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!

02-03.02.26

Implementation of Jan 30 agreements
Following the agreement with SDF a convoy STG personal entered the cities of Hasakah and Qamishlo. They are tasked to coordinate the integration of SDF into the new Syrian army and the political structures of the DAANES into the SYrian State. SDF and other structures of NES proposed . SDF answered the request of proposals for some key postitions with the following candidates:
– Noureddine al Ahmad, former SDF public relations officer, as the Hasakah Province governor.
– Azad Kobani, SDF intelligence chief, as the Syrian assistant defense minister.
– Siamand Afrin, SDF unespecified commander, as the Hasakah Province deputy director of security
Unidentified attackers tried to assault the STG convoy is Qamishlo, with Asayish responding to prevent further conflict, resulting in one Asayish injured.
Syrian authorities report positive start to SDF Agreement.

Information published on Jan 30 Agreement:

Al Majalla, a Saudi-owned, UK-based media outlet, published the full text of the January 30 agreement. Allegedly it includes fourteen clauses and four unspecified phases that will occur over one month, as well as a fifth phase that will result in a permanent agreement

The SDF and Syrian Government declared a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and agreed to stop arrests related to recent fighting. The SDF will continue to protect detention facilities holding ISIS fighters, and the Syrian government pledged to provide full logistical support for the ongoing US-led detainee relocation process.

The SDF will withdraw its forces from Hasakah and Qamishli cities to agreed-upon bases, while the Syrian army will withdraw its forces near Hasakah City to al Shadaddi.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense (MoD) agreed to form a three-brigade army division in Hasakah Province made up of SDF fighters.

The MoD will integrate SDF forces in Kobani into one brigade subordinate to an unspecified parent division in Aleppo Province.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) will dispatch “15 vehicles” to both Hasakah and Qamishli cities to enhance security and begin the process of integrating SDF internal security forces into the MoI.

The SDF will submit proposals to appoint local officials, including the governor of Hasakah Province, the assistant minister of defense, and Hasakah Province’s deputy director of security. The Syrian government has already appointed a new Hasakah Province director of security.

The Syrian government will take over vital infrastructure from the SDF, including key oil fields in Hasakah Province and the Qamishli Airport.

The Syrian government will deploy a team from the Land Border Authority to the Semalka and Nusaybin border crossings in SDF territory to register civilian employees and prevent the smuggling of foreign fighters and weapons at the crossings.

The Syrian government will take over all civilian institutions in Hasakah Province and integrate the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) into Syrian state institutions.

The Syrian MoD will prevent its forces from entering Kurdish majority towns and cities.

The Syrian government will validate all school, university, and institutional certificates issued by the AANES.

The Syrian government will provide licenses to all local and cultural organizations and media institutions in accordance with the regulations of the relevant ministries.

The Syrian Ministry of Education and the SDF will discuss the educational curriculum for the Kurdish community.

The Syrian government will ensure the return of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their respective cities and villages (including Afrin, Sheikh Maqsoud, and Ras al Ayn) and appoint local officials to those areas.[28] Turkish-backed offensives against the SDF since 2018 forcibly displaced Kurds from Afrin and Ras al Ayn, and the more recent January 2026 Syrian government offensive displaced people across Aleppo, Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir ez Zor Provinces.

Ongoing transfer of ISIS prisoners
Iraq confirms the transfer of over 1300 ISIS prisoners after the operations of transport got delayed due to bad weather conditions. Speaking in an interview with Al Arabiya news channel, Khaled al-Yaqubi, an adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, said that only four of the transferred ISIS members are Iraqi nationals. Earlier on Monday Iraq announced the start of investigative procedures involving 1,387 ISIS members who had been detained in Syria.

Evaluation:

The implementation of the agreements between SDF and STG is having some visible steps in the main cities, but on the front lines the situation still tense. Comrades are still ready to defend the ground if things come to a military escalation, not lowering defenses. Eventhough the political and the military are inherently connected, SDF forces are aware that political agreements should not mean lowering military readiness.

It is a difficult moment for us to evaluate the situation. On one hand this agreement may be an opening ground for political struggle beyond weapons. On the other, many comrades on the ground are having doubts about the agreements, mainly about how much the transitional goverment will respect the conditions set, as they already broke past agreements. Still, it is clear that the popular organization in NES still strong and ready to struggle, whatever it will be on the frontlines, on the political institutions or on the streets.

