Syrian Democratic Forces hold annual meeting of military councils, appoint Syriac Military Council’s Aram Hanna as new spokesperson

HASAKAH, Syria — In the presence of the Commander of the International Coalition, U.S. Lt. General Paul T. Calvert, the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) held the annual meeting of its military councils on Sunday in Hasakah city in North and East Syria.

The meeting was attended by many political and military figures and representatives of political parties from various components in North and East Syria.

The meeting began with a minute of silence for the souls of martyrs. Commander General of the SDF Mazloum Abdi then delivered a speech in which he welcomed the military, political, and civil representatives in attendance and spoke about the ongoing security operations against the Islamic State.

ISIS still poses the greatest danger to the region and a threat to the whole world, said Abdi, adding that the SDF and their International Coalition partners will continue to combat the organization.

He also spoke about the areas of North and East Syria invaded by Turkey and its proxies in the Syrian National Army (SNA) and the sacrifices made by the men and women of the SDF.

Abdi stressed that the current environment calls for an urgent political solution.

The Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi "All parties (the Syrian regime) that accuse us of attempting secession must know that they are the ones who left the areas to Daesh and Al-Nasra, & we are the ones who liberated them and protected their components from these terrorists" pic.twitter.com/S0GzTDOvzV

— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) August 1, 2021

He noted the need to develop infrastructure and improve citizens’ lives, noting that a lasting solution to the Syrian crisis can only be found in the people who are the driving force behind political, military, and service progress.

Abdi called on the international community to provide more material and moral support to the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) with the aim of improving the conditions in camps for the displaced and prisons holding ISIS detainees.

He also shed light on the processes of demographic change in North and East Syria, indicating that the liberation of occupied territories and the return of displaced people to their homes is a top priority.

For his part, Lt. Gen. Calvert gave a speech in which he confirmed that the partnership between the International Coalition and SDF continues, saying that, “The Coalition supports you and supports the Syrian Democratic Forces one hundred percent.”

Lt. Gen. Calvert thanked the SDF for their efforts in defeating ISIS. “It is an honor for me to speak before you; In front of those who defended and sacrificed a lot against ISIS.”

Calvert made it clear during the meeting that ISIS ended geographically as a result of the partnership between them and the SDF, stressing that the partnership “will continue until the defeat of ISIS”.

During the meeting, changes to the structure of the SDF were announced and appointments made. One such appointment was Commander of the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulḥoyo Suryoyo, MFS) Aram Hanna as the Spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces.