​​​​​​​Newroz Ahmed: Absence of political solution in Syria, may contribute to prolong ISIS

Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Newroz Ahmed, said without finding general political solutions, it will not be possible to eliminate ISIS and its extremist ideology in the region, and adoption of Autonomous Administration approach officially, which alone will contribute to ending the threat of ISIS and its supporters.

The 23rd of March of each year is considered the day of the end of the military control of ISIS mercenaries on the last geographical foothold in northern and eastern Syria, after the Syrian Democratic Forces on this date in 2019, the al-Baghouz area within the eastern countryside of Deir-ez-Zor was liberated.

Since its date, the Syrian Democratic Forces have entered a new phase of their war against ISIS, represented by sporadic security operations in the northern and eastern Syria to combat cells, and work on the files of the arrested ISIS mercenaries, and their families.

The SDF's security operations came based on what the SDF had talked about for its next phase in its press conference on the liberation of the al-Baghouz area, east of Deir- ez-Zor.

In order to evaluate about what is achieved during 2 years of fighting ISIS by SDF in NE, Syria, and on the occasion of the two-year anniversary of the liberation of the town of al-Baghouz, ANHA agency held an exclusive meeting with Newroz Ahmed.

During dialogue with ANHA's correspondent, the commander, Newroz Ahmed, touched upon the latest military developments of the Syrian Democratic Forces in combating ISIS cells, the ideas left behind them, the future of the arrested mercenary families and their families, as well as the difficulties facing the SDF and its political and administrative umbrella, "the SDC, and the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria.

She also touched upon the most important obstacles hindering the process of combating ISIS militarily, and what are the ways to ensure the eradication of ISIS intellectually and militarily, and to ensure that not insurgency again.  

Here is the text of that dialogue:

Two years since the liberation of the SDF, the last geographical area that was under the control of ISIS in northern and eastern Syria, how do you assess the reality of ISIS now, and how dangerous is ISIS at the current stage?

Without a doubt, the elimination of ISIS and what happened on the 23rd of March 2019 was an important step of north and east Syria and the country in general, and it is a great victory that resulted from long battles that spanned years and great sacrifices that were made, and amid great difficulties that the people in northern and eastern Syria suffered from, killing, torturing, and ending existence.

It was not easy to achieve this victory, and it is an important step and great victory for those who suffered from their terror, and for the whole world because of the threats it was facing.

From that date to the present day, our war against ISIS continues in the region, to remove the dangers that threaten the region and the world, and we mentioned it previously through a statement after the liberation of al--Baghouz that the danger of ISIS will not eliminate easily. Yes, thousands of those adopted extremist ideology have been captured, but this step is not sufficient.

In the region there are thousands of the people who adopted ISIS ideology and still fresh in their minds, due to ISIS domination on these areas, as well as the existence number of the residents adopted this ideology for fear of killing, and those who was forced to adopt this approach.

Our security operations continued, and our security operations expanded at times in some areas that the mercenaries and cells used to hide, as well as in some areas that witnessed weak security, and our operations continue to this day against ISIS cells, and against those who have links with these cells, and those who act on operations against the people of the region and our forces, and we are constantly working to combat these cells based on any intelligence information received.

There is a fact on the ground, that the extremist ideology that spread among the community during the control of ISIS, which ISIS relied on in its propagation on the conditions of society, the living conditions of the people, and the conditions in the country, along with many other reasons, if we did not eliminate those causes and circumstances. That helped spread this ideology, and if we did not fight and struggle together and jointly with the rest of the parties, we would not be able and it would be difficult to eliminate ISIS.

The steps that have been taken since that date until now are not enough, and we will continue our struggle against this thought despite the difficulties and obstacles, because the elimination of ISIS and its ideology is a fundamental responsibility that we see, and in the last past period there are features of the attempt at the rise of ISIS again, which may not be the same as before through its control. On the territory, however, it is still active through its media, operations, and is seeking wider operations.

It may not be very active in our areas and is unable to reorganize itself, but it is in areas outside of our control as well as the areas adjacent to our areas of control, and we are witnessing it working to reorganize itself, and in our areas it constantly threatens and intends to terrorize society.

There are several circumstances that help ISIS to revive again, and to continue to exist, including the financial conditions prepared by those who support it, so they are still seeking to keep it, and we are confident that there are parties seeking to revive it, and we have carried out many operations during the past two years, which resulted in the arrest of many from the cells of those parties, and that showed on the ground those who support ISIS from abroad, and those who seek to revive it again, and organize itself to revive again, and this is evident by facilitating and securing the entry and exit of these mercenaries to the region.

