Mazloum Abdi: Success of January 29 agreement and  consolidation of peace is primary goal

Under the slogan "Together to protect our society and hand in hand towards unity and stability. Civil peace is our collective responsibility, our word is one, and our security is one. No to sedition, no to incitement, no to hate speech," the Council of Elders and the Hasaka Council of Elders held a meeting today in the Shto Hall in Hasaka city. The meeting was attended by a large gathering of representatives from Arab and Kurdish tribes and other communities, as well as cultural and social figures and political parties.

During the meeting, Mazloum Abdi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, delivered a speech in which he stated that they had signed the January 29th agreement and were in the process of implementing it on the ground. He indicated that the agreement serves as their guiding principle for future steps.

He explained that the past few days have witnessed intensive meetings with international parties, especially the countries active in the Syrian file without exception, and that these parties were interested in implementing the agreement. He indicated that the priority with regard to the region is to implement the agreement in all the areas it covered, from Afrin, Ras al-Ayn and Kobani to Hasaka, with taking practical steps whose main goal was to stop the fire and achieve a permanent truce that is still in effect. He expressed hope that it would continue and turn into permanent stability in the region, and stressed that everyone agrees on the commitment to implementing the agreement.

Mazloum Abdi added that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will abide by the agreement to ensure continued stability in the region and will do everything possible to maintain it, as it is the essential foundation for implement the agreement.

Regarding the military aspect, he noted that implementation was slightly delayed. The forces were supposed to withdraw from the front lines on the second day of the agreement, but they have now successfully completed these steps. However, there are some issues in Kobani, and negotiations are underway to lift the siege and withdraw the forces to their barracks. He emphasized that work continues to implement these measures.

He explained that the agreement has two aspects: one pertaining to the Kurdish component and the other encompassing all components. The most important aspect is the integration of institutions, and steps are being taken to achieve this integration and ensure the success of the process. He pointed out that the coming days will witness serious work to integrate the institutions that have been operating in the region for more than 12 years, while retaining their officials and members and integrating them into the new structure. He stressed that the success of the integration process is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of the agreement.

On the military front, he explained that they had agreed to integrate the forces into brigades within the structure of the Ministry of Defense, and that work was underway in this regard, noting that there was a problem related to the announcement of the Assistant Minister of Defense, and that there was a representative of their forces within the ministry who had not yet been announced

He emphasized the necessity of retaining all fighters who battled ISIS, defended the region against Turkish attacks, sustained injuries, and lost comrades as martyrs. He stressed the importance of utilizing their counterterrorism expertise and sharing it with the Syrians. He added that all fighters, including commanders, would assume their rightful places in the new structure, noting progress on this issue and agreement on these fundamental matters.

Regarding security, Abdi affirmed that the existing security structure, in place since 2012, would be maintained. He emphasized the importance of security personnel remaining in their positions within the Ministry of Interior's framework. He indicated that the Ministry's deployment to the region aims to support the successful integration process, and that actual implementation would commence in the coming days. He also announced the formation of a leadership-level committee to oversee the integration process, acknowledging existing obstacles. However, he stressed that the priority is expediting the integration to counter incitement, hate speech, and attempts to derail the process

He revealed that an extensive meeting was held in Munich with the Foreign Minister of the interim government and its intelligence chief, during which all challenges were discussed and an agreement was reached to expedite procedures. Two leadership committees from both sides were also formed and will meet soon to advance the integration process at the level of Hasaka Governorate and all its institutions, while ensuring the preservation of the positions of all communities and their participation in the governorate's reconstruction.

Abdi noted the recent rise in hate speech and incitement to racism and sectarianism, which is unusual in the region. He emphasized that the Jazera region has witnessed peaceful coexistence among its various communities for hundreds of years without conflict, despite attempts by numerous parties to incite discord. He stressed that these attempts will not succeed because the region's inhabitants are united in their commitment to live together. He added that there is a governor representing all communities, and that everyone will be a partner in the reconstruction, calling for unity to thwart the discord and hate speech that threaten to bring disaster

Regarding Kurdish autonomy, he explained that an agreement was reached to preserve the autonomy of Kurdish-majority areas, meaning that the people of these areas will manage their own affairs at all levels within the government structures. He emphasized that all components of the region will jointly administer the area while preserving the autonomy of the Kurds in their densely populated regions. He added that the international meetings in Munich demonstrated a consensus on the need to avoid a new war and implement the terms of the agreement, with promises of monitoring at the presidential level and a clear commitment to the rights of the Kurdish people in their regions.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, concluded his remarks by affirming that the current phase represents the beginning of a new phase in which lessons will be learned from past mistakes. He emphasized the need to look ahead and rely on a clear roadmap, asserting that unity to ensure the success of the agreement, maintain lasting peace, and prevent incitement and discord is the primary objective in the coming phase.