23.02-1.03.26

SDF Prisoners in STG Hands
In the last months during various attacks and skirmishes, the STG has taken an unknown number of SDF POW. While prisoner’s release is supposed to be a part of the integration agreements, little headway has been made on the issue. In Qamishlo families have been protesting this, demanding information about their loved ones from STG. Often no information is know at all, not even if they are alive or dead.
There are also a number of civilians unaccountated for with no information of their status or whereabouts. Two journalists were also dissappeared from Raqqa, one of them is an internationalist woman.

Continued Increase of ISIS Threat and Attacks
ISIS issued a new call for jihad against the STG, calling al-Sharaa an apostate who is serving western powers. While al-Sharaa himself has his history in al-Qaeda, his pragmatism and willingness to (at least on the face) moderate his islamist agenda has been causing frustration with more radical islamist forces both within the STG and with other groups such as ISIS.
The monthly average of ISIS attacks is still up at 20. With prisoner transfers to Iraq, STG releasing prisoners when taking over previously SDF administered facilities, escapes from al-Hol and the general instability in the region, ISIS is taking its chances where it can to advance and disrupt.

Ilham Ahmed and Rojhilat Afrin at EU parliament
Ahmed and Afrin have been meeting with EU committees about the situation of the Kurdish population in NES. They emphasized the role the SDF has played against ISIS, the need for constitutional rights and the obstacles for IDP’s to return to their homes. They also demanded that the EU take a more active stance as a guarantor.

Pressure on Shengal
Tension in Shengal has been increasing as Turkish foreign minister Hakkan Fidan has threatened operations in Shengal, Makhmur and Qandil to be carried out by the Iraqi Hashd al-Shaʿbi forces. Iraqi military presence has visibily increased in the region. Iraqi forces have been disarming Yezidi’s, while effectively surrounding Shengal with the army. There are ongoing negociations to integrate Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) into the Iraqi army. YBŞ has shown openness to dialogue on the matter, though with the red-lines that forces in their areas need to remain fully Yezidi, and that they will not integrate into Hashd al-Sha’bi. The YBŞ stated that if Shengal will be attacked, they will fight back fiercly.

Iran War
The recent attacks of US and Israel on Iran will impact Syria in ways we can only speculate. As for now, Iranian missiles already landed on Syrian soil, some even killing civilians on southern Syria. Syrian aviation authorities also decided to close airspace in southern Syria, probably under requests of US. Beyond immidiate consequences like that, the ongoing attacks will influence not only the fate on Iran but of the whole middle east. The imperialist agressions of US and Israel aim for the collapse of the regime of the ayatollahs in Iran, and the regime will answer desperetly in front of such an existential threat.

16-22.02.26

Al-Hol Emptying Out
Last week we reported on the exodus from the ISIS foreigners section of the al-Hol camp to the point of being nearly empty. Now it seems the camp as a whole, including the Iraqi and Syrian section are emptying since security at the camp has collapsed since the takeover of STG. There is little official information on where all the people have gone. It is likely some have moved to other parts of Syria, and that some have crossed illegally into Iraq and Turkey. STG is calling it an evacuation and says they are preparing the closure of the camp.

US Withdraws from Syria
The US has been present in Syria since the 2014 coalition against ISIS. Recently they left al-Tanf and Shaddadi bases, now they are also reported to be leaving Qasrik base near Heseke. The stated reason for this is that now the Syrian government is willing and able to take over “combating terrorists within its own borders”. Through al-Sharaa, they are now able to extend their influence in the region through other methods than direct military involvement. At the same time, there are also US officials who are skeptical of the STG’s ability to handle security risks of ISIS. Simultaneously, there is the question if this is not simply a re-distribution of troops closer to Iran, in case of a regime change there.

Damascus Starts Procedure Citizenship of “Unregistered” Kurds
A significant part of the Syrian Kurdish population has no citizenship or official papers. This stems from policy in 1962, during which many were stripped of citizenship and civil rights. The repercussions of this have severely limited prospects of life for many Kurds for decades. Damascus said they are now opening a bureaucratic procedure to grant this group citizenship again. There is careful optimism, with caution as to how this will work out in practice.

