French Senator Savoldelli wrote a letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot drawing attention to the attacks on Rojava: “The Rojava model is a reference to the reconstruction of Syria. France cannot abandon the Kurds in the face of the attacks.
International reactions to the attacks by the Turkish state and allied mercenary groups against the regions under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava) continue. French Senator Pascal Savoldelli wrote a letter to French Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe Jean-Noel Barrot to draw attention to the attacks on Rojava. Savoldelli emphasised that Rojava's democratic and inclusive governance model should be taken as an example for the reconstruction of Syria and called on France not to abandon its Kurdish allies.

Rojava: A reference for the construction of a new Syria

In his letter, Senator Savoldelli stated that the fall of the Assad regime represents hope for the Syrian people: “This hope is the culmination of a revolution that began in 2011 and whose outcome is now highly uncertain. As part of this revolution, for more than a decade, Syrian Kurds have been promoting an inclusive political project based on democratic autonomy and the peaceful coexistence of all communities. Today, this model is a reference for the construction of a new, inclusive and democratic Syria based on justice, equality and the rights of all its components.”

Kurdish forces are a valuable ally for France and the Coalition

Reminding Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot of the fight of the Syrian Kurds against ISIS, Senator Savoldelli said: “The Kurdish forces have been a valuable ally for France and the coalition in the fight against ISIS, especially in the context of the attacks organised by jihadists on French territory and against the French people in 2015.

However, with the seizure of power in Damascus by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on 8 December 2024, a number of shadowy and reactionary armed groups, mainly supported by the Republic of Turkey, launched an offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), particularly in Kurdish-majority towns in the north-east of the country. In particular, they have seized control of certain areas in Deir ez-Zor and Manbij. Many witnesses from the region report massacres of the civilian population.”

France cannot abandon its Kurdish allies

In his letter, Senator Savoldelli called on Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot to declare France's side in favour of the Kurds in the face of the attacks on Rojava by the Turkish state and its mercenary groups: “Given the seriousness of the attacks against the Kurds, I would like to ask what weight France intends to put on supporting its Kurdish allies and their democratic model of governance, ensuring their inclusion in any political process for the reconstruction of Syria, and firmly condemning foreign interference, especially from Turkey, which fuels divisions and tensions. At a time when the risk of a new humanitarian catastrophe cannot be ruled out, France cannot abandon its Kurdish allies.”[1]