Syrian National Democratic Alliance

Syrian National Democratic Alliance
التحالف الوطني الديمقراطي السوري
al-Tahaluf al-Watani al-Demokrati al-Suri
LeaderAlaeddine Khaled
Founded16 September 2014 (2014-09-16)
HeadquartersSarrin and Afrin, Syria (Afrin until March 2018)
IdeologyPluralist democracy
Feminism
Social ecology
Democratic confederalism
Political positionLeft-wing
ColorsGreen, white, yellow
SloganTowards a Pluralist Syrian Democracy
People's Council
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Democratic Council
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Councils of the Afrin Region
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Website
Official website

The Syrian National Democratic Alliance (Arabic: التحالف الوطني الديمقراطي السوري, al-Tahaluf al-Watani al-Demokrati al-Suri, TWDS) is a left-wing multi-ethnic political party established in 2014 in northern Syria.[1]

The alliance was founded during the Syrian Civil War and the war has considerably affected its policies to become very critical of totalitarianism and extremist beliefs.[2] However the party is "ready to build bridges with the parties that recognize the right of Syria's components in general and the Kurds in particular", according to party leader Alaeddine Khaled.[3]

The party has 5 politicians in the Democratic Assembly of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria and the party leader, Ahmad Araj, is one of the seven members of the Executive Council.[4][5]

History

On 7 February 2016, the first conference of the party was held. The alliance closely coordinates with the Syrian Alliance for Freedom and Human Rights and the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current.[6][7][8] Since then, the Northern Democratic Brigade has also de facto joined the TWDS.[8]

On 11 March 2017, after negotiations between the Syrian National Democratic Alliance, the political council of Idlib, and the Army of Revolutionaries, 80 prisoners of war from Turkey-supported rebels were released from captivity by the Syrian Democratic Forces.[9]

Between 24 and 25 May 2017, the second conference of the SNDA was held in Afrin, Syria under the slogan of "We are all partners".[6]

In course of the 2017 Northern Syria regional elections, the TWDS ran for 48 seats of the Afrin Region's councils, out of which it won eight.[10]

References

  1. ^ "من نحن؟" [Who are We?] (in Arabic). Syrian National Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  2. ^ "A Statement to the Public Opinion" (PDF). Syrian National Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  3. ^ Drwish, Sardar Mlla (16 June 2016). "Why Syria's Kurds are cooperating with Russia". Translated by El-Khoury, Joelle. Al-Monitor. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Executive Board of Democratic Syria Assembly elected". Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firatê. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  5. ^ Khurshid, Ahmed. "مجلس سورية الديمقراطي" [Syria Democratic Council] (in Arabic). Syrian Establishment for Studies and Research of public opinion. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  6. ^ a b "The Syrian National Democratic Alliance towards solving the Syrian crisis". Hawar News Agency. 25 May 2017.
  7. ^ "A joint statement to the public on the Declaration of Uniting Efforts". 29 September 2016.
  8. ^ a b Mohammed Elnaiem (7 February 2018). "Whose Free Syrian Army? The Arab opposition resisting Turkey's Afrin attacks". The Region. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Soldiers salute workers deserve". Syrian National Democratic Alliance. 14 March 2017.
  10. ^ "High Electoral Commission disclosed Local Administration elections' outcomes". Hawar News Agency. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.