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There has been an intense food embargo implemented on the Şex Meqsud, Ashrafieh and Shahba regions of Aleppo, where the majority of the population are Kurds, and governed by an autonomous administration.
There have been similar interventions before, which caused high tension in the region but was eventually settled with dialogue.
Implementation of an embargo on food and essentials in a place where the living conditions are extremely hard, the unemployment rate is high, access to basic amenities are limited, and making a living is hard due to the ongoing war, is extremely punishing for the people.
It is widely known that in places of war, gang activity and illegal organisations thrive, both within the state and outside of the state. Considering all the possibilities, embargoes implemented upon the Kurds in the regions governed by the Damascus regime are nothing but provocative acts.
Responsibility for these embargoes on basic food items, amenities and gas and oil belong directly with the Damascus regime. These are the embargoes implemented via the forces with ties to the regime. This doesn’t change the truth even if the embargoes are implemented by the cliques or militias, that the Damascus regime are having a hard time to regulate.
Syria is experiencing the affects of the war in Ukraine first hand. Political, economic and military affects of the war are going to be felt in Syria, therefore also in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The Damascus regime is not the only decisive force in Syria, there are also Turkey and its allied mercenaries, Russia, the USA, and Iran who have influence in the region. The autonomous administration zones are the most stable among all this chaos and war in the region.
In the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, where there is stability, while the Turkish occupying forces are intensifying their attacks every day, the embargoes implemented by Damascus regime have similar aims.
The attacks on the autonomous administration zones are aiming to destabilise the most stable zone of Syria.
There is the Turkish state behind the attacks on the autonomous regions, primarily on Rojava, which is a role model for stability in the region despite the devastating ongoing war.
The fact that the Damascus regime is attempting such provocations against the autonomous regions, while the Turkish state is trying to occupy Afrin and split Syria, is an act of self-destruction.
The negotiations between the Damascus regime and the autonomous regions will be decisive on the future of Syria. The influence and assertions of the external forces on the Damascus regime will only create new problems for Syria. The Damascus regime must see the truth.
Punishing the Kurds living in Aleppo and its surrounding areas via embargoes, creating tension between the Autonomous Administration and Syria is a clear attempt at a provocation. Despite the fact that living in peace with the Kurds is the only way out of conflict for the Damascus regime, implementing an embargo is an invitation for war.
Kurds are not going to be provoked, as they are not going to comply with the embargo. The only solution is dialogue, with the Kurdish officials, and with the Autonomous Administration.
If dialogue has not succeeded up until now, despite the efforts by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, then the reason is the lack of vision and the self centred motives and approach of the Damascus regime.
It is also common sense that a conflict caused by the embargo, is not going to be limited to Aleppo.
As the Kurds struggle to find common ground with the Syrian state, trying to find ways to live together in harmony, a response from the regime in the form of the embargo is an indication they seek conflict. Insisting on not finding a peaceful solution will be self-destructive for the Damascus regime.
The situation in Syria is a candidate to become a worse version of the situation in Iraq. If Iraq is becoming more unstable day by day in the post-Saddam era, if a government can not be formed and Iraq has become the playground of external forces such as Turkey and Iran, then Syria can find itself in a similar position.
If the Damascus regime can not overcome their current situation, they will never be able to find stability. Living with the Kurds in peace, democratisation and giving a chance to dialogue is critical. All options besides the diplomatic and political solutions will bring massacres, and are destined to lose.
The force that plays a big role in putting Kurds of the region under this siege and who controls the implementation of the embargo is a military clique with ties to the Damascus regime. This clique in question could possibly lead the region into unexpected instability and further conflicts, with or without the intention of the Damascus regime.
However, there can be influence and directives of external forces too on these provocative actions. Characteristics of war make it suitable for such attempts. Whatever the reasoning behind all of this, the implementation of embargoes can not be accepted and it should be known that it can lead to unexpected conflicts. People’s expectations are for the immediate end to these provocations before it’s too late.
It will never be possible to let a group of people starve and expect them to surrender. A solution must be found before the Kurds in the Aleppo region are mistreated any further, or else, a self-defence approach is inevitable.
