July 19 Revolution shifts from battlefield to politics

The fall of the Ba'ath regime on December 8, 2024, marked a pivotal turning point in modern Syrian history. It brought an end to more than six decades of centralized rule and ushered in a new political era characterized by a reconfiguration of power dynamics and the opening of unprecedented negotiations over the future structure of the Syrian state and its governance, including the Kurdish issue.

The "Peace and Democratic Society" initiative announced by leader Abdullah Ocalan on February 27, 2025, emphasized the need to move the Kurdish issue from the battlefield to the arenas of politics and law, promoting a comprehensive democratic solution based on dialogue and partnership among all Syrian communities.

After years in which defending the region against ISIS and Turkish military offensives had been the priority, the central struggle shifted toward politics, legislation, and constitutional negotiations.

As a result, North and East Syria entered a new and complex political phase that required preserving the gains achieved since the July 19 Revolution while actively participating in shaping Syria's future.

Key Political and Administrative Developments After the Fall of the Ba'ath Regime

As part of its commitment to a democratic solution, the Autonomous Administration intensified its diplomatic and political efforts on both domestic and international levels following the collapse of the Ba'ath government.

Domestically, the March 10, 2025 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the interim government established the foundations for dialogue on integrating institutions and military forces. It later became the basis for the January 29, 2026 agreement.

The period also witnessed the Kurdish Unity Conference on April 26, 2025, which resulted in the formation of a joint Kurdish delegation and the adoption of a unified political vision advocating a democratic, decentralized Syria.

This was followed by the North and East Syria Components Conference on August 8, 2025, attended by representatives of the region's diverse communities as well as participants from across Syria. The conference reaffirmed the importance of building a democratic and pluralistic state that guarantees the rights of all communities.

Internationally, the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Council expanded their diplomatic engagement through numerous meetings with the United Nations, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and several Arab and regional countries in support of a political solution.

Consequently, the Kurds, together with Arabs, Syriacs, and the other communities of North and East Syria, moved from a phase centered on military defense to one focused on political, legal, and constitutional efforts aimed at securing rights, ensuring fair representation in state institutions, and contributing to the drafting of a democratic constitution based on decentralization, pluralism, equal citizenship, and partnership among all components of Syrian society.

Avoiding a Return to War

Due largely to Turkish intervention in the Syrian conflict, several actors sought to derail the political process. On January 6, 2026, attacks were launched against the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods, one day after a meeting in Paris involving Israel, the United States, the interim Syrian government, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan under the title of security arrangements and coordination between Israel and Syria. These developments effectively ended the April 1 and March 10 agreements, with the attacks later expanding to Deir Hafir, Raqqa, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor.

Despite these developments, the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces refrained from engaging in a broader conflict that could have triggered a prolonged civil war between Arabs and Kurds. Instead, they chose to withdraw from the targeted areas.

Subsequently, under international and Kurdish mediation, a new round of negotiations was launched, culminating in the January 29, 2026 agreement, which provided for the integration of several civilian and military institutions. However, key issues concerning fair representation and participation in decision-making remain unresolved.

The Kurdish Political Movement in Its New Phase

On the Kurdish political scene, Kurdish forces strengthened their presence in national discussions during the new phase, gaining unprecedented political legitimacy as a key partner in the political process. They have become an influential actor whose role cannot be overlooked in debates on the constitution, governance, elections, political representation, and the rights of Syria's diverse communities, rather than being confined solely to military and security matters.

The issuance of Decree No. 13 by the interim government further reinforced this shift, signaling a move beyond decades of denial and assimilation of the Kurdish issue by recognizing it as a legitimate matter that can no longer be ignored.

The decree's eight articles included ending the consequences of the 1962 census, restoring Syrian citizenship to Kurdish citizens, including those previously registered as Maktoumeen (unregistered persons), and guaranteeing them full equality in rights and responsibilities.

