The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) escalated its opposition to the upcoming parliamentary elections, calling them undemocratic and exclusionary. In an August 24 statement, the administration said millions of displaced Syrians remain barred from voting, making the elections illegitimate. It urged the UN and the international community not to recognize the process, stressing that only a political settlement under UN Security Council Resolution 2254 can ensure inclusivity. Ahmad Qanout, head of the People’s Assembly’s legal committee, countered that AANES has no authority to decide the legitimacy of the elections and the polls would proceed as planned.
Security Turmoil in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor
While political negotiations stall, unrest continues in areas under AANES control. Two SDF leaders were assassinated last week in Raqqa’s Bayatara neighborhood, prompting sweeping raids and arrests. The SANA reported the victims were Saqr Kurhasat of Tal Abyad and Nuh Khalil from Hasakah. Their killings followed a string of targeted attacks on SDF members in recent months.
In mid-August, SDF forces launched raids in Deir Ezzor’s Gharanij and Kashkiya towns, triggering panic among residents. Local outlets also reported the death of a young man under torture in Hasakah, as well as fresh arrests in Qamishli after an armed assault on an SDF checkpoint. Meanwhile, Syria Now reported that the SDF imposed a midnight curfew in Raqqa over fears of unrest and began transferring about 4,000 prisoners from Aqtan prison to an undisclosed location.
Regional Calls for Disarmament
At the UN, Turkey’s envoy Ahmet Yildiz urged full implementation of the March 10 agreement, including disarmament of the SDF. Addressing the Security Council, Yildiz argued that a central government and unified army are indispensable for Syria’s stability. He accused the SDF of prolonging uncertainty for its own interests and recruiting new members from within Syria.
Yildiz reiterated Ankara’s call to dismantle the SDF and integrate all armed groups into state structures, stressing that only a unified national framework could restore Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Uncertainty Remains
The repeated postponement of AANES-led forums, such as the recently delayed Consultative Forum on Constitutional Principles in Raqqa, reflects the fragility of the SDF-led political track. The administration continues to advocate decentralization and autonomy, while Damascus insists on reasserting full control. With security tensions rising on the ground and the March 10 deal stalled, the fate of negotiations remains uncertain. Both sides have yet to agree on when, or where, talks will resume.