Revolutionary greetings!

31.01.26 – 01.02.26

Ongoing Finalisation of STG-DAANES Agreement

For what is known currently about the plan to implement the ceasefire and integration agreement:

STG forces were and are already withdrawing from Heseke and Kobane frontlines.
Internal security forces of the transitional Syrian state already went to internal security forces of Kobane to discuss how this task will be done.

Implementation of further steps as counted from tomorrow:
Day 1 (Monday) STG security vehicles going to Heseke and Qamishlo
Day 2 Oil fields of NES into STG control
Day 3 Syrian Civil Aviation Authority will take control of Qamishlo airport (which before was held by Russians) and Syrian forces to NES’ (only!) border crossing (with KRG/Kurdistan-Iraq)
SDF will withdraw from Heseke and Qamishlo to agreed barracks. SDF and STG allegedly started already to withdraw from Kobane and Heseke frontlines. STG forces are to move to Shaddadi.
SDF is to have a brigade of 6,000 in Kobane, and three brigades totalling 16,000 in Heseke province.
Military forces are prohibited to enter cities and villages, especially Kurdish areas.

After these steps, the Syrian transitional state will take over civilian institutions of Heseke province and DAANES institutions will be integrated into the Syrian state apparatus. DAANES and SDF nominate persons for positions in the Syrian institutions, and STG needs to approve them. SDF already nominated Nour al-Din Ahmad (Abu Omar Khanika) as governor of Hasakah, SDF official Redor Khalil as deputy to the Ministry of Interior, and SDF official Siamand Afrin as deputy director of security in Hasakeh province.
Internally displaced persons can return to their home cities and villages, additionally local officials will be appointed to represent them in those places.
Integration and recognition of educational institutions of NES and licensing of cultural organisations.(This generally can be read as what is happening at the top of NES politics.)

Politics From Below; What is Happening on the Ground
Generally, there is widespread confusion and uncertainty how things will develop. An impression, that the revolutionary project here would be over is short-sighted. For one, all the forces are still ready for and practising where needed self-defence on the frontlines. Secondly, even if institutions etc formally shift, all those revolutionaries will certainly not just betray their values and aspirations towards reform but remain finding ways to live up to those revolutionary principles.

ISIS Prisoners Convoy
A convoy of buses, escorted by a US armored and aicraft military convoy, has reached the town of Rimelan in the province of Heseke. The convoy is heading to Iraq through Semalka crossing to relocate ISIS prisoners to ‘safer prisons’. At the same time, there are reports that the relocations halted over Iraq wanting to prioritise repatriations of non-Iraqi, non-Syrian ISIS foreign fighters to their respective countries of origin. Overall, only a fragment of the supposed 7,000 ISIS militants were moved to Iraq so far.

Humanitarian Aid Still Blocked From Entering Kobane
Just, as could be observed so often in Gaza, 25 direly needed humanitarian aid trucks carrying essential basic necessities for people in besieged Kobane are still halted at the Turkish border just outside of Kobane. For the three days the trucks are waiting there already, many representatives of civil organisations and the DEM party are holding a vigil next to the trucks.

Repression of Solidarity Mobilisations
Further 29 activists of the ‘Caravan Defending Humanity’ that arrived this weekend at the Turkish-N.E.Syrian border were arrested and deported. Before, they had read a statement and protested in the streets of Pirsus (Suruc). The official reason for the arrests is currently unknown.
Kurdish youth from Turkey, Iran, and Iraq were stopped attempting to enter NES at Semalka border crossing to follow the call for general mobilisation.

Evaluation
Generally, roles of authority play an even larger role now, and civil and military leadership of NES are very busy working towards a political solution, with the wish to avoid further war and the lack of an alternative prospect besides total war and reformist integration. Whether the ceasefire and agreement will be respected and followed and whether its implication will work, is entirely uncertain at this point in time. Diplomatic politics are currently the preferred means, with the aim to avoid more losses due to war. At the same time, Turkey is strikingly silent and on the surface uninvolved in the latest stages of agreement making. Turkey still is at the border, always ready to invade, and can take further steps of pressure and attack if not approving of the agreement. Meanwhile, as expressed in the ‘politics from below’ part, what is happening on the top does not translate directly to what happens on the ground. There is an atmosphere of change and unclarity in the air, but certainly all the revolutionary principles and achievements that have been fought for hardly, will not be abandoned.

