectarian demonstration Love that the YPJ refuse to even pretend to play nice with Demscus. lel.
YPJ: The genocide against Alawites is now being repeated against the Druze
In a statement, the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) wrote that the jihadist ideology imposed by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria has deepened sectarian conflicts and has recently caused chaos in the coastal regions through massacres and acts of genocide.
The statement stressed that "the same genocidal brutality once inflicted on the Alawites by the jihadist system is now being directed at the Druze." The statement noted that HTS, through its "divide et impera" policy, seeks to sow discord among social groups in order to suppress communities that embrace values of freedom and autonomy.
The YPJ underlined that the Druze, an ancient community, have resisted oppression throughout history, and highlighted that women are among the groups most severely harmed by jihadist ideology.
The statement continued: "The foundation and only true guarantee for building a democratic and free society is self-defense. As women, by taking the lead in this sensitive phase in Syria, we can ensure peace and security across the region.
Through struggle and the wisdom of collective reason, we will build a life of freedom. Once again, we emphasize that the only solution for Syria is to construct a free life through the organized will of women. The greatest response to the massacres committed against the peoples of Syria will be to take part in legitimate self-defense with an organized and collective consciousness, and to achieve a democratic Syria that embraces all women and peoples in a peaceful way."
>>2184766Julani getting the proper “dog of the US empire” treatment as Israel slaughters the Syrian population and illegally annexes territory
Masterful gambit sir
Prisoner exchange restarts in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh
The 12th article of the 14-point agreement, signed on 1 April, outlined a plan for the exchange of prisoners and detainees. However, the implementation scheduled for 28 May was suspended after the Damascus administration refused to release captured fighters from the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).
Sources from the General Council in Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmeqsûd) and Ashrafieh (Eşrefiyê) reported that the exchange process resumed on Monday from where it left off. The resumption of the process was also discussed yesterday during a meeting held in Damascus between a delegation from North and East Syria and representatives of the Damascus government.
Officials emphasized during the talks that the file concerning the neighborhoods of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud must be resolved “in a way that serves peace and stability.”
The exchange includes 290 individuals held by the General Council, consisting of both civilians and fighters, as well as 176 detainees requested by the Damascus government.
In the first prisoner and detainee exchange carried out on 3 April, 146 individuals, most of them civilians, were released, along with 97 people affiliated with Damascus, most of whom were Turkish-backed mercenaries.
>>2297639https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/new-syrian-group-claims-golan-strike--vows-resistance-to--isNew Syrian group claims Golan strike, vows resistance to 'Israel'
>A newly emergent faction in Syria, the Islamic Resistance Front, has taken responsibility for launching rockets toward the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, marking a significant turn in the country's internal and regional dynamics.
>The group confirmed its involvement in Tuesday's attack through a statement issued Wednesday evening by its military spokesperson, Abu al-Qassem.
>"The revolution in Syria has deviated from its path and now calls for normalization with Israel," Abu al-Qassem stated, denouncing what he described as the betrayal of Syria's original revolutionary goals.
>He issued a warning to Tel Aviv, "You are facing Syrian wrath that can only be extinguished by blood."
>The salvo, which reportedly involved two Grad-type rockets, triggered sirens in the southern Golan region and was followed by the sound of explosions, according to local sources.Meanwhile, Syria's transitional government offered a cautious response. The Foreign Ministry said it could not verify whether the reported missile fire into Israeli-occupied territory had occurred, asserting that Syria does not and will not pose a threat to any regional party.
<Resistance recalibrated
>Mahmoud Muwaldi, head of the Islamic Resistance Front's political bureau, clarified the group's stance in an interview with Al Mayadeen. "We are in opposition to the de facto authority in Damascus," he said, signaling a clear break from the Syrian regime.
>He added that Tuesday's action was a message to "Israel", stating, "We are present. We promise to plant fire beneath its feet if it dares to penetrate Syrian territory."
>Muwaldi added that the group does not coordinate with any other armed factions currently operating within Syria, but claimed that several militias have disbanded and joined the Front.
>He framed the organization's mission as dual: confronting foreign occupation while also laying the groundwork for a new Syrian state.
>"We speak for the silent majority inside Syria, across all segments of society," he declared. Syrian soldiers and IDF will literally work together now lol
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hy3h4axxxeThe Emirati site Aram News reported Friday that the Syrian General Security apparatus has begun preparations to deploy its forces in several areas in southern Syria near the buffer zone with Israel, marking the first such deployment since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Syrian sources cited in the report said the deployment follows Israeli approval and U.S. pressure.
Syria's Islamist-led interim government has decreed that women must wear burkinis - a swimsuit that covers the body except for the face, hands and feet - or other "decent" clothes at public beaches and swimming pools.
The regulations, issued by the tourism ministry, were "aimed at enhancing public safety standards and preserving public decency", Syrian state news channel Al-Ikhbariyah al-Suriyah reported.
Private beaches, clubs and pools, as well as hotels with more than four stars, are exempt, the directive said.
Women often dress modestly on public beaches in Syria, but some women do opt for more Western styles of swimwear. The new government previously pledged to govern inclusively.
Under the new directive, beachgoers and visitors to public pools must wear "more modest swimwear", specifying "the burkini or swimming clothes that cover more of the body".
The decree added that women should wear a cover-up or loose clothing over their swimwear when they move between swimming areas.
"Travelling in swimwear outside the beach without appropriate cover is prohibited," it said.
Men should also wear a shirt when they are not swimming, and are not allowed to be bare-chested outside swimming areas.
The statement said "normal Western swimwear" was generally allowed in exempted places "within the limits of public taste".
More generally, people should wear loose clothing that covers the shoulders and knees and "avoid transparent and tight clothing", the decree added.
The directive did not say whether those who fail to follow the rules would be penalised or how the rules would be enforced. But it did say lifeguards and supervisors would be appointed to monitor compliance on beaches.
It also included other safety regulations around pools and beaches.
Reacting to the new rule, one woman from Idlib in the north-west of the country told the BBC's World Service OS programme that, while she could see both sides of the argument, "I do think there is a positive to this, from a moral and respectful point of view."
Celine said: "Some people and families don't feel comfortable seeing or wearing too much exposed skin and I believe that is a valid perspective."
But another woman, Rita, who lives in the capital, Damascus, said she was "not comfortable" with the new rule, "especially as we are not used to such laws".
"In the coastal area, different ladies from different religions all have been going there and until now, we wore what we wanted," she said. "Religious people could avoid those in bikinis. But this law makes us scared of where to go."
She added: "We have no problem with the burkini itself, but it's a problem with the concept that the government are controlling this."
In December last year, Islamist rebel forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime, bringing years of civil war to an end.
Since then, al-Sharaa, now the country's interim president, has promised to run the country in an inclusive way.
In March, Sharaa signed a constitutional declaration covering a five-year transitional period.
The document said Islam was the religion of the president, as the previous constitution did, and Islamic jurisprudence was "the main source of legislation", rather than "a main source".
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgq7d9qdegoUnique IPs: 118