It also affirmed that the Kurdish people, with their identity and culture, are an integral part of the Syrian people, required the government to protect Syria's cultural and linguistic diversity, recognized Kurdish as a national language, and declared Newroz a national holiday.

In addition, the decree obliged state media and educational institutions to promote an inclusive national discourse while prohibiting discrimination or exclusion based on ethnicity or language.

Many politicians consider the decree the result of decades of Kurdish political struggle dating back to the early twentieth century, viewing its provisions as new achievements that build upon the gains of the July 19 Revolution, which was initiated and led by the Kurds.

Within this context, political forces in North and East Syria maintain that Syria's future can only be built through a democratic constitution that guarantees the rights of all nationalities and communities, establishes equal citizenship, political pluralism, and social justice, and draws upon the Social Contract adopted by the peoples of North and East Syria on December 13, 2023, as a foundation for drafting Syria's future constitution.

The January 29 Agreement

The January 29 Agreement marked a turning point in the diplomacy of North and East Syria by establishing a new framework for relations between the interim government, the SDF, and the Autonomous Administration.

The agreement launched a series of joint meetings and committees to address issues related to security, governance, public services, the economy, and education, while also discussing the future of military and administrative institutions and mechanisms for integrating them into Syrian state institutions, taking into account the particular circumstances of Kurdish-majority areas.

It also paved the way for practical measures, including the redeployment of certain forces, the formation of new military brigades, the reopening of international highways, prisoner exchanges, the return of displaced residents of Afrin, preparations for the return of displaced people from Serê Kaniyê, and the reopening of several government and public service institutions. These steps contributed to reducing tensions and creating a more favorable environment for political dialogue.

Although disagreements remain over several issues—particularly the status of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) and the organization of military and administrative institutions—the agreement reinforced dialogue as an alternative to confrontation and has become the primary reference point for negotiations between the two sides.

Reorganizing the Institutions of Rojava

At the beginning of the new phase, the Autonomous Administration focused on reorganizing its institutions to adapt to the new political reality while preserving the decentralized nature of its governance model.

This process included restructuring civil and service institutions, appointing new officials and administrators in coordination with the interim government, and continuing efforts to improve the healthcare, education, and public service sectors.

At the same time, the Autonomous Administration remained committed to ensuring women's representation as a fundamental principle that cannot be compromised during any process of integration with interim government institutions.

Supporting the Women's Revolution, promoting the principles of the Democratic Nation, and advancing the ecological revolution remain among the core pillars of the July 19 Revolution.

One of the most significant achievements of the dialogue process has been the interim government's Ministry of Education's decision to recognize certificates issued by the Autonomous Administration's educational institutions. This represents one of the revolution's key objectives by recognizing Kurdish-language education and incorporating it into the unified national curriculum planned for the future.

However, the interim government's Ministry of Higher Education has yet to decide on recognizing degrees issued by universities and institutes in the Autonomous Administration areas of North and East Syria, despite ongoing calls for an official mechanism to ensure their accreditation.

A Phase of Embedding the Revolution's Goals in Syria's Future Constitution

Despite the political and administrative changes achieved since the fall of the Ba'ath regime, several key issues remain unresolved. Chief among them is the drafting of a new Syrian constitution that defines the nature of the state, guarantees fair participation for all Syrians, protects women's rights, regulates the distribution of powers between the central government and the regions, and determines the future of military and administrative institutions while preserving the distinctiveness of Kurdish-majority areas.

Current efforts therefore focus on enshrining rights and freedoms in the constitution, recognizing decentralized governance, and strengthening partnership among all Syrian communities without exclusion or domination.

Supporters of this approach believe that achieving these principles will provide the strongest guarantee for preserving the gains of the July 19 Revolution and honoring the sacrifices of the thousands who lost their lives defending the values of freedom and dignity.

Accordingly, the people of Rojava view the current period as the beginning of a long political process aimed at transforming the revolution's achievements into constitutional rights and permanent institutions within the future Syrian state.

ANHA