On Wednesday 25 February, the foreign affairs representative of the administration of North-East Syria-Rojava, Ilham Ahmed, called on the EU to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached between the Kurds and the Syrian government on 19 January (see EUROPE 13790/24).
“We need an international committee, in particular a European one, on the ground to ensure rigorous monitoring of implementation in order to prevent any attacks on the region and to ensure sound application of the agreement”, she told Agence Europe. One of the elements of the agreement concerns the integration of the Kurdish armed forces into the Syrian army, which “is still encountering difficulties”, explained Ilham Ahmed at a hearing in the European Parliament organised by MEP Evin Incir (S&D, Swedish).
Four brigades are planned, which “means that a third of our security forces will not be integrated into the new army. (...) Those who fought Daesh will not return home”. She also believes that the threat from Daesh persists and that there is a high risk of a new attack on the region.
Asked about the escape of Daesh prisoners from camps guarded by the Kurds, Ilham Ahmed explained that, faced with the intensity of the Syrian army’s attacks, they had had to withdraw their forces from the camps, handing them over to the army. According to her, it was then that “the army let members of Daesh escape”.
Rohilat Afrin, General Commander of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), said that the women in the defence forces did not know what future lay in store for them. And added that: “The YPJ is not limited to military activities, but is also an organisation that defends women’s freedom. The EU can play a crucial role in supporting us”.
More generally, the two Kurdish leaders expressed concern about the future of women in Syria. “They have protected and defended society, but today they are up against a retrograde mentality that denies the existence and rights of Kurds”, warned Rohilat Afrin, calling for international support for the protection and emancipation of women, when “the transitional government gives them no place”. “Women are prevented from reaching decision-making positions, and the future does not look promising for them at all levels”, added Ilham Ahmed.
The political representative also called for support for the drafting of a new constitution guaranteeing the rights of the Kurds and other communities in the region, and for the Kurds to be involved in the drafting of the constitution and to form part of the government.
After meetings with the European External Action Service and the European Parliament, Ilham Ahmed explained that the Europeans had “only said that they would try to support us, but without any concrete commitment”. She also regretted that the EU had previously ignored the Kurds. “A third of Syria is under our control; we have a democratic system, but the EU has never invited us or offered us dialogue to reach an agreement on Syria’s future. Perhaps they could now come to an agreement with us”, she pleaded. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)