If we did not talk to Damascus, the Kurds would have been massacred

According to Kurdistan Press, Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed spoke in an exclusive interview about the future of the autonomous administration, the process of integration with Damascus, the rights of the Kurds, their participation in the political structure of Syria, the status of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ), relations with Turkey, and the possible reopening of the Nusaybin-Qamishlo border crossing. He emphasized that the official dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on August 25 is not the end of the Kurdish political process, but rather the beginning of a new phase of political, legal, and institutional struggle. He also added that if talks with Damascus did not begin, there was a possibility of a massacre against the Kurds, and the decision to completely remove them from the region was on the agenda.In an exclusive interview with the publication Amrgi, Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed explained the integration process, saying that the process began when the SDF decided to integrate its forces into government institutions and participate in the existing structures of the Syrian government. According to him, the announcement of the dissolution of the SDF on August 25 was actually the last stage of this process, and after that, the cases that are still unresolved or incomplete should be followed up through dialogue with government institutions.

Regarding the Syrian constitution, the Kurdish official also stated that the process of drafting a permanent constitution has not yet begun and the committee responsible for it has not been formed.

She said that the Syrian government has set a five-year transitional period and that nearly two years have now passed since the beginning of this period, so the process of drafting the constitution should be pursued more quickly in the coming years.

Ahmed also referred to the formation of the Syrian parliament and said that the existence of the parliament provides the possibility of passing laws and better organizing the political and social life of the country.

Responding to criticism that the integration process means the failure of the self-government and the end of the Kurdish achievements, Elham Ahmed rejected this perception and said that the entry of government institutions into the northern and eastern regions of Syria is within the framework of the agreement and does not mean domination or occupation of the region.

According to him, according to this process, the Kurds will be present in Damascus, and in return, the Syrian government institutions will also be present in the region. Local forces and people working in government structures can also maintain their Kurdish identity at the same time.

Regarding the role of international powers in the integration process, Ahmed said that these countries have been monitoring the process from the beginning and, in cases of disagreement, they put pressure on different parties to advance it.

She added that political relations with members of the international coalition against ISIS continue, and although their military presence has decreased, political contacts are still maintained.

Regarding relations with Turkey, Ahmed also said that a channel of dialogue between the two sides is active and that negotiations on the future of Syria and ways to prevent tensions are ongoing.

She emphasized that after the SDF is integrated into the Syrian government structure, the Kurdish issue can no longer be considered solely a security and military issue, and Ankara must also change its approach towards the Kurds.

One of the most important issues raised in the talks was the fate of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).

Ahmed said the Kurds insist on women’s participation in military and political structures, but the Syrian government has not agreed to the official presence of women in the army.

According to him, the issue has been raised many times in meetings with the Syrian president, but Damascus continues to oppose the YPJ’s presence in the army structure.

Ahmed said that a solution currently being considered is to integrate the YPJ into the structure of the Interior Ministry and institutions related to internal security, a move that he said could maintain an organized presence of women.

Elham Ahmed, in another part of the interview, rejected the comparison of the current situation of the Syrian Kurds with the Republic of Mahabad.

She said that after the fall of the Republic of Mahabad, there was repression and execution of its leaders, but the current situation of the Syrian Kurds is different and the Kurdish community remains organized and can express its demands.

She added that this decision was made by Damascus, with the possible participation of some other actors, and the outcome of the talks prevented the aforementioned scenario from happening.

According to Ahmed, instead of a massacre, the Kurds remained in their areas and a decree was issued recognizing the Kurdish identity, culture, and language.

She emphasized that there is still a long way to go to complete this process, but the Kurds are now present in the structure of the Syrian government and do not want the country to be divided.

Ahmed concluded by saying that the Kurds’ goal is to enjoy a free life, the ability to use their language and culture, and political rights, adding: “If we had not gone to talk to Damascus, a massacre would have occurred; we went and prevented it.”