The situation is complicated by the continuing presence of Turkish occupation forces who had invaded Syria in 2018 and occupied land along the common border which they had taken from the progressive Kurds.  This included the city of Afrin. The Kurdish defence forces and women’s forces (YPG and YPJ) resisted further Turkish incursions into their area known formally as the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), and informally as Rojava.

 

Rojava celebrated the 10th anniversary of its existence earlier this year. It is a region noted for supporting the aspirations of the various components of North and East Syria, including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmen, Circassians and Chechens. More than anything, it is noted for its emancipation and empowering of women.

 

The YPG-YPJ had to also fight powerful ISIS terrorists seeking to seize Rojava. In addition to ISIS, al-Nusrah fought Rojava and is currently threatening it in its new identity as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as violence targets Yazidis and Kurds attempting to flee Islamist forces.

 

 

Into the mix has to be added the Syrian National Army (SNA) loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian Defence Forces, aligned with the Rojava region, the Syrian Arab Army – part of Assad’s SNA, and the mainly volunteer corps of the pro-Assad National Defence Force.

 

Also present are US and Iranian military bases. Iran sees the survival of the Syrian government as being crucial to its regional interests and, together with Hezbollah, has provided Assad with security and military support, including drone attacks on ISIS forces. 

 

The U.S. still has an active presence in eastern Syria with around 1000 troops. The US collaborated with the SDF in the fight against ISIS in the lead-up to the creation of Rojava, and closely monitors Assad’s relationship with the Iranians and the Russians who have two major air bases and a naval facility in the country.

 

According to Saudi Arabia’s Al Majalla website, by the end of the first half of 2022, the number of foreign military bases and locations had reached a total of 830 sites, distributed as follows:

• Iran: 570

• Turkey: 125

• Russia: 105

• US-led coalition: 30

 

 

As of December 3 there were already some 75,000 internally displaced persons, mostly Kurds alongside other minorities, as well as Arabs. Many are sleeping outside in freezing weather. Tens of thousands have been transferred out of Shehba/Tel Rifaat region, seized two days ago by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army militias which previously drove the bulk of the Kurdish population and all Yazidis and Christians out of the Afrin region in 2018.

 

Turkish bombing has continued in Rojava for most of this year. 

 

There is a grave risk of an imminent Turkish-backed assault against DAANES-governed Manbij, with multi-ethnic population of c.300K, creating further destabilisation. In addition, the Kurdish parts of Aleppo have been surrounded and cut off from assistance.

 

Imperialist rivalry and the ambitions of regional expansionists are tearing Syria apart.

 

All foreign forces must be withdrawn and Syrian independence respected. 

 

The rights of minorities to self-determination up to an including regional autonomy and secession must be guaranteed by Syria.

 

US and Russia out!

 

Turkey and Iran out!