Ilham Ehmed, Co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department in the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), argues that a solution to the Syrian conflict is possible only if it encompasses the entire country.
The statement comes in response to recent diplomatic overtures between Turkey and Syria. Last week, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signalled a major shift in policy, saying, “There is no reason not to establish relations with Syria.” This marked a significant departure from Turkey’s previous confrontational stance since breaking ties with Syria in 2011. Turkey had backed various opposition groups against President Bashar al-Assad and conducted cross-border military operations, leading to the occupation of areas previously populated by Kurds. The AANES has warned against reconciliation, describing it as a “major conspiracy” potentially legitimising Turkish occupation.
“Turkey’s withdrawal from Syrian territories should be the primary condition for any agreement,” Ehmed stated on Monday in an interview with ANF. She highlighted that both the Turkish and the Syrian governments have lacked independence in decision-making since the Syrian issue became an international problem.
Ehmed emphasised the importance of prioritising the security and interests of the Syrian people. “Agreements made outside of this framework will benefit not only the people of North and East Syria but all Syrians,” she explained.
The Kurdish official pointed out the roles of Russia and Iraq in the negotiation efforts between Turkey and Syria. She criticised Turkey’s intervention in Syria, stating, “The Turkish state interfered with the Syrian file through various methods in the early stages of the Syrian crisis.”
Ehmed warned against reverting to old relationships that disregarded people’s rights. “If their mentality is to return to the past, there are certainly many dangers,” she said, adding that the old relationships were based on ignoring the rights of the people.
Emphasising the need for a comprehensive solution, Ehmed concluded, “If the approach includes the return of all refugees to their homes and Turkey’s withdrawal from the occupied regions, the Syrian problem will be resolved.”
