Syrian Kurdish unity on display in Qamishli ahead of SDF-Government agreement

Large crowds of Syrian Kurds gathered in the northeastern city of Qamishli on Sunday (Feb 1), staging a mass rally to express unity and concern ahead of the rollout of a new agreement with Damascus. The deal, finalised on Friday between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces, outlines a phased process to absorb Kurdish military units and civil administrations into state institutions. The agreement follows weeks of mounting pressure on Kurdish authorities, who recently relinquished territory as government forces advanced.

For many Kurds, the agreement represents a serious setback. They had hoped to maintain the self-rule they established in much of northern and northeastern Syria after expelling the Islamic State group during the civil war, a campaign backed by a US-led coalition. According to an AFP correspondent, streets in Qamishli, considered the heart of Kurdish political life in Syria, were packed with demonstrators, including families and students. Protesters waved Kurdish flags and carried portraits of fallen fighters. Eighteen-year-old student Barine Hamza said the rally was meant to reinforce Kurdish solidarity, adding that many feared betrayal. “We don’t trust this government,” she said.

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The agreement extends an existing ceasefire and sets out a framework for the gradual integration of Kurdish security forces and governing bodies. It appears to address some Kurdish demands, including the formation of SDF-affiliated brigades stationed in predominantly Kurdish regions. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said implementation would begin Monday. He explained that both sides would withdraw from certain frontline areas, including parts of Kobane and the wider northeast. While a small internal security presence would deploy in Hasakeh and Qamishli, Abdi stressed that regular army units would not enter Kurdish towns.

Among the demonstrators was 40-year-old housewife Nourshana Mohammed, who said she joined the rally to protect the gains Kurds have made. She credited the SDF with defending Kurdish communities and defeating Islamic State militants. Meanwhile, Information Minister Hamza Mustafa said the agreement requires Kurdish authorities to transfer control of key assets, including oil facilities, border crossings, and Qamishli airport, to the state within ten days. He added that SDF fighters would be incorporated individually into newly formed army brigades.

The United States, once a key backer of the Kurdish forces, has recently signaled that its partnership with them is nearing its end as it builds ties with Syria’s new Islamist leadership. At the demonstration, 53-year-old Leila Kalash echoed a common sentiment among attendees, saying the SDF safeguards Kurdish rights. “We will not turn our backs on them,” she said.