Syrian Kurds have not lost everything

According to KurdPress, Mazloum Abdi (Kobani), the former commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, spoke in an exclusive interview with the German-based Amarji magazine about the agreement with Damascus, the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the end of the autonomous administration, the future of Kurdish rights, and the possibility of the formation of a new political movement. Abdi did not consider the January 29 agreement with Damascus to be a "surrender" by the Kurds, and emphasized that this agreement, although it did not meet the Kurds' demands, was necessary in the circumstances at that time to prevent further war, killings, and displacement.Mazoloom Kobani said about the difficulty of the peace process in Syria: "It is definitely more difficult to establish peace than war. We have fought and now we have entered the peace process and are trying to advance it. Establishing peace is difficult because there are many people who do not want peace. People want peace, but others benefit from the war and therefore oppose peace. There are other factors, especially in the Middle East, and a lot of struggle and effort must be made to achieve peace."

Regarding the view that Syrian Kurds have missed out on past opportunities and now have nothing, Kobani said: "The reality is that conditions have changed and we have to accept this. The past 15 years were a unique period. The whole of Syria and the Middle East were in special conditions; the war with ISIS was going on, international and regional forces were present in Syria, and the Syrian government was diplomatically isolated. We Kurds in this region were also living in conditions that were practically like a state.

Kobani said about the achievements of the Kurds in the new conditions: "In terms of regional governance, today the forces that govern the region are local forces and the people of this region. Previously, in Kobani and the island, we knew who ruled the region, but today in the field of security, administration and even the military sector, the local people are responsible for these responsibilities. Such a situation did not exist before.

Regarding the withdrawal of the international coalition from Syria, Kobani said: "The international coalition has left Syria and is no longer here. They told us that they would leave and this happened. However, they still maintain contact on some issues related to Syria. For example, there is ongoing contact and dialogue regarding the implementation of the agreement between us and the Syrian government. There is also a kind of relationship between us and them in the fight against ISIS, but they no longer have a force on the ground."

"The most important thing for me is to be able to serve my people," Kobani said of his new role as an advisor to the Syrian president. "I said before that I want to work among my people for the unity of the Kurds and the strengthening of the Kurds and the Kurdish issue, and I still stand by that position. I will continue to do this, whether I am here or in Damascus."