ÇelAxa residents: SDF integration opens new phase

North and East Syria faced major security and military challenges throughout the years of the uprising, most notably the threat posed by ISIS mercenaries, who endangered the region and its residents. Against this backdrop, the SDF emerged as a key force, fighting lengthy battles against ISIS and losing thousands of fighters in defense of the region and its social fabric over the 14 years of the uprising, amid widespread killing and displacement.

Following SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi’s announcement on August 25 that the SDF would join the Syrian army, ANHA agency spoke to several residents of ÇelAxa in the Jazira, who recalled the force’s years of struggle. They said the SDF had gone beyond its role as a military force, playing a broader role in protecting the region and Syria’s diverse social fabric, and described it as a national project that brought Syrians together.

In this regard, Mohammad Amin Yousef said that after the SDF completed its mission of defeating ISIS mercenaries and following years of battles and heavy sacrifices, its General Commander Mazloum Abdi announced the end of its mission through its integration into the Syrian army in the form of brigades that would officially continue to protect the region. He added that the struggle had entered a new phase.

He explained that, for them, the SDF’s integration represents a transition from a phase of military defense on the ground to a new phase centered on protecting achievements and strengthening the rights of all Syrian communities, particularly the cultural and national rights of the Kurdish people within a pluralistic Syria.

Mohammad Amin added that the SDF made enormous sacrifices, protected the region and its communities from terrorism and sectarian and ethnic strife, preserved the social fabric and protected the region’s economy from looting. He said it was the only force that confronted ISIS and achieved major gains.

“Without it, we would not be living with dignity, and the Kurdish language would not have been recognized as a national language for the first time in Syria’s history,” he said, stressing that just as residents had trusted the SDF from the beginning, they also trusted its efforts to protect and enshrine Kurdish rights in the constitution.

Mohammad Amin Deham Abdullah, meanwhile, praised the efforts of the SDF, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and all the military formations that succeeded in protecting the region and its people.

He said residents appreciated the sacrifices and resistance of these forces under the most difficult circumstances, as they overcame numerous challenges to protect the region and its social fabric.

“Without the SDF, we would not be living freely and with dignity on our land today,” he said, noting that the force had served as a shield against attempts to undermine the will and presence of local residents.

He added that residents were grateful for the efforts of SDF fighters, both men and women, and its leadership, which he said had remained committed to protecting them.

Abdullah pointed out that the SDF’s role was not limited to military operations and fighting terrorism, but extended to a broader project aimed at protecting Syria’s social fabric. He said its structure, comprising Kurds, Arabs and Syriacs, represented a model of unity among Syria’s communities in confronting the challenges of war, particularly in North and East Syria.

He added that integrating the SDF into Syrian state institutions did not mean the end of its role, but rather marked a transition to a new phase focused on preserving gains and turning the sacrifices made by those killed into political and social guarantees that would contribute to building a future for the Kurdish people based on justice, equality and partnership among all Syrians.

For her part, Atiya Haji said the SDF was the only force that had defended peoples rather than its own interests, describing it as a national force that brought together different communities and protected the social fabric from strife.

“We united as Arabs, Kurds and Syriacs thanks to it, and our relations grew stronger. We are grateful for its great sacrifices to protect us,” she said.

Atiya Haji stressed that the sacrifices made by SDF fighters, both men and women, were not solely aimed at defending a particular geographic area or the Kurdish community, but at preserving Syria’s social fabric and strengthening the principles of unity among peoples and peaceful coexistence among the region’s communities.

She concluded by saying that the changing nature of the current phase in Syria and the SDF’s integration into state institutions did not mean the end of its mission. Rather, she said, it marked a transition from military confrontation to consolidating the political and cultural rights of all communities, particularly the Kurdish people, through a constitution that guarantees their identity, language and culture within a unified national framework. She affirmed that they would continue their struggle behind their leadership until their goals were achieved.

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ANHA