07.07.25 – 13.06.25
Meeting in Damascus between DAANES and Syrian transitional government
On the 9th of July, a delegation of the DAANES went to Damascus to meet with representatives of the Syrian transitional government. France and US mediated the meeting. It was focused on the implementation of the 10th of March agreements signed by Mazlum Abdi and Ahmed Al-Sharaa. A joint statement issued by the Syrian government and the DAANES delegation highlighted some points of agreement. Among them, the creation of expert subcommittees to monitor the implementation of the 10th of March agreements, efforts regarding the return of displaced people to their regions and the reopening of discussions related to Sheikh Maqsud and Eşrefiye. It was agreed that another meeting would be held soon.
On the 13th, a senior official of the DAANES praised the work of France and the United States in facilitating dialogue between the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian transitional government.
APO statetment, outcomes and reactions
On the 9th of July, a video of Abdullah Ocalan was published. In this video, the Kurdish leader brings different points regarding the Kurdish Liberation struggle, especially related to the PKK and its recent dissolution. He descibes this process as a historic and positive step, enphasizing the necessity of putting an end to the 48 years armed struggle carried out by the revolutionary party. With its call for “Peace and Democratic Society”, the statement marks a significant shift from armed struggle to democratic engagement in addressing Kurdish issues.
Following the statement, a disarmement ceremony happened in a district of Suleymaniyah. 30 guerilla fighters led by Besê Hozat, co-chair of the KCK Executive Council, burned their weapons. Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials observed the ceremony.
On Friday, Erdogan held an AKP meeting in which he framed the disarmement process of PKK as a victory of the Turkish state over terrorism. He stated that the Turkish Grand National Assembly will establish a commission and begin discussing the legal reforms required.
While Turkish officials signaled that they believe that Ocalan’s call will pressure the SDF to disarm and integrate into the Syrian government, the impact of the potential disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers Party on the NES revolution remains unclear.
SDF denies presence in coastal Syria
In an official statement, the SDF said that unidentified vehicles bearing the flags of the Syrian Democratic Forces have been seen in several coastal villages, falsely claiming affiliation with Syrian Democratic Forces. The statement denied having any activity in the coastal region.
Manipulations and propaganda against SDF and the structures of NES are common tools used by its enemies. They aim to create distrust in the people and build legitimacy on politics directed against the NES revolution.
Wildfires in Syria’s Latakia
Last week, wildfires destroyed over 15,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land in the region of Latakia. Until today, the wildfires are not fully contained. Firefighting operations are being severely obstructed by several factors, including strong winds, landmines, and remnants of past conflicts that pose significant risks to response teams. Turkey, the DAANES, Qatar and Jordan offered their support, providing aircrafts, helicopters and firefighting teams.
Commune and council system in Rojava being renewed
On June 28, the Peoples’ Assembly of Northern and Eastern Syria agreed on a reorganization of the commune system applied nowadays in Rojava. The decree published stated that their was a need of extensive efforts to implement the social system. If for now the long term outcomes of the re-evaluation are unclear, small steps have already been made: Thursdays were designated as environmental cleaning days and Saturdays as days for participation in commune activities!