Syria at a 'Critical Crossroads,' Warns Kurdish Council, Calls for Inclusive Democracy

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - One year after the fall of Syria’s Baath regime, the Kurdish National Council in Syria (KNCS) issued a sweeping statement warning that the country stands at a critical crossroads, calling for an end to violence and exclusion and urging a comprehensive national political solution that safeguards the rights of all Syrian components.

The Kurdish National Council in Syria released a statement on Monday addressing the political and security developments in the country one year after the collapse of the authoritarian Baath system.

The council said Syria is passing through a “delicate and sensitive phase,” as Syrians across political, economic, and security spheres look toward new horizons that fulfill their legitimate aspirations to build a pluralistic democratic state based on justice, equal citizenship, and the rule of law.

The statement noted that coastal regions have recently witnessed peaceful popular movements, during which citizens voiced demands for the establishment of a federal system, guarantees for the rights of all Syrian components, the reinstatement of arbitrarily dismissed employees, and improvements to deteriorating living conditions.

The council said it would have been more appropriate for security authorities to respond to these demands through dialogue and national responsibility, rather than resorting to violence that increases tension and complicates the situation.

Reaffirming its position, the Kurdish National Council stressed the importance of safeguarding civil peace, condemning violence regardless of its source, and rejecting any attempts to push Syrian society toward internal tensions or clashes. It also warned against exploiting peaceful protests in ways that distort their legitimate objectives.

The statement emphasized that provocative or sabotage acts must not be used as a pretext to restrict public freedoms or curtail freedom of expression.

Referring to developments in the Syrian coast and earlier “painful events” in Sweida province, the council said these incidents clearly demonstrate that ignoring popular demands and persisting with policies of marginalization and exclusion will not bring stability, but rather fuel further unrest.

The council also expressed concern over recent developments in Aleppo, particularly breaches of existing understandings in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods and the continued siege of both areas, warning of their negative impact on the overall Syrian situation.

In the same context, the Kurdish National Council voiced regret over the ongoing stalemate regarding opening the way for the joint Kurdish delegation to engage in serious and responsible dialogue on a just democratic solution to the Kurdish issue in Syria.

It stressed the necessity of separating this political track from security and military arrangements, including the March 10 agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Damascus authority.

The council reiterated its conviction that the solution in Syria cannot be security-based or built on exclusion, but must be a comprehensive national political settlement that constitutionally recognizes Syria as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state.

It called for adopting a decentralized system that guarantees national and political rights for all Syrians and ends monopolization of power, which it said was a primary cause of the country’s current situation.

As Syria enters its second year after the fall of the Baath regime, the Kurdish National Council underscored that Syrians’ aspirations remain firmly centered on building a pluralistic, democratic civil state that guarantees freedom, dignity, and justice, and blocks any return to authoritarianism in all its forms.