With Assad gone, what about the Kurds in Syria?

Syrians worldwide are celebrating the end of president Bashar al-Assad's nearly 25-year rule and the Al-Assad family's even longer reign. Rebel groups have defeated the weakened regime forces, abandoned by their allies, with Assad himself believed to have fled to Russia. The regime's collapse marks a significant loss for Russia, a key backer.

Assad's legacy is one of brutal dictatorship, marked by severe human rights abuses, war crimes, and atrocities such as chemical weapon attacks, torture, and mass killings. While Syrians rejoice at the prospect of freedom, the post-Assad transition is fraught with challenges, as various groups, including radical Islamist factions, vie for power.

A major player in Assad's overthrow is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militant group with roots in Al-Qaeda. HTS has shifted its focus in recent years from global jihad to addressing local Syrian issues, gaining more popular support.

We ought to remain very cautious about HTS’s softened appearance. The background ideology of the group is dangerous and many risks prevail, including the potential imposition of Sharia law. 

Neighbour's agendas?

Meanwhile, external powers like Turkey, Israel, and Russia are pursuing their own strategic interests in the power vacuum, complicating the situation. In Rojava, the Kurdish-led autonomous region in northern Syria, residents also celebrate Assad’s fall, viewing it as an opportunity to build a democratic, inclusive Syria.

However, Rojava faces threats from Turkish-backed forces and Islamist groups, who started their attacks right after the fall of Assad.

Rojava faces frequent attacks from Turkey, which has invaded Kurdish areas and also threatens the stability of the region. Turkey’s indiscriminate airstrikes have targeted critical infrastructure and Kurdish communities, and its support for mercenary groups and Islamist militants has fueled violence in these areas.

According to the BBC, Turkey carried out more than 100 attacks between October 2019 and January 2024 on oil fields, gas facilities and power stations.

The Kurdish-led administration, which has demonstrated a strong commitment to gender equality, grassroots democracy, and multi-ethnic coexistence, deserves recognition and support from the EU.

Moreover, with concerns that the recent US administration change might lead to a withdrawal of US troops from the region, the EU must act urgently to fill this void and provide the necessary diplomatic and logistical support to protect this fragile yet progressive Kurdish autonomy.

In light of the recent events and longstanding repression of Syrian and Kurdish communities, it is essential for the EU to take a firm stand in support of the right to self-determination of all Syrians, human rights, democracy, and regional stability. The EU’s commitment to human rights and peace must be more than just rhetoric.

We urge the EU and the international community to take the following actions:

1. Pressure Turkey to restrain from any military action against the Kurdish areas in Northern Syria and to take credible action against Islamist groups operating in the area.

2. Pressure Israel to restrain from invasive actions in the Syrian territory.

3. Recognise and support the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, including providing humanitarian aid and rebuilding infrastructure damaged by Turkish and Islamist attacks.

4. If the EU considers establishing any formal relationship with HTS or a new administration, it must condition this on the recognition of Rojava's autonomy and the acknowledgement of the Kurdish administration’s status both within Syria and in the international community.

5. Refrain from forced returns or suspension of asylum processes of Syrian refugees in the EU. The situation remains chaotic and uncertain. In the worst-case scenario, returns could amount to a death sentence for certain groups of people.