Al-Hilali Denies Proposal to Merge “Roj Peshmerga” into the Syrian Army

Deputy Governor of Hasakah, Ahmad Al-Hilali, to “Asharq Al-Awsat”: “There is no such thing”.. and Shalal Kaddo calls for the forces’ return with political guarantees

Statements by a Syrian official dismissed circulating news regarding the future of the Syrian Kurdish “Roj Peshmerga” forces, currently located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, after the Deputy Governor of Hasakah, Ahmad Al-Hilali, denied the existence of a government proposal to merge them into the Syrian Army’s structure, in a move similar to what occurred with the “Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).”

Commenting on reports speaking of such a proposal, Al-Hilali told “Asharq Al-Awsat”: “There is no such thing,” without adding further details.

On the other hand, the head of the “Kurdish Centre Party” in Syria, Shalal Kaddo, considered the return of “Roj Peshmerga” to Syria a right for these forces, describing them as a national Syrian force. He stressed the necessity for this return to occur through a clear agreement between the “Kurdish National Council” and the Syrian state, backed by political guarantees ensuring them a role within Syrian national military institutions.

“Roj Peshmerga” serves as the armed wing of the “Kurdish National Council,” which is active in northern Syria and comprises several Kurdish parties, including the “Kurdish Centre Party” led by Kaddo.

According to Kaddo, the forces were established in 2012, during the outbreak of the Syrian revolution, and were organized by the “Kurdish National Council” under the leadership of Brigadier General Delovan Robari. Their numbers are estimated at around ten thousand fighters, including officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of various ranks, hailing from Kurdish cities and villages in northern Syria, including Qamishli, Ain al-Arab (Kobanî), and Afrin.

Kaddo explained to “Asharq Al-Awsat” that these fighters defected successively from the former Syrian regime’s army after refusing to suppress civilian protests and kill Syrian civilians, before seeking refuge in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where they remain in their camps, maintaining their cohesion and military discipline.

Research sources indicate that the formation of “Roj Ava Peshmerga” dates back to 2012, and that its members received training in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, later becoming the military arm of the “Kurdish National Council.”

“Roj Peshmerga” also received training and support from the Kurdistan Regional Government and the International Coalition against ISIS, participating in the war against the extremist organization, which occupied vast swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014.

Kaddo believes that the return of these forces to Syria should not be limited to a military arrangement; rather, it must come within the framework of a clear political agreement between the “Kurdish National Council” and the Syrian state, along with guarantees allowing them to assume a role within national Syrian military institutions.

He emphasized that “Roj Peshmerga” did not engage in internal Syrian conflicts and was never used against the Syrian people, making it, in his view, an “inherently national Syrian force” capable of playing a role in protecting the country and defending its security and stability.

The “Kurdish National Council” previously attempted, in coordination with the United States and the International Coalition, to deploy the forces into Syrian territory; however, those efforts clashed, according to Kaddo, with the rejection of the “SDF.” Research sources confirm that the issue of deploying “Roj Peshmerga” into northern Syria was a point of dispute with the controlling Kurdish forces in the region.

From Kaddo’s perspective, the return of “Roj Peshmerga” should not be presented as a military or partisan step, but rather as part of broader national Syrian arrangements allowing various Syrian forces to contribute to protecting the country and integrating into an inclusive national military institution.

Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version: Click here