Two months after it appeared that clashes between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces would spiral out of control, Damascus has appointed Sipan Hemo, a key Kurdish commander, as a deputy to the Syrian defense minister.
As a deputy, he will focus on an area in eastern Syria. According to Kurdish media, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) cited Asim Ghalioun, head of the Defense Ministry’s Media and Communication Directorate, announcing that Hemo would be appointed to the position.
Rudaw Kurdish network noted that Hemo was previously a key member of the Syrian Democratic Forces general command. Hemo was an outspoken figure within the SDF. The SDF was created in 2015 with US support. Many key SDF commanders were part of the People’s Protection Units or YPG, a Kurdish group in Syria.
Rudaw noted on March 10 that “the eastern region, commonly referred to as Jazira, covers areas east of the Euphrates River, including parts of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and predominantly Kurdish Hasaka provinces.”
The report went on to note that “Sipan Hemo, who was a member of the SDF negotiation delegation in the January talks, is a prominent commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF.”
It added that “Hemo’s appointment as deputy defense minister marks a significant step in implementing the January 29 integration deal, following SDF-backed appointments of Nour al-Din Issa as governor of Hasaka and Marwan al-Ali as the governorate’s internal security chief.”
North Press media in eastern Syria reported the same information. It noted that “Sipan Hamo, a leader in the Syrian Democratic Forces, has been appointed as an assistant to the Minister of Defense for the eastern region of Syria.”
It added that “Sipan Hamo is the general commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a member of the general command of the Syrian Democratic Forces, and hails from the city of Afrin in the Aleppo countryside.”
Full details behind Hemo’s appointment yet unknown
The full details about the appointment of Hemo remain to be seen. After the clashes in January, the Syrian government and SDF came to an agreement on January 28. After the agreement, the Syrian Interior Ministry took over many areas previously run by the SDF. The SDF is now supposed to integrate with the Syrian government forces.
Damascus has sought to assure Kurds that it will appoint Kurds to positions in eastern Syria. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed Noureddin Ahmed Issa as Governor of Al-Hasakah. Issa is another example of a figure who was appointed to allay Kurdish concerns.
In addition Kurdish civilians have been returning to Afrin in Syria on March 9 and 10. Around 400 Kurdish families have returned. Video shows many Kurds turning out in Afrin to welcome them home. Afrin is a Kurdish area in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border. Around 160,000 Kurds fled a Turkish invasion in 2018. Now that the Assad regime is gone and there is a new government, the Turkish army has left Afrin, enabling Kurdish return.