Rojava on agenda of European Parliament and US Congress

In light of the attacks launched by the Turkish-backed Syrian Interim Government factions against Rojava and North and East Syria, and the accompanying crimes and violations committed against the Kurds, the European Parliament and the US Congress held extensive discussions addressing the situation in Syria in general and the crimes and violations perpetrated against Rojava in particular.

Debates in the European Parliament

In the European Parliament, the heads of political groups discussed the developments on the ground in Rojava and Syria during a session held in Strasbourg, with a particular focus on human rights and the rule of law.

The session witnessed criticism of the weak international stance towards the Turkish-backed Syrian Interim Government, which has been launching attacks on Rojava since January 6th.

In this context, MEP Abeer Al-Sahlani, wearing Kurdish dress, spoke of the heavy price the Kurds have paid for their freedom, saying, "Now the roles are reversed. The Kurds, who once defended our freedom, are now asking us for help." She described a harrowing scene, saying, "The terrorists are cutting off the braids of Kurdish women even after death, so the siege of Kobani must be lifted immediately."

MEP Adam Bellan also expressed his concern, stating that "Ahmed al-Sharaa shows no remorse for his past ties to al-Qaeda," and considered this a grave danger of "replacing one form of tyranny with another."

Meanwhile, MEP Yannis Maniatis called for any financial aid to Damascus to be "conditional on protecting the rights of all communities."

The European Parliament is scheduled to vote on Thursday (February 12) on a draft resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and guarantees of the constitutional rights of the Kurds and other groups in Syria.

US Congressional Hearing

In a related development, the US House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee held a formal, open hearing to discuss the future of Syria and US policy in the post-Bashar al-Assad era. Experts, diplomats, and researchers specializing in Syrian affairs and religious freedom in the Middle East participated in the hearing.

During the session, participants presented testimonies, photos, and videos documenting violations and crimes committed by factions of the Syrian Interim Government against civilians and various communities in Syria, particularly the Kurds in the north and east of the country.

Republican Representative Scott Perry also presented a video he said documented the killing and mutilation of the bodies of Kurdish fighters, both men and women, sharply criticizing the Interim Government and comparing its violent tactics to those of al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast, affirmed that the attacks targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces—a US ally—were unacceptable, indicating that Washington was uneasy about the situation in Syria.

For her part, Nadine Maenza, former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, called for the passage of the "Save the Kurds Act," asserting that any U.S. engagement or normalization with Damascus must be contingent upon guarantees for the protection of predominantly Kurdish areas. She warned of the risk of a new genocide in Syria within the next four years.

For his part, former US Ambassador to Syria James Jeffrey affirmed that the United States has a "moral obligation" to ensure that its Kurdish allies are not mistreated by the Syrian Interim Government. He emphasized that as the implementation of the agreement to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), signed on January 30, progresses, Washington must remain a true guarantor of Kurdish rights.

Meanwhile, Representative Gregory Meeks, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned of a disturbing escalation in violence against religious and ethnic minorities in Syria, stressing that the SDF remains a crucial partner for the United States in the fight against terrorism.

Dr. Mara Karlin, a professor of practice at Johns Hopkins University and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, cautioned that the security of the Kurds should not be sacrificed for quick and superficial solutions under the banner of "unity."

Growing concern over continued violations and crimes in Syria

These discussions come amid escalating warnings of increased violations against Kurds and other groups, and calls within European and American political circles to link any engagement with Damascus to concrete guarantees that ensure the protection of civilians and prevent the country from sliding into a new wave of violence.

These international moves reflect the growing concern over the continued violations and crimes perpetrated by factions of the Turkish-backed Syrian Interim Government against various groups, in the absence of effective accountability mechanisms to halt the cycle of violence. These factions continue to commit crimes against communities in Syria with impunity, raising the risk of widespread violations without any practical steps to enforce accountability and provide genuine protection for the people.

ANHA