Revolutionary greetings!

29-30.01.26

Agreement STG-DAANES

We already posted the latest agreement between DAANES and STG. Currently it is just a paper, each time agreements with the STG have been made, they have not been followed by the STG. But if the implementation of it will take place in the upcoming weeks, it will have major implications for what the Rojava revolution turns into. Key points of the agreement are the integration of SDF under STG command, while YPJ remaining as a separatist part, and SDF keeping separate brigades in Kobane and Heseke. ….
https://deutsch.anf-news.com/rojava-syrien/ilham-ehmed-das-abkommen-ist-ein-politischer-neuanfang-fur-syrien-50076
https://english.anf-news.com/news/ilham-ahmed-shares-details-of-the-january-29-agreement-83671

Caravan in Defence of Humanity Arrives at Border to Kobane
After a week of travel, cars from various places in Europe finally reached the border with NES. The caravan is a direct support to the defence of the revolution. Before, there had been long delays at the Greek-Turkish border and a number of participants had not been let in to Turkey. Several further activists were deported from Turkey to Germany. Now, the caravan met with DEM party and makes clear that the border is not the end of the journey.

Evaluation

It’s still early for a complete evaluation about the consequences of this new agreement, but we want to take a look on how we got to this point. At the beggining of January, when the attacks on Aleppo started, SDF agreed to withdraw not just from Aleppo but from the areas that came under control of SDF after the collapse of the Assad regime. However STG forces already planned to advance further, overplaying their hand, confident that no external powers would intervene if they played bold. SDF was in a very difficult spot, and decided to withdraw from the contact line and reorganize in their strongholds, ready to defend the core areas.

Rojava made clear that it is ready to rise up in total resistance. That if it were to become an existential war, it is ready to fight until the end. STG tried to advance in Heseke, but they couldn’t. They besieged Kobane, but they did not get close to the city. Heavy clashes are still taking place in the contact lines between both forces. The new front lines where SDF decided to take a stance did not move. While STG forces already lost several armoured vehicles, the losses of the SDF are mainly from the ambushes they suffered during the withdrawal. Militarily, SDF is still a relevant force able to defend itself, as it has been proved during the last days. Politcally, the DAANES is still a relevant actor with a diplomatic body able to react to the political attacks. But mainly, the Kurdish people’s response, not only in Syria but all over Kurdistan and all around the world, is what brought the transitional government to the negotiation table.

If we look at the situation of the Kurdish people in Syria at the beggining of the war, and even more if we look beyond that, what this agreement is putting on the table is an incredible step. In many ways, it feels like a defeat, because it is formalizing the control of the central state over an autonomous administration that worked and developed free of the oppressing hand of any state. But it is also formalizing some rights and recognition that Kurds in Syria never had before.

Still, more than the papers signed or the institutions involved, what matters is how much this will affect the people on the ground. Clearly, the transitional government neither has the political force, nor the people to simply take control of the administration of northern Syria. Still, the implication of this agreement means giving up on major parts of autonomy that have been integral to the self-administration. The possibility of the return of IDP’s to Aleppo or Afrin is a very important part of the negotiations, and the revolutionary spirit is strong and ready to put up many fights. To avoid a bloodbath and to make space for political struggle it is an important move. The political arena can be a better ground to continue the struggle than the military force, knowing that if the doors for political transformation are closed (again), the right (and the means) for self-defense are accessible.

For sure, things will change. And clearly not for the best. The whole world is going into really dark times, but it is also in those dark times when new fires can light brigther. This may be the end of a very important chapter of the history of this particular revolution. Rojava is a proof that organizing a society outside of state control is possible also in the 21st century. That a revolution that puts women’s liberation in the center can build new forms of liberation with a degree and depth never seen before. The Kurdish Liberation Movement is more alive than ever, and will continue growing and learning from what is happening not only in Rojava, but in all of Kurdistan and beyond. As we said, this is just one chapter of the revolutionary history let’s make sure we write many more, let’s work to make the ones that are to come even better.

Revolutionary greetings!