The pieces are falling into place
As hundreds of Alevi civilians were massacred in Syria’s coastal regions, an agreement was signed between HTŞ and SDG, whose backbone is formed by the YPG. The eight-article memorandum, signed by HTŞ leader Muhammad al-Jolani and SDG commander Mazloum Abdi, includes provisions for integrating all civilian and military institutions, border crossings, airports, and oil and gas resources controlled by SDG into the Syrian state, while also ensuring constitutional rights for the Kurdish community.
The HTŞ-SDG memorandum can be interpreted from different angles. Some view it as a direct response to PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call, suggesting that SDG has accepted disarmament through this agreement and that the process aligns perfectly with developments in Turkey. DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan also stated yesterday that the agreement was in line with Öcalan’s message.
On the other hand, there are those who argue that "what matters is how the agreement is implemented." Questions remain: Will the SDG, with an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 fighters, be fully integrated into the Syrian army, or will it retain its organizational identity within the military, assuming a role like a 'gendarmerie' force?
The Syrian branch of the Kurdish political movement has embraced this agreement with an even more positive outlook than its actual content suggests. PYD leader Salih Muslim responded affirmatively when asked, "Can we say that this agreement consolidates the Rojava Revolution? At least regionally, has Rojava gained official status?" He elaborated:
"Yes, we can say it has been consolidated. We have fought so hard, struggled for so long, and now we are becoming partners in everything. We are becoming partners in this state's governance, constitution, daily life, and economy, everything."
Above all, this agreement was not a surprise. Since December 7, the day Assad fell, Mazloum Abdi had been openly stating that they could hold talks with HTŞ, emphasizing that they had never directly clashed with HTŞ before. In reality, U.S. and Israeli plans for redesigning Syria necessitate this step. The HTŞ-SDG memorandum is also guaranteed by the U.S.
Indeed, SDG spokesperson Ferhad Shami described the agreement as a "preliminary step," noting that the U.S. was one of its key architects. Reports also suggest that before the signing ceremony, U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Kurilla met with Abdi, and that Abdi travelled from a military base in Homs to Damascus aboard a U.S. helicopter to sign the deal.
Naturally, the process in Turkey driven by Bahçeli and Öcalan's call for the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve cannot be considered independently from the latest developments in Syria. Each of them is a part of the whole and the steps taken intersect at some point. However, this process is not centred on ‘peace and democracy’ as claimed in the media.
There is no genuine intention to resolve the Kurdish issue—nor is it even framed within that context. As we’ve emphasized before, this government does not recognize a Kurdish issue. Even Bahçeli, now lauded by some as a "champion of democracy," has not moved an inch from his position that "there is no Kurdish issue." More importantly, a democratic solution cannot emerge in an environment where the most fundamental principles of democracy have been dismantled.
Ultimately, this is about the emerging geopolitical order and the political leverage the regime seeks to gain domestically. Understanding Bahçeli’s maneuver and Öcalan’s statement within the broader context of the new Syrian order makes the picture much clearer.
While the Turkish state is in the phase of adopting a paradigm in line with the new regional reality, inside the country, ways are being sought to turn this dynamic into a lever that will separate the opposition and pull the Kurdish movement into an independent position.
To idealize this process, assign it flattering labels, or detach it from domestic political interests would be a grave miscalculation. The trajectory may take a positive or negative turn, but over time, its true nature will become even clearer.
Note: This article is translated from the original Turkish version titled Taşlar yerine oturuyor, published in BirGün newspaper on March 12, 2025.
