Highlights:
Finalization of SDF integration process
In the end of August Mazlum Ebdi announced the completion of the integration of SDF into the new Syrian army, composed of 3 divisions in Hasakah and 1 in Kobane. The integration of Asayish in the ministry of interior is undergoing some new developments as well, with YPJ integrating in it as well as a new Asayish structure in Afrin.
Clashes on the return of Serekaniye
Hundreds of displaced families from Serekaniye returned to their homes at the beginning of August, but they were halted by remanent groups of SNA militias and other pro-turkish groups, who attack the convoy upon its arrival. Men armed with knifes and sticks, some even with firearms, charged against Kurdish civilians screaming anti-kurdish slogans and threatening to kill them. Several people were injured, and the attacks continued over night. In many Kurdish cities demonstrations took place to denounce those attacks.
Israel bomb al-Zuhur airbase
On August 19 Israel bombed the al-Zuhur airbase, where the Turkish army was planning to transport military equipment. The attacks took place when the base was empty, and Israel claimed it followed warnings issued to the Turkey to prevent military build up in Syria. The Syrian government denounced the attack,the US also criticized it. It is one more example of the growing tensions between Turkey and Israel in Syria.
Normalization of Syria
The US removed Syria from the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list. With this restrictions on banking and finance are also lifted. Global electronic payments, eg with mastercard, can now be done in Syria.
Framework law in Turkish parliament
On August 10 the Turkish parliament approved a law to proceed with the peace process and dissolution of PKK. The law provides some legal frame for PKK member to not be prosecuted if they lay down weapons, insisting that it does not apply to those accused of “specific serious crimes” neither high rank PKK members. It does not address any Kurdish demands for political and cultural rights, but is being presented as a first step for the ongoing negotiations on the peace process.
Evaluation:
On Rights on Paper, Reality on the Ground
Al-Sharaa’s Presidential Decree 13 recognised Kurdish as a national language and permits Kurdish-language education. On the surface, that’s a big deal. In practice, though, the gap between the decree and what’s actually happening is where the real tension lives. The August 30 protests at Rojava University and the 4,265 teachers in Afrin and eastern Aleppo facing an uncertain future make it clear that even a year on, Kurdish-language education is quietly being eroded. Crucially, none of these rights are anchored in a constitution, and Kurdish representatives weren’t at the table when the constitutional drafting process kicked off in March 2025. That’s not a great foundation for reconciliation.
The Kurdish project isn’t over, but it’s narrowing or shifting from a model of territorial administration toward a much more constrained negotiation over cultural rights, local governance, and administrative competences. If that process keeps stalling without real progress for Kurds, it risks setting a precedent that other minority communities in Syria will end up facing.
On the Economic Squeeze
Integration has also meant a noticeably worse economic situation in the northeast. The region was never rich, but it had a degree of self-reliance — oil revenue, local trade, its own management. Since the handover to Damascus, fuel subsidies have been cut, drinking water is a growing problem in several areas, and prices have been climbing. DAANES kept things as stable as it could with the resources it had; now that the central government is in charge, basic services and access to critical resources have become a much bigger issue than they were before.
On the SDF’s Dissolution
Internally and abroad, the SDF’s dissolution was framed as a “historic” moment. From the DAANES side, the picture is a lot more complicated. The SDF had been the largest organized military force outside Damascus’s control for over a decade, and its dismantling wasn’t really a negotiation so much as an imposition. The strong influence of Turkey, not just the government of al-Sharaa but also on the diplomatic US mission in middle east, has been critical. Erdogan attempts to get a green light for a big operation in northern Syria against SDF was not a secret. To avoid that and prevent such a doomsday scenario for the Kurdish population in Syria, SDF sat on the negotiation table to salvage certain degree of autonomy from SDF forces. The final agreement resulted in the integration of SDF in divisions local divisions (3 in hassakah, 1 in Kobane), keeping their command structures and their territorial integrity. Assayish (civil defense forces) got integrated in the ministry of interior in a similar deal, keeping also local autonomy. After months of negotiations about the role of YPJ in the new Syria, it finally got integrated in the ministry of interior, not in the military forces as intended.
The final agreements translate into big concessions with not many gains. Some basic recognition of cultural and political identity of the Kurdish people has been acknowledged by the new Syrian government, with Newroz recognized as a national holiday and Kurdish language as a subject in schools. On the ground, we can see many Kurds discontent with the results, deepening resentment and questioning the legitimacy of the new government. The self-administration and SDF showed their commitment to protect Kurdish lives, accepting to disolve in order to avoid war. Now all the efforts on building autonomy are gonna be put to real test. The grassroots organizing, with hundreds of local communes, academies and cooperatives, were to become the main vehicles of transformation of a democratic society.
Rojava never aimed to become an independent part of Syria. It aimed to develop the revolutionary practices and blueprints to become a free society. Not just for Syria, not just for Kurdistan, but beyond. After a decade and a half of revolutionary process, with all the victories and the losses, a new balance of power emerged in Syria. The revolutionary movement learned a lot, the Kurdish Liberation Movement is now recognized internationally as a leading force and guidance for revolutionaries all around the world. Now is time to put once again all lessons learned in practice.
Revolutionary greetings 🖤
(A) Report From NES
