Kurdish leader warns centralization may divide Syria, spark civil war

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
23 May 2025 15:44

Aldar Khalil outlines the Kurdish-led administration’s conditions for talks with Damascus, including constitutional reform, military restructuring, and equal rights for all Syrian communities.

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In this March 28, 2018, photo, Aldar Khalil, a senior Syrian Kurdish official in Syria, speaks during an interview for The Associated Press, in Amouda, northern Syria (AP)

Aldar Khalil, a senior member of the presidential council of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), has warned that the Syrian government’s insistence on a centralized system of governance could lead to the partition of the country and a renewed civil war.

In an interview for Kurdsat News, Khalil urged Damascus to engage in genuine dialogue with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) to avoid further instability.

Khalil argued that the Syrian government’s refusal to recognize the country’s diverse ethnic and sectarian makeup risks undermining national unity.

“A centralized approach will push Syria toward division and civil war,” he said, adding that the Autonomous Administration’s willingness to negotiate stems “from a position of strength, not weakness.”

SDF, YPG not linked to PKK, says Khalil

Addressing ongoing allegations, Khalil clarified that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) are not extensions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He stated that the future of these forces will be determined through internal Syrian dialogue, “away from any Turkish dictates regarding disarmament.”

Khalil outlined the priorities of the AANES in any negotiations with Damascus. These include:

Amending the Syrian constitution;
Agreeing on a new governance system and military framework;
Gaining formal recognition of Kurdish national rights.

The Kurdish delegation will also press for guarantees that ensure equal representation and protection of rights for all Syrian communities, including Alawites, Druze, and others.

“What we are seeking is a national partnership based on equality, not dominance,” Khalil emphasized.

In March, the Syrian presidency announced that an agreement had been reached to integrate the SDF into official state institutions. It is worth noting that implementation committees are expected to be formed before the end of the year.

Wider context

This is happening shortly after Syrian army forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) engaged in clashes near the Tishreen Dam in the northwestern Aleppo governorate earlier this week, according to state television, which cited sources within the army.

The fighting comes in the wake of a significant political development. On March 10, the SDF leadership signed an agreement with the Syrian government to integrate all civilian and military institutions of the self-proclaimed Kurdish autonomy in Syria into the framework of the central state.

The agreement included provisions for control over border crossings, airports, oil and gas fields, and stipulated the enforcement of a nationwide ceasefire. The recent escalation raises questions about the viability of that ceasefire and the integration process.

Following the confrontation near the Tishreen Dam, army sources reported that "large columns of reinforcements were sent to the site" after intense battles, signaling a potential deterioration of trust between the government and the US-backed forces.

There has been no official statement from the SDF regarding the events, and neither side has confirmed the broader implications of this latest Tishreen Dam conflict.

While the March agreement was seen as a step toward long-term stability, these developments suggest ceasefire violations in Syria may persist, especially in contested regions like Aleppo.

The integration deal had been regarded as a framework for consolidating Syrian territorial sovereignty while resolving tensions with the Kurdish autonomous administration. However, the renewed clashes signal unresolved friction on the ground, threatening the fragile peace.