There are attempts by ISIS to organize itself in Iraq and in regime areas in the rest of the Syrian territories, and within the areas occupied by the Turkish occupation army, especially the Turkish occupation areas that have become a corridor for these terrorists, and the center for reorganizing terrorists in the rest of the Syrian regions, and the rest of the other countries.

There is a need for coordination between all parties fighting ISIS to combat this ideology, struggle together, and increase support of northern and eastern Syria, otherwise the fight against ISIS will not reach its endeavor to end this extremist organization.

Where exactly is the danger of ISIS?

Firstly, the organization is reorganizing itself, and the danger lies in those who support this extremist organization first, and secondly in the extremist mentality left by ISIS mercenaries in the region, as well as ISIS families who adopt this extremist ideology, as ISIS women are raising their children on this extremist ideology, and they oppose returning to their countries, and this poses a great danger to the region in the first stage and to all neighboring countries in the future in the second stage.

We are working to control security in these camps in which they are existed, and we have a program of action to remove this extremist ideology, but it is not sufficient, due to the lack of capabilities, so there is a need for support and coordination in this endeavor, otherwise the process of re-organizing ISIS women in organizing themselves will expand, and will increase risks.

As the future danger and dangers lie, it is the lack of coordination in the intelligence information of the terrorists who are detained in our prisons. Therefore, the intelligence information about ISIS detainees in the SDF must be exchanged, to enable the process of completing the files of these terrorists.

In the event that we do not help and work with more coordination, these detainees will have an ambiguous future, and we will not be able to prosecute these terrorists. Therefore, support, coordination and action must be increased, and this issue of detainees must be seriously addressed.

As you know, we have repeatedly mentioned that these terrorists in detention and their families in al Hol camp are a time bomb that may explode at any moment, if we cannot work to reduce it through the necessary coordination and support, because it is not possible to detain these people, and in the recent period there have been many attempts to smuggle and taking these terrorists abroad, and many attempts to flee.

As you know, these are terrorists, and they adopted an extremist and hard liners ideology that fought till the last moments, and they pose a great danger if they fled, it will pose great threat to the region, not only the region but all the world. Our capabilities to detain these people are insufficient, whether financial, security, human rights, or at the level of a change of thought and the mindset that these people carry.

We know that we have to work on more to get rid of this thought, whether between ISIS terrorists or their families, so far within the simple means available we have been able to detain these people, despite the difficulties, but after two years all those who see that ISIS are at risk of assuming their responsibilities and extending the hand of support, and increasing coordination to find permanent solutions to these pending issues after two years of eliminating the last sites of its control.

What is the level of coordination between your "SDF" forces and the International Coalition to fight ISIS, at the current stage, after the liberation of the al-Baghouz area in March 2019?

In the beginning, those who provided support to fight ISIS were the International Coalition, and this step was very important in the fight against ISIS, and its eradication, and the continuation of the coalition's work in fighting ISIS in the region after the liberation of the last ISIS strongholds in northern and eastern Syria also was an important step at a time when everyone talked about the possibility of a withdrawal the coalition after eliminating the last geographical area of ​​ISIS.

The work of the two forces continues to this day, and all the arrests of those who attempted to commit operations in the region, and the operations to reduce these operations came jointly between the two parties, as well as regarding the detention centers and camps, there is a joint work, and we are working together to remove the causes of the exit of this extremist ideology, and to remove the causes that forcing to join the ranks of this extremist organization.

We always exchange information with the rest of the parties to reduce it, foremost of which is the International Coalition, the coalition seeks as we seek to remove these causes, and agree with us in this vision, as well as the sheikhs of the region's tribes, and societal groups as well, so we are working to develop the reality of the region, to limit the causes of the return of ISIS and to reduce the conditions that help for its revival again.

But we know that it is not enough and we must work on more together, and in our continuous meetings with all the powers that we communicate with, we always explain this reality, as you know Russia exists, and also America who are within the coalition, and so is Iraq, and we continue to communicate and discuss together with those parties to find ways. To work jointly to limit the return of ISIS, but support must be increased to increase security and stability in the region, and to limit the operations carried out by ISIS cells, which target officials in civil administrations, the last of which is targeting both "Hind and Saada", which was an example of targeting the will, in particular targeting the will of free women.

So far, the steps from these parties are simple and insufficient, we are, with or without support, continuing our operations and our work in combating ISIS and its remaining idea, and there is a lot of work that we still have to accomplish, whether through the security, military or special forces.

On the one hand, we are working to enable our common borders with neighboring parties, including Iraq, by enabling borders in some areas. Joint work with Iraq continues, but there is also difficulty in that, as you know we have long borders with Iraq.

