Damascus, Syria – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the political umbrella for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), declared a state of general mobilization across all areas under its control on Sunday. This comes in anticipation of potential military movements by Syrian army forces toward the Jazira and Kobani regions.
A “pivotal” stage and zero options
In an official statement published on its website, the Autonomous Administration described the current phase as “pivotal and historic.” It added that the region faces only two options: “either resistance and a life of dignity, or exposure to various forms of injustice and humiliation.” The statement asserted that recent developments on the ground necessitate a comprehensive popular mobilization. It also called upon all segments of the population to respond to the call to arms and stand shoulder to shoulder with the fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).
A call for arming and popular resistance
The administration called on all citizens to immediately “prepare and arm themselves” to confront any potential attack on the Jazeera and Kobani fronts. In the same vein, the administration considered the current threats to be an “existential war” targeting Kurdish identity and what it described as the “gains of the revolution” achieved in recent years. It called for unity and support for the military forces to repel what it termed a “brutal attack.”
Context of escalation
The general mobilization announcement comes amid escalating tensions on the ground between the Syrian army and the SDF. Simultaneously, this announcement coincided with political statements from regional actors (most notably messages from Abdullah Öcalan from Imrali). These statements warned that military clashes in these areas could lead to a wider conflagration, threatening peace and stability efforts in the region.
