From Rojava to Damascus? Kurds aim for unified voice in Syria's reconstruction
Shafaq News/ Kurdish political parties and civil society groups from across Rojava (northeastern Syria) convened in Qamishli on Saturday for a landmark conference aimed at forging a unified Kurdish stance for the future of Syria.
More than 400 participants, including representatives from Syrian Kurdish parties, Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkiye, and independent political and religious figures, gathered for the "Conference of Kurdish Unity," held at the Qamishlo Hall in Azadi Park.
According to a statement, the conference seeks to draft a common Kurdish vision for Syria’s reconstruction following the collapse of the government in Damascus on December 8, 2024. Participants accused the former regime of Bashar al-Assad of committing widespread human rights violations and causing massive devastation across the country.
In an opening address, General Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), emphasized that Kurdish unity is intended to strengthen, not divide, Syria’s territorial integrity, adding that “Kurds have long fought for a united Syrian homeland."
Delegates adopted a founding political document advocating for a decentralized, democratic Syria that enshrines Kurdish national rights in the future constitution, while adhering to international human rights standards and ensuring full protection and empowerment of women.
The conference also called for using the new political vision as a foundation for dialogue among Kurdish factions, as well as with the future central government in Damascus and other national forces, to build a pluralistic, multiethnic, and multireligious state based on constitutional equality and dignity.
A joint Kurdish delegation was formed to oversee the implementation of the initiative through direct engagement with relevant Syrian and international stakeholders.
The conference's leadership committee included Mohammed Ismail, head of the Kurdish National Council; Ilham Ahmed, head of foreign relations for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria; and Berwin Yousef, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
