Statement also in other languages: ITA – GER
The last 23 days have been marked by intense fighting between the jihadist forces of the Syrian Transitional Government (STG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Despite all efforts by the SDF to engage in political negotiations with the STG and reach a peaceful solution, this war was forced upon the SDF and especially the Kurdish population. In recent days, we have witnessed historic resistance from the population. The fighters have proven once again that they will never accept surrender and that they remain committed to democratic values until the very end.
On January 29, another agreement was signed between the SDF and the STG. Several ceasefires had been negotiated previously, but the STG did not comply with them and even exploited them to commit crimes against humanity. We therefore express our doubts and assure you that the people here on the ground are also critical and vigilant. They are aware of the risk of a prolonged and expanding war. Despite this risk, the SDF insists on a peaceful and political solution. This is not out of naivety, but is part of an ideological intervention in the current Third World War. This war has already turned the Middle East into a bloodbath in a short period of time. The war strategy of the hegemonic states against the societies of the Middle East – from Gaza to Iran – aims to break the democratic will of the people and render them politically incapable of action. To counteract this strategy and prevent further massacres of society, the SDF has agreed to a ceasefire and integration into the Syrian state. The first and most important goal of this agreement is therefore clearly to stop the war.
The agreement is neither a defeat nor a capitulation. Rather, it is a further attempt to put into practice the democratic integration already negotiated in the agreement of March 10. The strategy of democratic integration is by no means a submission to state structures. The clear goal remains to strengthen the democratic self-organization of society beyond the state and to create further opportunities for this through the agreement. The agreement is undoubtedly fraught with risks and enormous difficulties. For we are confronted not only with a jihadist-dictatorial system, but also with the hegemonic interests of the US and Israel. This combination can be understood as a double threat.
How much can we trust the agreement? We must not forget with who we are sitting at the negotiating table. This moment is not the end of the struggle, but the beginning of a new, even more intense phase. Now we must build international pressure at the highest level to ensure that the agreement is implemented correctly in accordance with our values. Ultimately, the revolutionary attitude of society, revolutionaries, and activists, but also of the international community, will determine the extent to which these risks can be combated.
Rojava continues to exist and the revolution continues. If we stop hoping, trusting, and supporting now, we will end the revolution ourselves. The people here are organized and politicized and will continue to live their revolutionary values and fight on. We must see ourselves as part of this. The more pressure we exert on the parties involved and the more we use the newly gained leeway, the sooner the integration process will proceed in line with democratic interests. For us, integration means that we are no longer limited to Northern and Eastern Syria, but can exert influence throughout Syria and the entire region.
We must remain vigilant! The war is not over yet. The siege of Kobane has not been lifted, and the captured fighters of the SDF and YPJ have not yet been freed from the hands of the jihadists. Women’s rights are not yet guaranteed. Therefore, this is not a time for stagnation or hopelessness, but for action and resistance. We will continue to fight for the defense of Rojava and the achievements of the revolution.
Revolutionary greetings full of hope and the spirit of resistance,
January 30, 2026
Internationalist Commune in Rojava
A summary of the agreement is as follows:
“This agreement provides for the withdrawal of armed forces from the contact points, the deployment of security forces from the Ministry of the Interior to the city centers of Hasakah and Qamishlo, the initiation of the integration process of the security forces in the region, and the formation of a military division under the supervision of the Aleppo provincial administration, consisting of three brigades from the SDF and one brigade from Kobanê.
The agreement also provides for the integration of the institutions of the Autonomous Administration into the Syrian state institutions and the formal appointment of current employees to official positions.
In addition, the agreement guarantees the civil and educational rights of the Kurdish people and aims to ensure the return of displaced persons to their homes.
This agreement aims to achieve full integration in the region and ensure the unity of Syrian territory by strengthening cooperation between the relevant parties and unifying efforts to rebuild the country.”
It should be added that the YPJ will continue to exist as an essential part of the SDF, but that no arrangements have yet been negotiated outside of this for the rights of women, religious minorities, and other population groups.