Paris, France – Prominent French philosopher and intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy has strongly criticized the Western stance on recent developments in northeastern Syria. He described the agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a “new betrayal” of the Kurdish allies who have made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
Warning of a “worrying shift”
In a post on the X platform, Levi wrote: “The West’s betrayal of the Kurds is one of the most alarming developments of our time.”
He addressed a stark reminder to the international community, saying: “Never forget that General Mazloum Abdi’s heroic fighters defeated ISIS when it threatened the world, and never forget that they guard the prisons holding the most dangerous terrorists on earth.”
Background to the position: Continued defense of the Kurdish cause
Lévy is known as one of the most vocal Western advocates for the Kurds, having produced documentaries such as “Peshmerga” and “The Battle of Mosul.” He consistently describes the Kurds as “the only democratic and secular force” in the region. Lévy views the January 18, 2016 agreement—signed by Mazloum Abdi with the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army—as a repetition of the Western (especially American) abandonment of the Kurds that occurred in 2017 and 2019. He also considers the handover of the “Autonomous Administration” to Damascus a sacrifice of a proven strategic ally.
