The agreement between SDF and HTS A step towards democracy in Syria

The agreement between SDF and HTS: A step towards democracy in Syria?

On the 10th of March an agreement between the SDF and HTS was signed by their representatives Mazloum Abdi and Ahmed Al-Sharaa (also known as Al-Jolani). While this agreement opens the way for some developments, there are a lot of questions coming up. Questions like “Are the SDF not legitimizing the crimes of HTS with this agreement?” or “How will the revolution continue if the SDF integrates itself into the Syrian state?” show how important it is to look more closely. To understand this agreement better we have to take into account the broader situation of Syria.

While the developments of crisis and war are intensifying worldwide, the political processes are accelerating. Events like the fall of the Syrian regime on the 08th December happened in just one week. To keep a clear perspective it is more important than ever to understand the dynamics behind all of it, which are a continuation of the past decades. Especially in the last weeks we can see that Syria is one of the centers of these developments. After the fall of the Assad Regime last December, all imperialist forces are trying to influence the new regime as much as possible. But also from a revolutionary perspective, the perspective of the society in Syria, there are new possibilities. So how did we reach this point?

With the so called “Arab Spring” in 2011/12, the people of the Middle East rose up against the leaders and authorities of their region. Many regimes fell, but the imperialist forces were very fast to lead this process and established new regimes acting in their favor. While the people rejected the regimes which were selling their land to capitalism and not solving the basic needs of society, they were not organized to fill this role themselves. The only people to take this step were the people of Rojava. With the system of Democratic Confederalism and the necessary self defense they were able to liberate North and East Syria (NES), and defended it against all attacks from outside, especially the Turkish state and the so called Islamic State (ISIS). With the defeat against ISIS, mostly Arab populated cities in NES joined the Autonomous Administration, and the revolution developed more and more as an alternative for whole Syria. But with the backwardness of the Assad regime, which brutally suppressed the uprisings in 2012 in the rest of the country, negotiations and change were very difficult for the next decade. Now, with the fall of Assad’s regime, a new dynamic arises with all its dangers and possibilities.

When the offensive leading to the fall of the Assad regime started in the end of November 2024, the two major forces were the HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) and the Turkish backed so called Syrian National Army (SNA). While the HTS reached Damascus within one week and took power from Assad, the role of the SNA was to conquer Kobanê and from there all the liberated territories of NES. While the Assad regime had no chance to defend itself against the HTS without the support of its weakened allies like Russia and Iran, the people of NES defended themselves with the strategy of Revolutionary People’s War. With the mobilization of society to join the defense against the occupiers, all parts of society took their responsibility. Combined with guerrilla tactics at the front lines, the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) were able to stop the SNA before they were able to cross the Euphrates river. Since 3 months the peoples’ resistance at the dam of Tishreen played a crucial role. In this way the Turkish backed forces did not reach Kobanê, thus being far from crushing the revolution. This historical resistance lead to a new political balance in Syria, where the HTS regime, although supported by most imperialist forces, cannot ignore the revolution in NES. This political strength of the revolution thus builds upon the enormous effort of all our friends who gave their live to defend NES. While it is known that HTS has its roots in Al-Qaeda, their appearance today is mostly shaped by their approach to gain the support of imperialist forces, trying to disguise their jihadist ideology. In reality, their attacks on minorities, today especially the Alawites, resulted in the massacres of the last weeks, killing thousands of civilians, and especially killing and raping of women, looting houses and spreading terror. Although the whole world is watching, international forces are not intervening as long as the developments are not against their own interests. As long as they can build their trade routes, extract their oil and control the politics of the Middle East, no intervention is seen and in general no steps are taken in favor of the people. In fact, their strategy to control the Middle East is by bringing the different nations to fight against each other, to spread mistrust and hate. So how can the people of the Middle East defend themselves against the imperialist ambitions and massacres?

The approach of the revolutionary forces of NES are giving an answer to exactly this question: only by uniting the peoples of the Middle East on a democratic basis they will be able to defend themselves against the imperialist ambitions and on this basis find solutions for the problems of society. Today also the Druze, a religious people populating the south of Damascus, and Alawites in the region of Latakia are facing the reality of the new regime. More and more people realize the HTS will not bring the much needed change to Syria. The proposal of the Autonomous Administration is not limited to the liberated territories of NES. The revolution is for the autonomy for all peoples and religions, women and youth, for all parts of society in a united Syria, a united Middle East and a free world. With the strength the revolution built in the last 13 years there are the possibilities to gain a status for all oppressed peoples and religions of Syria and to decentralize the new state. These steps could prevent further massacres and contribute to the democratic unity of the peoples of Syria. This is a long term process. But organizations like Heyva Sor a Kurd (Kurdish Red Crescent) that is bringing aid to Latakia or the SDF offering military support to secure peace are part of this strategy.

The new agreement between the SDF and HTS which was signed on the 10th of March therefore should be seen as a step in a more long term and strategical process. It is signed in a moment of strength, where the HTS can just exist with international support, while the revolution is standing on its own feet, the strength of an organized society. The full implementation of the contract would even mean that the displaced people in Syria can go back to their regions, resulting in the end of the occupation through the Turkish state. Not only in this point we can still see the Turkish state as one of the biggest obstacles to democracy in Syria. With military operations or diplomatic meetings, Turkey will try to do everything possible to interfere these efforts. 

How far the agreement will be implemented in the coming year is a development that we can influence as well. As internationalists we will take up our responsibility in this phase. We will support the revolution in Syria and stand against Turkish fascism and all other imperialist ambitions. Our role is to be the worldwide voice of the revolution, calling for justice, freedom, peace and the unity of the people. With the strategy of Revolutionary Peoples War the revolution will defend its successes.