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.
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
(A) Report from NES
