Kurdistan Syria Front Warns Against SDF-SDC Agreement, Calls It a Concession of Kurdish Rights

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Syria Front criticized the recently announced agreement between the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), describing it as a serious concession that undermines the legitimate national rights of Kurds in Syria.

In a statement, the front expressed deep concern that this agreement follows what it called a "trajectory of compromise" that began at the Syrian Democratic Path Conference in Brussels in October 2024, where the Kurdish issue was largely sidelined. 

The statement further argued that the new agreement primarily serves non-Kurdish agendas and fails to secure fundamental Kurdish demands.

Lack of Internal Kurdish Consensus

The Kurdistan Syria Front criticized the absence of internal Kurdish coordination before reaching any understanding with external parties. 

It emphasized that the SDF, SDC, and the Kurdish National Council in Syria (KNCS) are operating separately without genuine cooperation, undermining the possibility of a unified Kurdish stance in regional and international negotiations. 

The statement warned that such unilateral approaches weaken Kurdish political influence and prevent the formation of a joint delegation to represent Kurdish interests effectively.

Call for a Clear Political Framework

The front outlined a set of core principles it believes should form the foundation of any future political process in Syria, including:

Establishing a federal system as the basis for governance in Syria, ensuring a fair distribution of power and resources.
Recognizing "Syrian Kurdistan" as a unified federal entity with boundaries redrawn according to historical and demographic realities.
Granting constitutional recognition of Kurds as a primary national group alongside Arabs and adopting Kurdish as an official language.
Ending Arabization policies, abolishing the consequences of the Arab Belt policy and exceptional laws, and restoring the rights of those forcibly displaced.
Restoring Syrian nationality to stateless Kurds and resolving the issue of unregistered Kurds.

A Unified Kurdish Stance is Essential

The Kurdistan Syria Front stressed the necessity of a united Kurdish position to protect national rights, warning that any agreement failing to explicitly guarantee constitutional rights for Kurds would be a betrayal of fundamental principles, benefiting only individual or party interests rather than the broader Kurdish cause.

Agreement Seeks to Redefine Kurdish Relations with Damascus

A meeting on Tuesday between the SDF, SDC, and AANES resulted in a unified vision regarding Syria’s future and the stance toward the country’s new leadership.

Key agreements included integrating SDF forces into Syria’s new national army and facilitating the return of government institutions to areas currently under the administration’s control. 

Additionally, the meeting extended an invitation to Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, to visit “northeastern Syria”, aiming to enhance coordination and accelerate the return of displaced individuals to their homes.

Tensions Over Representation in National Dialogue

The agreement comes amid continued criticism from Kurdish factions against the Preparatory Committee for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference, which they argue does not reflect Syria’s diverse ethnic and political makeup. 

Kurdish representatives have insisted that they will not recognize or adhere to the resolutions of any conference or dialogue in which they are excluded.

Read More: KNCS Objects to Kurdish Exclusion from National Dialogue

The developments also coincide with efforts by Syria’s new Ministry of Defense to integrate all armed factions into a newly established national army, following the dissolution of military forces linked to the previous regime of Bashar al-Assad.

For its part, the SDF has previously asserted that it will not relinquish its weapons until Syria’s new government structure and constitution are clearly defined, and the outcomes of the anticipated national dialogue are determined.