Syrian Kurds seek a secular, civil State after Assad's fall: Abdi

Syrian Kurds seek a secular and civil State after Assads fall — General Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces SDF, the de facto army of Syria’s autonomous Kurdish administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), February 2, 2025. Photo: AP

QAMISHLO,— The commander of the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) has called for a secular, decentralized government in Syria following the recent ousting of President Bashar Assad.

Speaking in an interview with AP on Sunday, General Mazloum Abdi emphasized that the country must ensure equal rights for all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Abdi revealed that he recently met with Syria’s interim leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Damascus. According to him, negotiations—facilitated by international mediators—are ongoing to determine the country’s political future, including the status of Kurdish regions.

Assad’s Regime Falls After 54 Years

The Assad family’s decades-long rule ended in early December when opposition forces, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took control of Damascus.

Assad was ousted on December 8, 2024 after nearly 14 years of war, a conflict that has killed over 500,000 people and displaced half of Syria’s population.

Following Assad’s removal, opposition groups convened in Damascus and appointed HTS leader al-Sharaa as interim president. They suspended the 2012 constitution, dissolved the Syrian Army, and dismantled the country’s intelligence agencies.

“The fall of the regime was a historic step,” Abdi said. “Now, Syria must move forward without reviving the Baath Party or its ideology.”

Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Golani, is the leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was previously known as the al-Nusra Front and was once affiliated with al-Qaeda.

Prior to founding al-Nusra, Sharaa was a senior member of the Islamic State group (IS).

Kurdish Forces Were Not Part of Leadership Transition

Abdi made it clear that the SDF was not involved in the meeting that appointed al-Sharaa as interim president of Syria.

“We were not present there, and we will not comment,” he said. “The matter was not discussed with us.”

However, he confirmed that talks between the SDF and Damascus are ongoing. “Our position will depend on the outcome of negotiations,” Abdi stated, adding that the SDF is committed to dialogue and finding common ground with the new leadership.

Abdi also confirmed that members of the U.S.-led coalition—including the United States, Britain, and France—are mediating discussions between the SDF and Damascus. He did not provide further details.

Kurds Seek Decentralization, Not Independence

Abdi dismissed speculation that Syria’s Kurds aim to establish an independent state, similar to Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

“Syria is not Iraq, and Northeast Syria is not Iraq’s Kurdistan,” he said. “We want to remain part of Syria but within a decentralized system that allows local governance.” The SDF forces control 25% of Syria, he said.

Although many of Syria’s former rebel factions have agreed to integrate into the new national army, the SDF has not committed to dissolving.

“We are willing, in principle, to be part of Syria’s defense strategy,” Abdi explained. “We have sent a proposal to Damascus and are awaiting a response.”

He insisted that any agreement must guarantee the rights of SDF fighters, who have battled the Islamic State (IS) for more than a decade.

“Our vision for Syria is a decentralized, secular, and democratic state that guarantees the rights of all its diverse communities,” he said, noting the country’s various religious groups, including Sunni Muslims, Christians, Alawites, Druze, and Yazidis, as well as ethnic groups such as Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and Armenians.

U.S. Presence Needed to Counter IS

Abdi warned that IS militants have taken advantage of the post-Assad power vacuum, seizing weapons from abandoned Syrian military bases. He stressed that a premature withdrawal of U.S. forces would destabilize the region and allow IS to regain strength.

“The reason for U.S. troops to stay remains valid—Daesh is still a threat,” Abdi said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Although former President Donald Trump had announced plans for a partial U.S. withdrawal in 2019, those plans were later paused.

“We are not aware of any U.S. plans to leave,” Abdi added. “We ask them to stay.”

(With files from AP)