'Through attacks on Alawites and black propaganda, the SDF is wanted to be drawn into the war'

Reacting to the massacres against Alevis, Celal Fırat said, "The SDF is wanted to be drawn into the war through attacks on Alevis and black propaganda. Because when the SDF is drawn into the war, Alawites are presented as a 'security problem' and their demands for rights are suppressed."


ANF
ISTANBUL
Friday, January 2, 2026


After HTS came to power in Syria, massacre attacks against Alawites continue to increase. The attacks of HTS and affiliated jihadist gangs under the leadership of Ahmed Shara continue despite the reactions.

With the effect of Turkey's policy of turning a blind eye to the HTS administration, the gangs continue to openly massacre Alevis and occupy residential areas. By not complying with the March 10 Agreement signed with the SDF, the HTS administration insists that it will threaten other peoples living in Syria and wants to continue the war in the country.

DEM Party Istanbul Deputy Celal Fırat made evaluations to ANF regarding the massacres of HTS.

'TURKEY EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AS POLITICAL MANIPULATION'

Stating that the government in Turkey has done nothing against HTS's attacks, Fırat said that Turkey's statements are considered insufficient for Alevi institutions and said:

"In early 2025, there were heavy violence targeting the Alawite population in the western coastal regions of Syria, particularly in Latakia and Tartus. Numerous reports of the massacre of hundreds of Alevi civilians, the systematic targeting of villages, and the abduction of women, children and the elderly have been made public. These events should now be indisputably considered as a massacre and a gross violation of human rights; As a matter of fact, evaluations are made in this direction in international circles.

In Turkey, the government wing contented itself with verbally condemning the attacks targeting the sect; on the other hand, he made statements emphasizing that what happened should not be turned into 'political manipulation' or 'domestic political material'. As Alevi institutions and the Alevi community, we openly state that this approach overshadows the real humanitarian tragedy on the ground, makes the bloodshed invisible and produces a language that relieves consciences but does not save lives.

As an Alevi citizen, I have openly condemned the massacres against Alevis in Syria without any hesitation. We have repeatedly stated that Turkey should use its diplomatic power and international influence more effectively to stop these massacres. We have also insistently emphasized that the exclusion of minorities in the region from political processes, leaving them unprotected and ignored feeds this environment of violence."

'REPORTS OF THE UN AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT'

Emphasizing that the UN and independent human rights commissions have published reports on human rights violations against Alevis, Fırat continued as follows:

"Today, the United Nations and independent human rights commissions are preparing reports that these attacks on civilian targets constitute human rights violations. Violations against Alevi communities in particular are included in these reports. However, unfortunately, the reports prepared are not enough to stop the Alawite blood flowing in Syria. Every recorded death, every attack that cannot be stopped shows that the international system has failed in the test of conscience.

We see these events not only as a security problem; We define it as an open sectarian hate attack, a social execution and even a genocide process. As we raise our voices, we associate these massacres with the historical traumas we have experienced in the past. Because these attacks are not new for Alevis; there is a chain of pain in our memory stretching from Maraş to Çorum, from Dersim to Sivas. What is happening in Syria today is a new link that shows that the Alevi identity is systematically targeted and wanted to be destroyed."

'IT IS INCOMPLETE TO SHOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AS A STATE OF CIVIL WAR OR GENERAL CHAOS'

Referring to the mistake of defining what is happening only as a civil war or a general state of chaos, Fırat continued his words as follows:

"Some countries and some circles say that this violence should not be explained only by sectarian hatred; points to factors such as internal political power vacuums, the growing influence of radical groups, and post-state chaos. Of course, these elements exist. However, at the end of all these analyses, the fact that what happened was presented as 'only the result of a civil war' or 'a general state of chaos' makes the dimension of the massacre against Alevis invisible. This approach hurts us deeply. Because the truth is obvious:

It is the Alevis who are targeted; it is Alevi civilians who are killed, it is Alevi life that is ignored.

Therefore, we will not be silent. For this reason, we will insist on naming these massacres correctly. Because every oppression that we do not name invites the next one."

'ALEVIS' REACTIONS IN TURKEY REMAIN SCATTERED AND INCOMPLETE'

Referring to the reactions of the Alevi community living in Turkey, Fırat said that there are reactions to the massacre in Syria; however, he stated that these were scattered reactions rather than a collective reaction and continued as follows:

"Actions and written statements are being made; reactions are rising on social media and some institutions are issuing press releases; individual Alevi intellectuals, grandfathers and academics speak. However, all these reactions remain fragmented, scattered and discontinuous.

In my opinion, the main reason for this is that the Alevi community has a very fragmented organizational structure in Turkey. Of course, there are many reasons for this fragmented structure; however, the most decisive one is that the state has systematically dismantled the Alevi organization through its own institutions and policies.

