The SDG-HTS agreement, the US plan, Colani’s constitution
Less than three days after the SDG-HTS agreement, which was claimed to "democratize" Syria, the masks have fallen. Colani has signed the interim constitution. Those who applauded the agreement with HTS are now reacting: It reinforces authoritarianism.
The bricks of the "New Middle East Order," originating from the US and Israel and backed by Gulf monarchies, are being laid step by step. Last week, we wrote in this column: “Like the Balkans of the 90s, the Middle East has been turned into an imperialist hunting ground, and history is unfolding faster than ever. The first phase of the transformation triggered by Hamas' October 7 attacks ended on December 8, when Syria was handed over to HTS. We are now in the second phase. In Syria, the key country in this process, an 'imperial fine-tuning' is underway. Öcalan's call, the SDG-HTS agreement—these are all products of this engineering process.”
The process in Syria and the Middle East is unfolding exactly as the US has planned. The accelerating political developments in Syria stem more from external factors, imperialist intervention than from internal dynamics.
BREAKING POINTS SINCE 8 DECEMBRE
So, what has been happening? Let’s recall the critical moments of the past three months since December 8:
8 December: HTS captured Damascus
For nearly a decade, jihadist factions controlling Idlib launched an offensive on November 27, advancing through Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, and entered Damascus in just 11 days. Assad fled the country, and under the leadership of Colani, HTS took control of Syria.
27 January: Colani consolidated power
Colani, effectively ruling the country, officially declared himself president. The military, bureaucracy, and state institutions were dissolved.
27 February: Öcalan called for disarmament
Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned in İmralı since 1999, called on his organization to lay down arms. The debate centered on whether this call included the YPG/SDG controlling northeastern Syria. Both sides issued statements saying "the process is aligned with Syria."
6 March: Operations against Alawite regions
Units loyal to Colani, recognized by the West and supported by the US, launched attacks on Alawite regions along the Mediterranean coast. The attacks, lasting for days, resulted in massacres targeting Alawites and Christians.
10 March: SDG and HTS signed an agreement
Amidst massacres against Alawites, SDG General Commander Mazlum Abdi and HTS leader Colani, with US backing, signed an agreement in Damascus.
8-point agreement’s first two and sixth articles:
• Article 1: The rights of all Syrians to participate in the political process and state institutions, regardless of religious or ethnic background, will be guaranteed.
• Article 2: The Kurdish community will be recognized as an essential component of the Syrian state, with guaranteed citizenship and constitutional rights.
• Article 6: The most controversial clause: The Syrian state will combat any remnants of the Assad regime and any threats to the country's security and unity.
THREE DAYS OF "AGREEMENT" EUPHORIA
Both the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDG) and Kurds in Syria, Turkey, and Iraq largely presented the agreement as a major victory. Criticism from democratic and progressive circles—"You cannot shake hands with jihadist factions while massacres continue" was ignored.
SDG leader Mazlum Abdi stated that the agreement "offers a real opportunity to build a new Syria." PKK senior official Cemil Bayık called it "a beginning and a positive step" adding: "Leader Apo’s initiative is for all peoples, faiths, and cultures. With this initiative, everyone will win. No one should oppose it."
However, Kurdish enthusiasm lasted only three days.
THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION THAT GAVE COLANI UNLIMITED POWER
13 March, Thursday: Ahmed al-Sharaa (Colani), who was claimed to be "democratizing" Syria, signed a five-year interim constitution three months after seizing the country, hoping it would mark "a new history for Syria."
The 53-article constitution, aimed at establishing an Islamic state, included:
• Article 1: The Syrian Arab Republic is a fully independent and sovereign state. Its territorial and political unity is indivisible, and no part of it can be relinquished.
• Article 2: The president's religion is Islam, and Islamic law (fiqh) is the primary source of legislation.
• Article 20: The People’s Assembly is appointed by the president and serves as the legislative body until a permanent constitution is adopted and parliamentary elections are held.
FİDAN, GÜLER, KALIN IN DAMASCUS: CABINET NEGOTIATIONS
While Colani signed the agreement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and National Intelligence Organizations (MİT)Chief İbrahim Kalın were in Damascus. Their discussions with Colani centered on the SDG agreement, constitutional preparations, tensions between jihadist factions and anti-HTS forces, Syria’s reconstruction, Israeli attacks, and the establishment of a Joint Action Center in Damascus.
Ankara's delegation aimed to secure influence in Syria. The "Neo-Ottomanists," seeking leverage over Colani, reportedly urged him to include Kurds, Alawites, Druze, and Christians in his cabinet.
After the meeting, Hakan Fidan stated in a TV interview: "Our visit to Syria was significant. Turkey has vital interests, primarily security. There are terrorist organizations exploiting Syria’s current conditions. We discussed these issues and reviewed developments. There may be hidden landmines ahead. We do not believe there has ever been a concession regarding autonomy or self-rule."
NOT DIVERSITY OR DEMOCRACY—BUT TYRANNY
Amid rhetoric about a new governance model embracing Syria's ethnic and sectarian diversity, Colani’s "interim constitution" revealed the true nature of the agreement, crushing any illusions.
For three days, those praising the SDG-HTS agreement as a milestone for Syria’s future were forced to reconsider.
KURDISH CELEBRATION LASTED ONLY THREE DAYS
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria condemned Colani’s constitutional declaration as "a distortion of Syria’s national and social identity," arguing that it contained provisions similar to those of the Baath regime and contradicted Syria’s reality and diversity. They claimed it lacked representation for the various groups including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, and others and violated the integration clauses of the SDG-HTS agreement.
The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) also rejected HTS's constitutional declaration, stating: "This draft constitution reproduces authoritarianism in a new form. It consolidates central rule and grants absolute powers to the executive authority. The SDC strongly rejects any attempt to restore dictatorship under the pretext of a 'transitional phase.' Any constitutional declaration must result from genuine national consensus, not be imposed by one party. We will not accept the rebuilding of an authoritarian regime."
COLANI’S CONSTITUTION: A DISAPPOINTMENT
The Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS), aligned with the Barzani administration, also criticized the draft constitution, calling it a step that disregards Syria’s multi-ethnic structure and obstructs democratic transformation. They urged for a review of the declaration, describing it as "a disappointment."
Not only Kurds but also Syria’s Druze and other ethnic-social groups opposed the "interim constitution." Druze leader Baha Cemal of Suwayda stated that the HTS-prepared constitution was unacceptable to the Druze community. Criticizing the constitution’s reliance on Islamic jurisprudence, he said:
"We reject division, but instead of a religious and ethnic-based system, we demand a state that respects human rights."
A POLITICAL ISLAMIST REGIME ALIGNED WITH IMPERIALISM
The complex power struggle in Syria—linked to the broader "new Middle East design"—will continue to escalate. While imperialism and regional reactionary forces attempt to enforce an "American peace," the seismic shifts it causes will shake the entire region.
As every effort is made to institutionalize an "imperialism-aligned political Islamist regime" in Syria, it is clear that no democracy or freedom will emerge from this process.
Those who fall into this illusion will once again be forced to confront reality—within just three days!
Note: This article is translated from the original Turkish version titled SDG-HTŞ anlaşması, ABD planı, Colani'nin anayasası published in BirGün newspaper on March 15, 2025.