Return of IDPs to Afrin
A joint security delegation from NES and STG traveled to Afrin to assess the situation. There is a plan to start returning IDPs to their homes soon. Some families have previously traveled back on their own initiative. However some of these families have faced issues such as theft, kidnapping, torture, etc. This is the first attempt at a structured return with some security considerations.

Munich Security Conference
The attendance of Mazlum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed at the Munich Security Conference seems to have been directly facilitated by the US. Abdi and Ahmed were not part of the delegation from Damascus. There is speculation that the main reason for their presence was a diplomatic one to calm the US parliament, as part of US congress is uneasy with STG expansion and the US withdrawal, having the SDF and STG together at a high-level meeting in Munich presents a picture of successful integration.
There are no clear binding outcomes of the conference. Though the following interviews with Abdi and Ahmed respectively give an insight into their perspectives on it.
Abdi: https://www.theamargi.com/posts/the-amargi-exclusive-with-general-mazloum-abdi-did-munich-change-syrias-future
Ahmed: https://www.theamargi.com/posts/syrian-kurdish-leader-calls-for-constitutional-guarantees-to-prevent-renewed-fighting-in-syria-at-munich-security-conference

Evaluation
That the clearing of al-Hawl camp leading to unclarity about all the ISIS fighters’ and sympathisers’ whereabouts poses a massive risk, we do not need to repeat, it should be clear by now. Otherwise, careful cautious steps are continuing on the path of integration and normalisation. With the same caveats, concerns, and risks, but also possibilities continuing to unfold. That imperial powers such as the US are in the end only pursuing their own ends, need to be all too familar and expected for us.

In lieu of further own evaluation for this particular week, we want to share a quote by writer Cihad Hammy:
“The coexistence of diverse cultures is not a fantasy but rather a sociological reality in our regions. Our regions are woven from multiple histories, memories, and identities. What prevents differences from thriving is not their nature, but rather the structures of the nation-state and ideologies that operate through the hierarchical binary of “we” and the “Other.” We should not fall into the trap of such logic; instead, we must cultivate a consciousness capable of embracing unity within diversity and recognizing our shared human community.
The Syrian tragedy has shown how fragile revolutionary ideals can be when confronted by power politics, regional rivalries and internal miscalculations. But retreating into cynicism would only confirm the narrative that pluralism was always impossible.
I refuse to accept that conclusion.
The democratic nation remains, in my view, the only viable framework for Syria and for the broader region. Not because it is perfect, but because every alternative we have tried has led to catastrophe.
The revolution did not fail because the aspiration for coexistence was misguided. It faltered because we did not protect and institutionalize those values strongly enough.
The answer is not to mock them — but to deepen them.”
Here you can read the entire comment:
https://www.theamargi.com/posts/ocalans-vision-of-democratic-society

09-15.02.26

DAANES and STG at Munich Security Conference
Highest DAANES co-representative Ilham Ehmed and SDF highest co-command Mazloum Abdi participate in the 62th Munich Security Conference, a reknown conference of high-ranking actors of the fields of politics, diplomacy, and security. STG foreign minister al-Shabani too is taking part. Locally, people protest the STG participation and legitimisation through the Western political powers.

STG takes over Al-Tanf and Shadadi bases
The Al-Tanf base is near the border area of Syria, Jordan and Iraq. The base and the area around it has been in US control since 2016 and played a role in monitoring border movements of ISIS. The hand-over was negotiated between the US and STG, as both sides have put out official statements. STG also took control of the Shadadi base also after a negotiated hand over.

Developments on Al-Hawl Camp and ISIS Prison-Transfers
The area for foreign ISIS women and children of Al-Hawl camp is reported to be almost empty. Since little has changed in the repatriation status of those people, most have been smuggled to Idlib, others quietly moved into the syrian side of the camp.
In the meanwhile prisoner transfers from Syria to Iraq continue, with Bagdad asking for more money to support the operations.

YPJ Welcome Heseke Governor
A delegation of high-ranking YPJ fighters and commanders visited the newly appointed governor of Heseke Nûredîn Îsa Ehmed, greeting him after his inauguration. They stressed good collaboration on the topic of security.

Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan Visits Iraq
After Hakan Fidan had pressured Iraq in a TV interview to take more profound actions against PKK, the Iraqi foreign ministry invited Fidan for diplomatic talks. Iraq pushed back against the Turkish state’s will to interfere with Iraqi affairs.

Women’s Conference in Bogota
Women of Abya Yala and Kurdistan are gathering for a large conference in Colombia discussing colonialism and resistance. Other focal points were the connection to and defence of the land, and linkage of struggles in solidarity. The discussions can be followed via livestream.

EU Parliament on NES
The EU passed a non-binding resolution february 12th condemning violence against civilians in NES. They also stated that the planned 620 million euro in financial assistance to the STG should be conditional on respecting the cease-fire, civilians protection and human rights progress.

04-08.02.26

Kobane Siege
The siege of STG forces in Kobane is posing a serious danger for the many people who have been suffering from the imposed isolation for more than 2 weeks. Medical supplies have been depleted, while fuel and food stocks are nearing exhaustion. Some humanitarian convoys were allowed to distribute basic aid, but not enough for the high number of population that sought for shelter in the city due to the ongoing attacks. Also, since water and electricity are cut, viruses and disease are spreading due to lack of access to clean water, accentuating the humanitarian crisis. Schools had to be turned into shelters. Therefore, around 72,000 students of Kobani and surroundings can currently not attend school.

STG Delegation at Qamishlo Airport
A delegation of the Syrian Transitional Government arrived today at the Qamishlo Airport, implementing further steps of the agreement that include a joint DAANES-STG control of the airport as a civilian airport.

ISIS Growing Threat
U.N. officials recently reported to the UN Security Council on how the threat posed by ISIS has increased steadily since mid-2025, becoming more complex and multi-front. ISIS and its affiliates have expanded their presence in West Africa and the Sahel, while sleeper cells remain active in Iraq and Syria. They warned that, with ongoing events in Syria, conditions in al Hawl camp and other detention facilities create a fertile environment for the group’s resurgence.

Syria – Saudi Arabia Economic Deals
Syria and Saudi Arabia signed a series of strategic agreements on Saturday covering aviation, telecommunications, infrastructure, and real estate development aimed at boosting Syria’s recovery. The agreements are presented as a major step toward reviving Syria’s economy and attracting foreign investment after years of war.

Defying Divide and Conquer Rhetorics and Tactics
Sheikh Akram Hajo Mashoush from the Jabour tribe reconfirms his commitments to siding with DAANES and the SDF amidst growing ethnic and national tensions.
Read the interview here: https://rojavainformationcenter.org/2026/02/sheikh-akram/

Evaluation

With the ongoing negotiations, the chaotic rush that military conflict brings is slowing down. We are therefore returning to our previous rhythm of weekly highlights on Sundays. If the situation tenses up and escalates again, we are of course here to adapt the update frequency to the course of events.

It has been a very intense time for us, and we are still very busy with the ongoing situation on the ground. Now is a critical time for the Rojava revolution, where all the efforts to organize and develop an ethical and political society of the last decade will come to a real test. Yesterday would have been the deadline of the last ceasfire which then got replaced and continued by a thorough set of agreements of integrating into the transitional Syrian state.

Autonomy and resistance are the guiding lines in many social and political developments in NES, as well as in military structures. Always with the women in the forefront, Rojava is questioning the patriarchal logic that many domination systems imposed for millennia. Those seeds of autonomy and resistance have been sowed long time ago, and they have been able to take root. During the last decade in NES, those seeds of freedom were able to grow free of the impositions of state institutions. Now, the Syrian state is attempting to assert control and domination once more, with full support of Turkey and western powers. Revolutionary movements in NES may need to continue working from clandestinity once again, weaving the social relations and fabric of life and resistance.

The ongoing agreements with the transitional government are fragile, and tensions and military conflicts can easily rise again. We call to everyone to stay updated on what is happening in Syria, to be ready to respond when needed, to defend the revolution and keep building the new world we all carry in our hearts!

Revolutionary greetings!