Latest news with #DemocraticAutonomousAdministrationinNorthandEastSyria
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Syria's Druze seek access to Rojava as Kurds send humanitarian aid
Also in Syria Damascus denies forces re-entered Druze area Syrian forces withdraw from Suwayda after Israeli strikes, rising death toll Syrian army withdraws from Suwayda following deadly clashes Syrian Druze leader vows to continue battle to 'liberate' Suwayda A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria's Druze on Thursday called for the opening of a route to connect them with the Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava), as recent attacks by Damascus-affiliated forces on the religious minority in Suwayda have triggered a dire humanitarian crisis. Rojava authorities have expressed solidarity with the Druze and announced plans to send them aid. The Druze spiritual leadership on Thursday said in a statement that they demand "opening of roads towards our Kurdish brothers," referring to Rojava. It also appealed to Jordan to open a border crossing with Suwayda in southern Syria "given the humanitarian importance of these routes in these critical moments." Clashes erupted earlier this week between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin tribes in Suwayda, Syria's predominantly Druze province. The Syrian army intervened and took control of most of the province, which had been under the rule of Druze militants since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. A ceasefire was reached on Wednesday between Damascus and the Druze following US intervention and Israeli support for the minority group. Syrian army withdrew from Suwayda following the truce. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based war monitor which relies on a network of sources within Syria, said on Thursday that nearly 600 people were killed in the clashes. Nearly half of the casualties are residents of Suwayda. The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES), or Rojava, said in a statement on Thursday that "based on our moral and humanitarian duty... we announce that we are sending a batch of urgent humanitarian aid to our people in Suwayda province, who are facing extremely difficult humanitarian conditions as a result of field developments and recent attacks on their areas, which have led to deteriorating living and service conditions." The Kurds in northeast and the Druze in the south have maintained strong ties since the fall of the regime. A large number of people took to the streets of Qamishli in Rojava on Thursday to show solidarity with the Druze community. Mazloum Abdi, chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Wednesday that they had received appeals from the Druze in Suwayda to "secure safe passages for civilians and to stop the attacks targeting them." The clashes led to the displacement of thousands of people from Suwayda. "The cause of our Druze people is a national issue, and its solution must be constitutional and through resorting to dialogue," Abdi said. Attacks on the Druze included disrespecting the minority group. Footage of Damascus-affiliated fighters forcibly shaving off the moustaches of the Druze people went viral. The Syrian presidency said it was investigating the violations. A resident of Suwayda sent a video of her house to Rudaw on Wednesday, describing their fear and violations committed by Damascus-affiliated security forces. 'We have been besieged in Suwayda. We cannot leave Suwayda at all. Suwayda has been completely besieged. We have also been besieged in the house, and we have been under mortar attacks in a frightening way for three days, meaning the mortar attacks do not cease and there is gunfire and street fighting. Snippers have been placed in all parts of Suwayda,' she noted.
Rudaw Net
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava says won't implement decisions of new ‘exclusionary' government in Syria
Also in Syria PYD confirms 'serious efforts' for Turkey-SDF ceasefire in northeast Syria Syrian cancer patients face growing crises due to medicine shortages Germany welcomes formation of new Syrian government Syria's Sharaa announces new cabinet A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday criticized Syria's newly-formed interim government as 'exclusionary' and 'failing' to uphold diversity, stressing that they would not abide by its decisions. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday announced his new 23-minister cabinet, which includes ministers from his former government. The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) on Sunday rejected the new cabinet, claiming that it 'resembled its [caretaker] predecessor in failing to take Syria's diversity into consideration and allowing a single faction to maintain control.' It warned that any government that does not represent Syria's plurality will not be able to properly manage the country and pull it out of its crisis. The DAANES further noted that they will not adhere to the decisions of the new government in Damascus. 'We will not be concerned with implementing and executing decisions issued by it, as this insistence on repeating past mistakes will harm Syrians and will never launch a comprehensive political process that can provide solutions to the pending issues, problems, and crises Syria is experiencing,' their statement read. The Kurdish-led administration has previously criticized other actions taken by the interim government in Damascus, accusing it of marginalizing Kurds and other minorities. In early March, Rojava's ruling and opposition parties condemned Damascus for excluding the Kurds from the committee tasked with drafting Syria's constitutional declaration. Two weeks later, the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) strongly rejected the draft of the interim constitution, approved by Sharaa, as perpetuating policies of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime. Prior to that, the Kurdish opposition parties in mid-February slammed the exclusion of Kurds from a key committee tasked by Sharaa to prepare for a National Dialogue Conference aimed at discussing Syria's future. Importantly, the interim constitution and its drafting committee, as well as the National Dialogue Conference and its committee, drew criticism from other components of Syrian society, including the Druze and the Christians. Following a swift offensive, a coalition of rebel groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - headed by Sharaa - on December 8 toppled the Assad regime. Sharaa was in late January appointed as Syria's interim President. Upon his appointment, Sharaa vowed to uphold the rights of all ethnic and religious groups. However, the international community has repeatedly criticized the new leadership in Damascus for its treatment of Syria's minority groups.
Rudaw Net
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava blames Damascus for deadly clashes in coastal area
Also in Syria Assad remnants launch deadly attacks on Damascus forces in western Syria Elderly Kurdish couple killed in Damascus Clashes leave 15 dead in southern Syria Italy approves €4.5 million Syria aid package A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Friday warned that the country could be dragged 'to the brink of the abyss' and accused the new authorities in Damascus of failing to understand Syria's diversity after dozens of people were killed in clashes between security personnel and loyalists of ousted president Bashar al-Assad. The Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) said it was concerned and saddened by the clashes and blamed the violence on Damascus, saying it failed to 'take into account the sensitivity of the situation in Syria, especially the diversity in components and spectrums.' Attacks and ambushes by armed men loyal to the toppled regime on Thursday led to the deaths of at least 70 people and dozens of others were wounded in Alawite-majority areas on Syria's western coast, a stronghold of the Assad family, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The DAANES warned that such deadly escalations could drag 'our homeland to the brink of the abyss and may cause massacres against our Syrian people.' Local authorities imposed overnight curfews in areas affected by the unrest and Damascus deployed reinforcements to curb the advance of armed groups who reportedly had taken control of some territory. No official figures have been released regarding the death toll. The new authorities in Damascus, headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group that spearheaded the offensive that drove Assad out of the country in December, have come under repeated criticism for their treatment of minority groups. Kurdish ruling and opposition parties in Rojava have accused Damascus of marginalizing Kurds after they were not invited to a National Dialogue Conference or to sit on the committee tasked with drafting a constitutional declaration. The conference, held in Damascus last month, was intended to be a step toward free and fair elections, the formation of an inclusive government, and the drafting of a new constitution. However, the event sparked a wave of criticism after 35 political parties in Rojava issued a joint statement questioning its ability to 'pave the way for a genuine solution to the country's crisis.' Weeks after taking power, Sharaa said he would respect the rights of all ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds. Clashes have also broken out in the south of the country and Israel has threatened a military incursion to defend Druze communities.
