DAANES: Laying the Foundation for a Democratic Syria
Syria stands at a historic crossroads. The collapse of the dictatorial Ba’ath regime of Bashar al-Assad offers a unique opportunity to redefine the nation’s future. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need to create a new Syria—a Syria that embraces its diverse national, religious, and cultural identities while fostering democracy, justice, and equality for all its peoples.
Since 2012, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) has been laying the groundwork for this vision of a democratic Syria. In this region, women, various ethnic groups and religious communities have united to fight against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) and other jihadist groups and build a self-governing model which gives all of its peoples a voice. Throughout this journey, DAANES has consistently emphasized its commitment to being an integral part of Syria.
This democratic model—shaped through the collective efforts of Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Turkmens, and Circassians, Sunnis, Shi’ites, Alawites, Christians, Druze, Yazidis, and other Syrians—has faced relentless attacks by the Turkish state. Even as Syrians celebrate liberation from the Assad regime, the Turkish state exploits the nation’s instability to target DAANES regions. Turkish aggression, including airstrikes and the mobilization of their jihadist proxy militias, poses a severe threat to the progress achieved by DAANES, to the future of Syria as a whole, and the security of the broader Middle East.
While various parties inside Syria and worldwide are speaking out for a political solution for the war-torn country, the Turkish state has intensified is its war against DAANES because does not want to promote stability or coexistence in Syria. Immediately after the fall of the Syrian Ba’ath regime, the Turkish army, in coordination with its proxy militias, launched an attack together against the multiethnic city of Manbij in northeast Syria.
A truly democratic Syria must uphold women’s rights, a central value of DAANES. Reports of Kurdish women, including members of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), being abducted by Turkish-backed proxies in the Shahba region highlight the urgent need for international action. Many of these women remain missing, while Kurdish civilians continue to face abduction, torture, and enforced disappearances at the hands of Turkish proxy militias. The United Nations must immediately investigate these atrocities.
Our Demands
In light of recent developments and the critical situation in Syria, we call on the international community—including the UN, US, and EU—to take decisive action:
-
Halt Turkish Aggression: Take immediate steps to stop Turkish military attacks, including airstrikes and shelling by the Turkish Armed Forces and actions carried out by Turkish-backed proxy militias and stand against Turkish military occupation efforts in Syria.
-
Recognize DAANES: Provide formal recognition to DAANES and ensure that DAANES is included in all political and administrative decisions related to Syria’s future. The Kurds must be included in all debates and discussions about the future of Syria. The challenges facing Syria cannot be addressed without the participation of Syria’s Kurdish community.
-
Provide Humanitarian Aid: Deliver urgent humanitarian assistance in collaboration with DAANES institutions to address the needs of displaced persons.
It is imperative that the global community acts swiftly to support DAANES and protect this model of a democratic, inclusive Syria at this pivotal time.
Executive Council of the KNK
8 December 2024
