WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SYRIA’S POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY?

By Hasse-Nima Golkar

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SYRIA’S POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY?
Syria, a Middle Eastern country with a long history and rich civilization, has undergone significant transformations in modern times. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and World War I, Syria became a French mandate. In 1946, the country gained independence, but this was followed by a turbulent period of coups and political changes.

In 1970, Hafez al-Assad, a military officer from the Baath Party, seized power in a coup known as the “Corrective Movement.” He stabilized the country relatively and ruled as president for three decades. His rule was marked by severe repression, massacres of opposition groups, and the establishment of a centralized security state.

After Hafez al-Assad’s death in 2000, his son, Bashar al-Assad, succeeded him. Despite promises of political and economic reforms, Bashar has largely continued the same authoritarian policies. His government has been accused by the UN of committing war crimes during the Syrian civil war.

In May 2021, Bashar al-Assad participated in a “presidential election” (for life) in which he, as is typical in authoritarian regimes, “won” over 95% of the vote. This election was sharply criticized by Western countries and human rights organizations as “neither free nor fair.” As a result, severe sanctions by the U.S. and the EU continue to cripple Syria’s economy. These sanctions have led to inflation, shortages of fuel and supplies, and worsened daily life for the population, deepening the social crisis.

In 2011, in connection with the so-called Arab Spring, protests also broke out in Syria. The protests, which began with demands for reforms and greater freedoms, were met with brutal repression. This led to a civil war involving regional and international actors. The fascist Assad government received military and financial support from the fascist dictatorial states of Russia and Iran, while the opposition was supported by the United States, fascist Turkey government and several Arab countries. The war has resulted in widespread destruction, a humanitarian crisis and the rise of Islamic extremist groups such as IS.

In 2016, the opposition staged a major uprising against Bashar al-Assad’s fascist regime under the slogan “The people want to overthrow the ruling system!” The result was a horrific massacre of the protesters. It is reported that approximately 700,000 people were killed, and about 12 million fled the country. During this time, the Air Force of Vladimir Putin’s fascist regime in Russia and Ali Khamenei’s fascist military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from Iran, played a decisive role in this human catastrophe.

As of November 27, 2024, new clashes have erupted, led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group. These clashes began in Idlib and have escalated rapidly, with HTS seizing control of key areas, including Aleppo. HTS has formed an unofficial alliance with secular militias from the Syrian National Army.

The resurgence of conflict is partly explained by the weakening of Assad’s main allies, the regimes in Iran and Russia. Israel’s military strikes on Iranian and Syrian bases, coupled with Russia’s diminished standing due to the war in Ukraine, have reduced their support for Assad.

Currently, the Assad government controls about 60% of Syria. Approximately 10% is under fascist Turkish military occupation, while around 30% is administered by Rojava’s Democratic Confederalism in northern and eastern Syria. Rojava, a democratic self-Management system without any state structure, is primarily led by the People’s Defense Units (YPG) and the Women’s Defense Units (YPJ), and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). It encompasses a multicultural society of Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians, and other ethnic groups, who have lived in relative harmony since November 2013. Rojava also controls parts of Syria’s oil resources and has received “support” from the U.S. and European countries for its resistance against ISIS.

The fascist and occupying government of Turkey under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with the fascist dictatorship of Syria under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad, have persistently sought to crush the resistance and reclaim the revolutionary achievements of the people in Rojava.

While the final outcome of this war remains unpredictable, global capitalist powers—including the U.S., Israel, Turkey, Russia, and Iran—continue to fuel the conflict by providing economic, political, and military support to their proxies. This has intensified tensions, deepened the complexity of the crisis, and prolonged the devastating human suffering and uncertain future in the Middle East.

As part of the anarchist forces who strive for freedom, equality and justice, we have always supported and advocated for Rojava’s democratic self-management. And we firmly defend the revolutionary and modern achievements of this brave people.

Despite the current difficult and complicated situation, we also emphasize the importance of resisting all aggression against the Rojava people from fascist forces such as the new Ottoman Sultan Erdoğan and the Islamist terror front “Hayat al-Tahrir”, etc.