Demonstrators from the city of Qamishli, in northern al-Hasakah, raised the Syrian revolution flag alongside other flags for the first time since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of the area.

Enab Baladi‘s correspondent in Qamishli reported that the city witnessed a protest on Thursday, December 19, where the Syrian revolution flag was raised, demanding an end to Turkish attacks on the region.

Dozens of residents from the Kurdish and Arab communities in the city, along with a number of activists, academics, notables, and tribal leaders, participated in the protests.

Jilan Ali, an engineering student at the Rojava University, told Enab Baladi that Syria is experiencing a rebirth and a historical phase; however, the external military interventions disturb her happiness instead of solving the crisis politically among the people.

Ajaj al-Hamidi, a resident of the countryside of Qamishli, shared a different opinion. He graduated from law school and now works as a teacher in the morning and a driver of a passenger bus from his village to the city in the evening. He stated, “In the village of al-Watoutiya, we indeed raised the flag, and here I see it flying in my city as well.”

Al-Hamidi stands beside his Kurdish relative who holds the yellow flag, saying, “Our joy is shared, our pain is shared, and our enemy is shared. We reject the entry of factions, Turkey, and the media incitement between us, and we hope for a political solution that does not waste Syrian blood.”

Demonstrators in the city of Qamishli, north of al-Hasakah, raise the Syrian revolution flag alongside the SDF flag – December 19, 2024 (Enab Baladi/Ruba Abbas)

Enab Baladi‘s correspondent in Qamishli monitored that the activists who called for the protest advised against raising flags during the event, but residents did not comply.

The announcement that circulated in closed news groups on the WhatsApp application stated, “Please refrain from raising flags or pictures to avoid any disputes or conflicts during this sensitive period.”

On December 12, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced the raising of the Syrian revolution flag at all councils, institutions, departments, and facilities under its control in the areas it governs.

AANES stated that its decision came on the occasion of “the end of the era of repression and tyranny imposed by the Syrian regime on the people for more than half a century.”

Over the past years, AANES has positioned itself as a third party on the Syrian political map, neither presenting itself as a supporter nor an opponent of the Syrian regime, nor aligning with the Syrian opposition, which it opposed in part.

In separate incidents, AANES prohibited the raising of the Syrian revolution flag in areas under its control, but allowed it on other occasions, during celebrations marking the anniversary of the Syrian revolution outbreak.

The SDF (AANES’ military wing) consists of military factions that were part of the Syrian Free Army and has adopted the Syrian revolution flag as its banner.

The Syrian revolution flag is raised for the first time in the city of Qamishli, which is considered the stronghold of AANES in Syria – December 19, 2024 (Enab Baladi/Ruba Abbas)