Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine) 19.08.2025
On August 9, a conference was held in the city of Al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria under the title “Unity of the Position of the Elements in North and East Syria.” The conference was organized by the Civil Administration of North and East Syria, which is the civilian arm of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), i.e., the Kurdish forces supported by the United States, and provoked mixed reactions among the Syrian public.
The Civil Administration, which is made up of several ethnic and religious groups, said it aims to promote regional autonomy and represent the Sunni, Druze, Armenian, Assyrian, Syrian, and Kurdish minorities. Among the participants at the conference were representatives from various ethnic and religious groups, including the Druze from the southwestern region of Syria, the Armenians from the northern regions, and the Assyrians from the eastern regions. Participants emphasized the importance of protecting their rights and promoting regional autonomy, which would preserve their culture and ensure their rights.
Israeli security officials involved in Syria say that the massacre of the Druze in Suwayda was a formative event that lit a red light for the Kurds, who fear similar massacres, and therefore initiated the conference.
The conference raised concerns among the authorities in Damascus, who viewed it as a threat to their control and the unity of the Syrian state. Following the conference, a planned meeting in Paris between the Syrian regime and the SDF leadership to discuss the agreements reached in March 2025, which included the integration of the SDF into the institutions of the new Syrian state, was canceled.
The conference and its participants point to a growing trend among the Sunni and non-Sunni minorities in Syria, which is leading to the establishment of regional autonomy in the country, which will preserve their rights and help preserve their culture and identity. This trend is likely to pose a significant challenge to the central government in Damascus, requiring it to adjust its policies in order to cope with the regional and cultural aspirations of the minorities.
Security sources said that the regime of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara (al-Julani) sees the conference in Al-Hasakah as a great risk to the formation of a new political-military alliance, led by minority groups with the support of external elements, such as Israel and others, whose goal is to destabilize the central government. If they do not succeed, they may promote the division of Syria or its return to civil war.