Kurdish Officials: 3 Challenges Facing Autonomous Administration in 2022

Syrian Democratic Council meeting in Raqqa, Syria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Syrian Democratic Council meeting in Raqqa, Syria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Kurdish Officials: 3 Challenges Facing Autonomous Administration in 2022

Syrian Democratic Council meeting in Raqqa, Syria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Syrian Democratic Council meeting in Raqqa, Syria (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava) is facing three challenges this year, said Head of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Ilham Ahmad.

The Rojava Executive Council held its third annual meeting in Raqqa, in the presence of the seven Autonomous Administrations, for two consecutive days on Feb 6 and 7.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Ahmed said that the Autonomous Administration and its military forces and security services accomplished outstanding achievements.

She warned that ISIS still exists amid attempts to reunite its ranks.

Ahmed explained that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) thwarted the attack on the Industrial Prison in Hasakah with the support of the coalition, special forces, and counter-terrorism units.

The security operation in prison and targeting ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi in Idlib is a "clear message" that counter-terrorism operations are militarily and include cultural and social efforts, said Ahmed.

She stressed that the campaign to combat terrorism and track down terrorist sleeper cells is among the most significant threats facing the Autonomous Administration during 2022.

Rojava also faces the challenges of Turkish attacks, targeting the north and east of the country.

Ahmed linked the Turkish army's attacks with the increase of the terrorist organization's activities in Hasakah.

"Ankara supports the opposition factions, which are not moderate. They are ISIS and al-Qaeda, and investigations proved that the plan to attack prison in Hasakah was launched from Ras al-Ayn."

Ras al-Ayn is north of Hasakah, under Turkey's Operation Peace Spring.

Ahmed also referred to a third challenge, including the media and official discourse of the regime in Damascus.

"We in the [SDC] Council reject the attempts of the authority in Damascus to sow discord among the components," she said, adding: "We aim to achieve the desired democratic transformation."

The Kurdish official stressed the importance of taking real and serious steps towards achieving a political solution in Syria, according to mechanisms based on UN references and Resolution 2254.

Ahmed pointed out that the political solution and democratic transition are the only way to resolve the Syrian crisis and achieve security and stability.

Meanwhile, the Broadened Committee to draft the Social Contract of North and East Syria completed its work Saturday.

The Social Contract serves as a local constitution regulating the work of the institutions and committees of the administrations, east of the Euphrates, which are under SDF control.

The document will be presented for deliberations to legislative councils in seven cities and towns located in four Syrian governorates.

The draft was written in the absence of the opposition Kurdish National Council, one of the most prominent political entities, and the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party, among the largest Kurdish parties in Syria.

The Executive Council discussed the works and projects completed during the past year, in addition to the most prominent challenges and difficulties. It also approved a comprehensive plan to develop the services, political, and military aspects.

Co-chair of the Executive Council Berivan Khaled told Asharq Al-Awsat that the bodies and committees discussed several obstacles hindering the implementation of the rest of the administration's plans.

She noted that the administration faced many issues during 2021, including health, military, and economic crises.

Khaled reported that the meetings focused on supporting the development and service sectors in the Autonomous Administration regions.

The Co-chair explained that the action plan aims to achieve the aspirations of the peoples and components of the administration areas, "and we will seek to liberate the rest of our areas while ensuring the safe and sound return of the displaced people."

Khaled acknowledged the administration failed in providing services in its areas of control, saying it is due to the blockade imposed by the Syrian regime and Turkey.

"Despite our capabilities, we were able to face the challenges and obstacles to some extent, especially as we are self-financing. We have put forward solutions to confront these challenges."



Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
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Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo

Human rights defenders rallied on Thursday to support the top UN expert on Palestinian rights, after the United States imposed sanctions on her over what it said was unfair criticism of Israel.

Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese serves as special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, one of dozens of experts appointed by the 47-member UN Human Rights Council to report on specific global issues.

She has long criticized Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, and this month published a report accusing over 60 companies, including some US firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for work which had prompted what he described as illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Washington to reverse course.

"Even in the face of fierce disagreement, UN Member States should engage substantively and constructively, rather than resort to punitive measures," he said, Reuters reported.

Juerg Lauber, the Swiss permanent representative to the UN who now holds the rotating presidency of the Human Rights Council, said he regretted the sanctions, and called on states to "refrain from any acts of intimidation or reprisal" against the body's experts.

Mariana Katzarova, who serves as the special rapporteur for human rights in Russia, said her concern was that other countries would follow the US lead.

"This is totally unacceptable and opens the gates for any other government to do the same," she told Reuters. "It is an attack on UN system as a whole. Member states must stand up and denounce this."

Russia has rejected Katzarova's mandate and refused to let her enter the country, but it has so far stopped short of publicly adding her to a sanctions list.

Washington has already imposed sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for suspected war crimes in Gaza. Another court, the International Court of Justice, is hearing a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide.

Israel denies that its forces have carried out war crimes or genocide against Palestinians in the war in Gaza, which was precipitated by an attack by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023.

"The United States is working to dismantle the norms and institutions on which survivors of grave abuses rely," said Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch.

The group's former head, Kenneth Roth, called the US sanctions an attempt "to deter prosecution of Israeli war crimes and genocide in Gaza".

The United States, once one of the most active members of the Human Rights Council, has disengaged from it under President Donald Trump, alleging an anti-Israel bias.