Also, we have the borders of the regions with the Syrian regime witnessing security weakness, and we also have our borders with the Turkish occupation areas are also weak, so in several areas we must work and struggle to reduce security breaches in the region, and to be able to protect our regions and their inhabitants.

And our discussions about all these areas with the International Coalition are continuing to rotate them at the international level, as you know so far there is no representation of the region in international forums, and they still refuse representation and there are many obstacles to that, and some of them are intentional, we know that, so we work through the coalition to find out these areas that We are working on it, and to work together to combat this extremist organization, especially its spreading cells.

What are the necessary means and mechanism required of the international community and the International Coalition to reduce and end the danger of the ideology of ISIS, its mercenaries and their families?

In the past stage, especially the issue of the withdrawal or survival of the coalition, it was one of the points that ISIS took advantage of to reorganize itself and take advantage of it to return, and it had a great negative impact on the fight against cells, and also the recent elections and with the arrival of the new US government and the ambiguous policy adopted so far before. The new government towards the region also has major repercussions for the region.

The lack of a clear policy towards the region by countries has negative effects in the first degree in combating this ideology and its adopters. In recent meetings with the coalition and all parties, we discussed the need for the Autonomous Administration to take a basis in supporting the region and increasing the continuous military support, as well as supporting this administration, and the elimination of threats to the region, because this existing experience is an experiment that has proven its success in gathering all components away from any civil war that the external parties were seeking, and it worked to unite all ideas to work together, because the existing risks are a threat to all components and not to one doctrine without another, as you know in our regions there are many components, and all of the components are with AA.

There are relations with the administration in the recent period, but it is based on the regions from the outside, each region may have a specificity, but building on these relations will not solve the crisis, because all of these areas are linked to each other, and the dispute is not specific to one region without the other, so the relations must be deepened With the existing management, increasing work at all levels and increasing support, not only in terms of financial support, but even in terms of expertise and developing the idea and the existing model, and we are open to gaining experiences.

The Autonomous Administration must be supported with regard to the issue of ISIS detainees in the detention centers, and the dangers of these detention centers that they pose to the region and the world should be removed. As you know, we are working to detain these people despite all the attacks we face from the Turkish occupation army, and despite the escalating threats from the Syrian regime, and in spite of all what the region is witnessing.

We were able to capture them, it was difficult, it and from today onwards the detention process is not easy, because working under all these pressures, attacks and threats, whether on the Autonomous Administration or the military forces, is not possible.

Therefore, general solutions must be found in any form, including that, and the Autonomous Administration should be formally adopted, otherwise, and as we are now, it is not sufficient.

It is clear from your speech that the region needs more political support and the search for official recognition. What are you seeking in northern and eastern Syria?

We are not working on dividing Syria, or declaring the region an independent region from the country, but our areas, which include millions of Syrians, and in light of all the life difficulties they endure, are exposed to attacks and threats, and are exposed to the dangers of ISIS, its residents will not be able to accept that they are outside their recognition.

In recognizing this region and its project, we mean that this experience of the Autonomous Administration is addressed to any solutions for the future of the region, without dealing with it behind the scenes instead of dealing with it formally, everyone talks that there is joint work with the region, but this type of dealings and keeping it as it does not serve the political solution, and the representation of the region in the future, because we are excluded until now.

The existing project, we are confident that everyone accepts it, and everyone knows that this project is the most successful and correct solution to resolving the country's crisis, but they do not adopt it or accept it as a result of the veto of some parties and forces, some of which have concerns about this project, and as a result of the interests of some other parties, and this The matter is clear from the stance of those parties, which is contrary to the will of the peoples of the region.

The tricks that are being hatched against the region are continuing, and they serve external parties at the expense of the people of the region, and in order to limit these tricks, we consider it more correct to represent the Autonomous Administration in the solution, and to involve it, because the Autonomous Administration is a project that reflects the components of this region, without involving those who seek to separate, and benefit from contradictions.

We call on Europe, Russia, America and the Arab countries to work together to search for a solution, and we see it as the most correct one, and we are open to that, and the Autonomous Administration has the will to do so and is continuing in this endeavor.

But the difficulties and obstacles continue, until now, although we are continuing to search for a solution within the Syrian geography and the unity of the Syrian soil, and we always see it as the most appropriate solution, and we are confident that we are able to do that, and we will continue the struggle and strive until we reach faster solutions.

We are confident that in the year that we receive, we can make greater steps against ISIS, and all the extremist mercenary groups who are today in Afrin, Ras-al-Ain, and in Yemen, Iraq and in many parts of the world, the more correct is the solidarity of peoples and deepening joint action, conditions are available and help Therefore, I am confident that our joint struggle with all parties will achieve this.

T/S

ANHA