Earlier this week, in scenes reminiscent of the days of Bashar al-Assad, pro-government forces shelled and fired unto civilian neighbourhoods in Aleppo. The attacks on the Kurdish neighbourhood took place after pro-government forces blocked access to the Kurdish, Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood.
Protests by Kurds against the closures took place before the firing started on Monday evening. A curfew is currently imposed over all of Aleppo.
Pro-government forces have claimed that they were firing unto SDF positions, however the SDF denied that it was present in Aleppo. The SDF were supposed to withdraw from Aleppo according to an agreement signed with Damascus and the SDF stated that it has honoured this agreement.
However, the SDF has also confirmed that it has clashed with pro-government forces in Aleppo and both sides are claiming civilian casualties.
There are contrasting version of events with both sides denying they were the first to start shooting. The events were concluded with a declaration of ceasefire by the government following talks between the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and US Ambassador to Syria Tom Barack.
Earlier this year, the SDF signed an agreement with the Syrian government to integrate its forces with the official Syrian forces. The agreement was welcomed with wide celebrations across Syria. Since then, the SDF dedicated all its efforts to do the opposite and have actually consolidated their authority over north-eastern Syria. The SDF’s military spokesperson Farhad Shami never publicly acknowledged or declared the implementation of the deal.
Since the agreement has been signed, the SDF have also increased their detention of Sunni Muslim men in the territories they control, often under the pretext of terrorism charges, however it is difficult to confirm the nature of these cases with a lack of transparent judicial oversight.
Pro-SDF lobbyists have been very publicly clear that they will not accept to be ruled by an Islamic government in Damascus and that they intend to keep their autonomy while aspiring for an independent future. However, this discourse contrasts with the SDF’s position during the Syrian civil-war when it struck deals with the Assad regime and the Russians under the pretext of being compelled to co-exist with higher forces.
The new Syrian government has given a lot of respite to the Kurds after forcing the Turkish government to stop bombing north-eastern Syria. The Turkish government accepted this condition reluctantly and said that it intends to renew its bombing campaign as soon as it experiences a security threat.
The SDF are ideologically driven by Kurdish nationalism and Mazloum Abdi’s position on Syrian unity may not actually reflect the genuine aspirations of the SDF. The PKK in Turkey (SDF’s parent-organisation), renounced the armed struggle, but Mazloum Abdi made it clear that this disarmament did not apply to the SDF.
After Israel weakened and restrained the military reach and capabilities of Damascus, those who aspire for an independent Kurdish state, feel emboldened to seize the moment. However, the Kurdish nationalists stand alone over this aspiration, and have no official backing, so far.
The EU is not supporting the Kurdish cause for independence.
Newsroom
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