*Don't hesitate to boost if you enjoy reading the reports!*
Weekly highlight from your anarchist comrades in #NES
17.11.25 - 23.11.25
-----------------------------------------------------------------
# SDF AND SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES CLASHES IN RAQQA PROVINCE
On November 20, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clashed against Syrian government forces near Madan in southern Raqqa Province, accusing the Syrian government of collaborating with fighters affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS). The SDF briefly seized control of several army positions before the Syrian army managed to reclaim the area. Two combatants from the 66th Division were reported killed during the clashes.
In a statement on November 19, the SDF suggested that the attack was prompted by the presence of foreign fighters linked to ISIS within government positions along the frontlines separating government and SDF forces. The SDF released footage purportedly obtained from a government reconnaissance drone, showing a fighter in military fatigues adorned with a patch of the shahada in white text on a black background.
These accusations emerge amidst ongoing discussions between the United States and Syria regarding Syria’s potential entry into the Global Coalition against ISIS.
# ISRAEL-SYRIA RELATIONS AND AGREEMENTS
On November 18, a Russian-Turkish military delegation conducted a tour at the former Russian positions in Syria. This tour is linked to a Russian initiative aimed at reintroducing Russian military police into southern Syria. This deployment is intended to serve as a buffer between the Israeli occupied Syrian territory and the Syrian forces.
This proposal comes amid negociations between Russia and Syria regarding their economic and military collaboration. Syria foreign ministry stated recently that Syria will not allow Russians to stay at their bases unless their presence “serves Syria’s interests.”
On November 15, Netanyahu engaged in discussions with Putin regarding "strategies to enhance stability in Syria". Historically, Israel did not oppose Russia’s presence in Syria under the former regime, during which Israeli-Russian military coordination reached its peak.
Despite U.S. efforts to facilitate negotiations between Syria and Israel, tensions remain elevated. Notably, last week, Israeli warplanes violated Syrian airspace, and Netanyahu visited positions in the Golan Heights occupied by the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF). This visit was condemned by the Syrian affair ministry.
# AL-SHARAA MEETING WITH AN ARAB TRIVAL SHEIKH
The Sheikh of the SDF-affiliated Shammar tribe engaged in discussions with Al-Sharaa regarding the significant role of Arab tribes in the Syrian political landscape. They reaffirmed the Shammar tribe's endorsement of the government alongside the SDF's integration framework agreement. Jarba's son is the commander of the Sanadid Forces, a militia within the SDF of approximately 3,000 Arab tribal fighters.
The SDF and Sanadid Forces organized the Sheikh's diplomatic visit to Damascus. While he expresses general support for the government, he has moderated his stance by refuting the government's assertions that the SDF aims for secession from Syria. He has also advocated for the formulation of a new constitution on the basis that the existing one fails to represent the entirety of the Syrian people, aligning with the SDF's position.
# MIDDLE-EAST PEACE AND SECURITY FORUM
On November 18, Mazloum Abdi, Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council, Masoud Barzani, former President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, joined the Middle-East Peace and Security forum (MEPS). They engaged in critical discussions aimed at strengthening collaboration between different actors in Kurdistan. The forum was also joined by the Former Turkish Prime Minister.
Ilham Ahmed underscored the necessity of evolving attitudes towards the rights of all peoples in Syria, calling for mutual respect among diverse ethnic and political identities. Mazloum Abdi drew attention to recent developments regarding Abdullah Öcalan, indicating that the ongoing processes at İmralı, where Öcalan is incarcerated, present a significant opportunity for peace and reconciliation.
The forum ultimately functioned as a venue to advance the broader Kurdish political agenda, highlighting the imperative for unity among various factions and a coordinated approach to securing political representation in Syria.
# CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT:
- In Idlib dozens of teachers gathered outside the Idlib Education Directorate, holding banners calling for the dismissal of the Minister of Education and accusing him of “deliberately neglecting” the deteriorating state of education.
- In Suwayda Governorate, a group of women activists launched on Saturday a new women-led political movement to support “the cause of abducted women and document the violations” committed in the Jabal al-Arab region.
- The Syrian government launched judicial proceedings against 14 defendants involved in the Alawite massacres. The defendants face charges including sedition, sectarian incitement, and premeditated murder of civilians. 563 suspects have been referred to the judiciary.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
# EVALUATION
One of the drone operators fighting for the Syrian government was recorded with an ISIS patch on his plate carrier. SDF released the statement pointing out the danger of involving those fighters in government forces, shedding light on the legitimization of jihadist fighters by the state military aparatus. The credibility and veracity of these claims are contested by some US media, who argue that some fighters who are not connected to ISIS also sometimes wear the black and white patch.
While we don't see much point in debating those media, we would like to share perspective on the history of disinformation politics led by the US. Historically, the american imperialist state has demonstrated its capacity to fabricate "truth" from thin air to oppose revolutionary movements around the world.
In "Understanding Power," Noam Chomsky discusses the example of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, detailing the extensive campaign led by US entities to discredit the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Mainstream media outlets propagated misleading information about the FSLN’s governance, questioned the political rights of opposition groups and the existence of press freedoms, even denied that legitimate elections had occurred. The guerillas defending Nicaragua against US proxies - the Contras - were branded "Extremists Out of Control" and accused of committing atrocities.
This strategic disinformation was aimed at justifying the US-backed Contras’ so-called "war for democracy" portraying them as defenders against a supposed communist threat.
Of course, none of those allegations were true; the states of Latin America described by the american press at the time as "democratic", states like El Salvador and
Guatemala, were in fact authoritarian regimes backed by the US to suppress popular revolutionary movements. As Chomsky explained in his book: "In El Salvador and Guatemala, the governments are run by the military for the benefit of the local oligarchies - the landowners, rich businessmen, and rising professionals - and those people are tied up with the United States, so therefore those countries are 'democracies.' It doesn't matter if they blow up the independent press, kill off the political opposition, slaughter tens of thousands of people, and never run anything remotely like a free election, all of that is totally irrelevant. They're 'democracies,' because the right people are running them; if the right people aren't running them, then they're not 'democracies.'"
US politics may have evolved and changed since the times of the Sandinistas, but the essence of their strategy remains the same: elevating an authoritarian ruler while creating a narrative that positions him as a "champion of democracy." The many civilians massacred by Jolani's forces in Latakia and Suweida, the number of New Syrian Army fighters who cut their teeth in jihadist groups including ISIS, and the consequences of the Syrian Transitional Government's policies on the Syrian people are inconsequential. The only thing holding significance here is the alignment of the Syrian government with US interests; only then will the facade of "democracy" be stamped onto their Islamist regime.
It is in this context that the revolution in NES decided to take the path of political struggle, aiming for unity in Syria and calling for an end to the bloodshed. While this proves to be a long and difficult path, it is based on the belief that another reality, free from authoritarian regimes supported by the imperialists powers of the world, is possible. No guarantees offered by those states could ever answer the need of the revolution to defend itself.
Long live the revolution!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#Syria #NES #SDF #DAANES #AANES #SNA #SDF #PYD #YPJ #YPG #HTS #Rojava #Kurdistan #Revolution #DefendRojava #Anarchy #Anarchism #Comrades #Internationalism #AbdullahOcalan #Öcalan #PKK #WomenLifeFreedom #TekosinaAnarsist
