Syrian Kurds boycott post-Assad National Dialogue Conference

Syrian Kurds have declared they will boycott a two-day national dialogue conference organised by Syria’s transitional government, aimed at shaping the post-Assad future of the war-ravaged country.

 The conference, which commenced on Monday in Damascus, was a central commitment of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group that was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda. HTS gained control of Damascus on 8 December following a major offensive that forced former dictator Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia, bringing an end to more than five decades of his family’s authoritarian rule.

However, the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and other Kurdish representatives declined participation, citing concerns over the inclusiveness and legitimacy of the conference. 

“No Kurdish delegation would participate in the conference, neither by the AANES nor any other Kurds. It is a local conference because it only includes components identified by Syria’s Ahmed Al-Sharra government,” Fethullah Husseini, AANES representative in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, told The New Arab.

Husseini argued that the absence of Kurdish participation undermines the conference’s credibility and predicted its failure, comparing it to previous unsuccessful peace talks held in Astana, Geneva, and Sochi. He emphasised that for any national dialogue on Syria‘s future to succeed, Kurds must be integral partners in both organising and shaping the agenda, and that a mutual agreement on a roadmap between Syrian Kurds and the Al-Sharra government was essential.

Ongoing negotiations 

Despite boycotting the conference, AANES has agreed to collaborate with Syria’s transitional government on vital oil and gas issues under US mediation. However, Husseini clarified that no final agreement has been reached to transfer control of Kurdish-held oil resources to the Damascus-based government.

According to the conference agenda, obtained by TNA, Monday’s session focused on introducing attendees, while Tuesday’s discussions will be divided into six groups to deliberate on a constitutional declaration, economic restructuring, transitional justice, personal freedoms, institutional reforms, and the role of civil society organisations.

The organising committee sent out invitations to 550 people from different Syrian provinces, but a significant number of invited Syrian figures declined to attend. The main reason for these absences was the delayed distribution of invitations, particularly for Syrians living abroad.

HTS-appointed interim president Ahmed al-Sharra stated that the conference is part of a broader political process aimed at drafting a new constitution, which could take up to three years, followed by general elections within four years. Al-Sharra emphasised the need for an inclusive political process to ensure long-term stability and peace in Syria.

Future of Kurdish armed forces in Syria

The dialogue comes amid reports that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) have agreed to integrate their military units into the army of the new Syrian government. However, Husseini noted that this process would take approximately two years as the future political structure of Syria remains uncertain.

“The current Syrian government only represents the Sunnis, and this is not acceptable for the Kurds and other Syrian communities,” Husseini stated. He added that AANES would wait for international consensus on a pluralistic and politically decentralised Syria before committing to military integration.

Husseini also stressed that the SDF, recognised as a reliable and effective force in the fight against terrorism, could form the core of Syria‘s future national army.