In a display of unity, Syrian Kurdish groups gathered in Qamishli, the de facto capital of Syrian Kurdistan, to unveil a shared vision for their future and that of Syria. Mazlum Abdi, commander of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded the convention. He had the rare joint blessing of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), two regional Kurdish powerhouses with significant influence over Syrian Kurds.
The Kurdish political landscape in Syria is historically fragmented, with factions aligning either with KDP-controlled Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, or with Qandil, the mountainous bastion of the PKK. However, the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has prompted Syrian Kurds to cooperate to strengthen their negotiating position with the new rulers in Damascus.
At their gathering, Kurds also sought the formation of a unified delegation to engage on Kurdish rights in future negotiations with Damascus.
The Qamishli conclave conveyed multiple messages to the Syrian government, now dominated by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, and to its key backer, Turkey, which considers the SDF to be an extension of the PKK. Foremost was the assertion that decentralization does not threaten Syria’s territorial integrity. For years, both the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and some Kurdish factions outside the SDF structure have advocated for a federated Syria. The Assad regime, its Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham successors, and Turkey continue this objection out of fear that the Kurds, despite their objection, harbor a separatist agenda. Kurdish groups, meanwhile, argue that a decentralized system would foster national cohesion by reducing fear of domination and, therefore, would offer a path for stability and unity after years of civil war.
At their gathering, Kurds also sought the formation of a unified delegation to engage on Kurdish rights in future negotiations with Damascus. A unified representation will strengthen the Kurdish position and deny the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham government any opportunity to establish separate communication channels for different Kurdish groups to undermine Kurdish demands.
The Qamishli document outlined a broad vision for the country, including the democratization of the state, gender equality, peaceful coexistence, and the separation of religion and state, among other principles. It contrasts sharply with the Islamist interim constitution proclaimed by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham government, underscoring the deep ideological divide between the two visions for Syria’s future. The Syrian presidency rejected the Kurdish demands, warning that they could jeopardize an SDF-Damascus agreement aimed at integrating the SDF into the Syrian military.
This unification effort carries not only political significance within Syria but also considerable regional implication.
This unification effort carries not only political significance within Syria but also considerable regional implication. Whether a direct outcome or not, it coincides with renewed discussions between Turks and Kurds in Turkey about a new attempt at peace. The Qamishli gathering drew participation from key Kurdish actors across the region, including a delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) and representatives of the pro-PKK Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK). Both Iraqi Kurdistan’s KDP and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan sent envoys. Such broad support is almost unprecedented in Kurdish politics because division and fragmentation are the norm. It does, however, underscore a growing Kurdish consensus that ongoing shifts in the Middle East could have lasting implications for all Kurds.
The United States has played a pivotal role in fostering unity among Syrian Kurdish parties. Washington—and, for that matter, Paris as well—backed this latest round of negotiations as they both seek pluralism and a unified Kurdish front in Syria.
While it is unclear if unification efforts will translate into lasting political change, one thing is clear: Abdi has emerged as the unifying leader that Syrian Kurds have long lacked. His position at the forefront of Kurdish decision-making provides a sense of cohesion as Syrian Kurds navigate political and military challenges. Against all odds, the fractured Kurdish movement in Syria finally may have found its voice. And if it remains true to its commitments, the Qamishli declaration could mark the beginning of a new chapter for Syria’s once-marginalized Kurdish community.
