“The fall of the Assad regime opened a new chapter in our struggle for independence,” says Hoshang Hassan, a Kurdish-Syrian journalist, to ‘Davar’. “The Turks are doing everything to deny us sovereignty.They have armed ISIS in the past and in recent years they have been arming a series of murderous jihadist organizations that have kidnapped women and children from us. They have made their goal the end of add to the democratic entity we established. We will not give up, but we need help. Israel can definitely help us.”
The Zoom call with Hassan took place as the air force bombed hundreds of targets across Syria to eliminate Assad’s army assets and infrastructure. At the same time, a military airport was also bombed in Qamishli, the capital of the Kurdish independence known as the North-Eastern Syrian Civil Administration, almost half of whose residents are Arabs and members of other minorities. There were concerns that Israel was the one to bomb Assad’s army airport operating in the heart of Kurdish territory.The journalist Hasan said that they say on the Kurdish street that if Israel is the one to bomb, fine, as it is indeed an ally of the Kurds, but if it is Turkey, this is a dangerous development. Later that day Turkey announced that it was the one that was bombed.
Hosheng said the Kurdish street is eager for increased support from the US and Israel,the only democratic entity that has emerged in the Middle East in recent years. but fear of the future with the new goverment that might potentially be radical Islamic and fight the Kurds.
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces (SDF), said similar things last night on a local Kurdish television channel. Abdi referred to the attacks carried out by Turkey and its jihadist allies, from all sides, against the civil administration of northeastern syria led by the Kurds, saying that this is a testing time for the Kurdish-Arab alliance in the democratic civil administration.
The Civil Administration of North-Eastern Syria (Rojava) decided yesterday to adopt the ‘Syrian independence flag’, ie the three-star flag of the rebels, which will now also be flown
Last week, the jihadists managed to capture the city of Manbij from the hands of the autonomous administrator and pushed the SDF led by the Kurds to the east, across the Euphrates River, after which they also took Deir ez-Zor, which the Kurds took over. with the withdrawal of Assad forces. The AFP news agency reported that the battles killed at least 218 people in Manbij before the US-brokered ceasefire began on Wednesday, in which they withdrew Arab and Kurdish forces took the SDF east of the Euphrates River, and the Jews in cooperation with Turkey the city of Manbij and dozens of other villages in its vicinity.
Despite the ceasefire, Ankara has announced that it will continue its activities against “terrorist” elements in the region, and considers the kurdish fighters to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is fighting the Turkish authorities. for many years.
“Turkey is doing everything in its power to ensure that the Kurds come out of this weakened process” in Syria, Irfan Aktan, a journalist and expert on Kurdish affairs, told AFP. “Ankara is using pro-Turkish factions in Syria to overthrow the semi-autonomous Kurdish government.
In the last day, the jihadists and the Turkish army attacked again. They tried to break through the Tishrin Dam,where the commanders of the Kurdish SDF reported that they managed to reverse the attack and kill 168 terrorists,while another 68 were killed in another attack at the Karakozak Bridge.
It truly seems that despite the ceasefire agreement between Ankara and Washington, and perhaps according to it (its details have not been published), Turkey wants to occupy additional territories held by the SDF beyond the Euphrates, in the Tabaka area.and Mansura, and push for Kurdish autonomy on the areas between the Euphrates and Syria’s borders with Turkey and Iraq.
Journalist Hasan points out that US army special forces helped the SDF capture Tabqa – a town with a strategic dam that bears his name and borders ‘lake Asad’, whose name has not yet been changed from helicopters and attack ISIS there in a heroic battle, this To keep the murderous organization from blowing up the dam and causing the Euphrates River to flood, which could cause a humanitarian disaster in the east of Syria and Iraq. Now Jihadists are again trying to capture the area,and the Kurds are asking the Americans to help protect it.
How can international support play a role in advancing Kurdish autonomy and addressing regional conflicts?
Time.news Interview with Hoshang Hassan: A Kurdish-Syrian Viewpoint on the Fight for Sovereignty
Time.news Editor (TNE): Thank you, Hoshang, for joining us today. To start our conversation, could you share what you believe the fall of the Assad regime means for the Kurdish struggle for independence?
Hoshang Hassan (HH): thank you for having me.The fall of the Assad regime indeed opened a new chapter in our quest for independence.It provided us with a unique opportunity to assert our rights and establish a democratic entity within syria. Though, as I mentioned previously, this struggle is fraught with challenges, particularly from external actors like Turkey.
TNE: You mentioned in your previous statements that Turkey has been a meaningful obstacle to your sovereignty. Can you elaborate on how they have interfered in Kurdish autonomy?
HH: Certainly. Turkey has historically pursued a policy to deny us our freedoms. They have supported various jihadist factions in the region, arming them in an effort to undermine our efforts for self-determination. Thes groups have committed atrocious acts against our people, including the kidnapping of women and children. Their ultimate goal appears to be the dismantling of the democratic structures that we have worked hard to establish.
TNE: That sounds incredibly daunting. In the context of the recent air strikes against Assad’s forces, how do you perceive the current military situation in northeastern Syria?
HH: The bombings are part of a broader strategy to eliminate remaining assad military assets, which is crucial for our safety.However, there are serious concerns about the potential for collateral damage, especially against civilian infrastructure, given the mixed demographic of the region. Qamishli, our administrative capital, represents a melting pot of ethnicities, and any escalations could lead to a humanitarian crisis.
TNE: Many are speculating about Israel’s role in these airstrikes, particularly regarding the military airport within kurdish territory. What are people saying on the ground?
HH: On the Kurdish street,there are mixed feelings. Some see Israel’s actions as a potential ally against Assad and a support to our cause for independence. However, others are cautious, as the history of foreign interventions has often led to unforeseen consequences. We are wary and demand that assistance be conditional on the respect for our rights and sovereignty.
TNE: given the complexities of the situation, what do you think the Kurdish people need most right now?
HH: We need international support to consolidate our gains and resist oppressive forces. Specifically, we seek political recognition and military assistance to defend our regions against Turkish incursions and jihadist threats. An ally like Israel could play a significant role in bolstering our security, but we also want our voice to be respected in any discussions regarding the future of Syria.
TNE: It sounds like the Kurdish struggle is at a critical juncture. How do you foresee the future, especially with ongoing military tensions?
HH: The future is uncertain, but I firmly believe that our determination will prevail. The Kurds have proven our resilience time and again. We will continue to fight for autonomy and democracy, and as global dynamics shift, I hope more nations will recognize and support our right to self-determination in a volatile region.
TNE: thank you, Hoshang, for sharing your insights and experiences with us. We will continue to follow this story closely and hope for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in your region.
HH: Thank you for the opportunity. It’s crucial that the voices of the Kurdish people are heard in the global discourse.