This is part of a conscious assimilation process. Therefore, it becomes difficult to produce common reflexes. A common crisis desk cannot be established, a common language cannot be developed, and a common calendar cannot be created. Everyone is talking; but it cannot be spoken at the same time, from the same place and with the same power.

On the other hand, Alevi institutions do not want the Alevi community to be targeted again. Many Alevi institutions act with the concern of "not being a target again"; This concern leads to the establishment of a language that is as measured as possible, but unfortunately ineffective.

We have institutions that are struggling, but the system intervenes effectively there, and the result of this is clear: There is bloodshed, but the rising voice remains low.

In none of the Alevi massacres in our country, the legal processes have not been made truly visible. Under this silence; The memory of a society that has lived through Maraş, Çorum, Sivas, Dersim and Koçgirî lies. This memory lives with a deep uneasiness and the feeling that 'it will be worse if we shout too much' is still strong.

In other words, while we continue to live in uneasiness even in the geography we live in, Alevis can often object to this injustice only with the language of belief and to a limited extent with the language of right, since the state does not use a language that explicitly names the massacres."

'ATTACKS ON ALEVIS CAN ALSO BE READ AS A MEANS OF DRAWING THE SDF INTO THE WAR'

Pointing out that the attacks on Alawites and the reactions to the Alawite community's demand for federation may also be a plan to draw the SDF into the war, Fırat said, "The attacks and systematic targeting of the Alawites' demand for federation or autonomy can be clearly seen today as one of the tools used to draw the Syrian Democratic Forces back into the war.

However, it is not possible to explain this picture with a single title. What is happening is part of a much broader, multi-layered and dangerous geopolitical scenario.

First of all, it should be clearly underlined that:

The demands expressed by the Alawite community in the context of Syria; It is not a separate state request. It is not an armed project or a sectarian quest for power.

The demand of Alevis is very clear: Safety of life, the right to local government, political representation and protection of their collective existence. These demands are; It is expressed with concepts such as federation, autonomy or decentralization, because the suffering experienced has left no other guarantee."

'ALAWITES' DEMANDS ARE CONTRARY TO HTS'S UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNANCE'

Referring to the reasons for a persistent massacre attack against these demands of the Alawites, Fırat stated that the demands of the Alawites are contrary to the form of government that HTS wants today, and continued his words as follows:

"So why are such legitimate, humane demands targeted so harshly? Because these demands; It contradicts the dream of rebuilding Syria from a single center with a single identity. It limits the dominance of armed groups in the area without rules. It disrupts the ground for radical and sectarian elements to mobilize society.

For this very reason, Alevis' demands for rights are deliberately criminalized with labels such as 'separatism', 'provocation' or 'foreign plan'."

'KURDS ARE WANTED TO BE DRAWN INTO THE WAR WITH ATTACKS ON ALEVIS' DEMAND FOR FEDERATION'

Stating that the SDF's stance is of vital importance, Celal Fırat emphasized that the SDF is also wanted to be drawn into the war with the black propaganda carried out over the Alawites' demand for a federation and continued as follows:

"At this point, the position of the SDF is of vital importance.

Today, the SDF is in a fragile ceasefire balance and is stuck between the US, Russia, Turkey and Damascus. The SDF stands in an equation that will trigger a multi-actor conflict if forced to a new front.

With the attacks on Alevis, the discourse of 'federation' is circulated with the following propaganda language: 'Look, a new division is coming. Look, a new line of autonomy is being established. In that case, armed intervention is legitimate.'

This language does not only target Alevis; it also creates a ground that forces the SDF to take sides unintentionally and legitimizes the war again. It should be made clear that Alawites have not had an organic connection with the SDF until now. But now it is clear that they are paying a heavy price for not creating this. However, with a conscious strategy, these two headings are superimposed. The aim is clear: to create a perception of threat and legitimize armed interventions by matching the Alevi demand with the Kurdish military presence."

'THE ATTACKS ARE THE WORK OF THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT A PLURALISTIC GOVERNMENT IN SYRIA'

Pointing out that the massacre attacks and tensions are beneficial to those who do not want a multi-identity and pluralistic future to be established in Syria, Celal Fırat concluded his words as follows:

"Who benefits from this tension? It benefits radical armed groups, those who advocate a centralist regime approach, and regional actors who do not want Syria to establish a multi-identity, pluralistic future. Because when the SDF is drawn into the war, stability is disrupted; Alevis are presented as a 'security problem' and their demands are suppressed.

The most dangerous point is this: Alevis' right to life, safety of life and demand for equal citizenship are deliberately portrayed as a military threat. This approach is not only for Alevis; It is growing a dark policy targeting Kurds, Druze, Christians and all minorities in Syria.

We object to this; because Alevis do not want war. Alevis do not want power. Alevis only want to live, exist and have a say in their own destiny. And this demand is neither a crime nor a threat; on the contrary, it is the only real ground for peace and coexistence."