ENGLISH SECTION
10/01/2025 | 10:29
Coalition Letter Urging Support for SDF and Sanctions for Turkey: A Strong Letter to President Trump asking him to help the Kurds
January 9, 2025
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President-elect of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Trump:
We, the undersigned civil society organizations representing a broad cross-section of American interests, write to urge you to provide ironclad support to our allied partners, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as they confront a Turkish-backed offensive in northeast Syria. Without U.S. assistance, the SDF faces eradication, which could lead to the ethnic cleansing of Syrian minorities and the resurgence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
We call on your administration to take the necessary steps to protect the SDF and preserve the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society governed by universal democratic and pluralist principles. Furthermore, the United States should sanction Turkey unless it agrees to an enduring ceasefire, while holding Ankara accountable for war crimes and human rights abuses committed by its proxy forces, the Syrian National Army (SNA).
Our coalition includes organizations with a direct stake in Syria’s future: think tanks, civic action, and heritage groups dedicated to upholding democratic values, safeguarding minority rights, and strengthening regional stability. We come together in solidarity to demonstrate the broad consensus among diverse communities for backing our Syrian partners as Turkey seeks to transform the country into a client state.
In October 2019, you sent a stern, unambiguous letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatening to destroy “the Turkish economy” if he failed to negotiate with SDF leaders. Your administration followed this up with sanctions targeting Turkish ministries and senior officials, forcing Erdoğan to negotiate with the SDF and agree to a ceasefire. We hope you will demonstrate the same uncompromising resolve in your next term as Syria faces new challenges.
Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally, is capitalizing on the chaos and unrest following the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, seizing SDF-held territory in Manbij and Tel Rifaat, and encircling the city of Kobani. Turkey’s indiscriminate artillery barrages and airstrikes on civilian infrastructure have precipitated a humanitarian crisis, with more than 120,000 displaced Syrians forced to abandon their homes to advancing SNA forces.
The SNA, an alliance of criminal and jihadist militias, stands accused of serious human rights abuses going back to 2018, when it carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Kurdish-majority town of Afrin. More recently, SNA fighters were recorded executing wounded SDF prisoners in Manbij, and human rights groups have documented “summary executions, arbitrary arrests, torture, and looting of property.”
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist group and Al Qaeda offshoot, also falls under Erdoğan’s orbit. Responsible for the lightning offensive to remove Assad from power, HTS has pledged to respect the rights of Syrian women and minorities. Despite these claims of moderation, HTS continues to pose a significant security threat with its roots in extremist ideologies and history of restrictive policies.
Unlike Turkey’s jihadist proxies, the SDF is a multi-ethnic force that strives to defend disenfranchised minorities and maintain stability in the region it governs. During your first term, the SDF was an essential military partner in the coalition to defeat ISIS, a major milestone of your administration. However, ISIS fighters have killed 753 people in nearly 500 attacks in Syria over the past year, and historical achievements threaten to be reversed if the terrorist groups is allowed to reconstitute itself.
The U.S. can support its Syrian allies without needlessly endangering the lives of American military personnel or committing endless resources towards stability operations in the region. In fact, supporting our SDF partners today offers the best assurance that America does not become entangled in another Middle Eastern dispute. With 70 percent of Syria’s oil and gas fields located in the DAANES, our continued sponsorship of the SDF also serves as a bargaining chip to negotiate favorable terms for a post-Assad Syria – a future that is free from Russian and Turkish influences and includes a legal framework that guarantees equal rights and non-discrimination.
We urge you to implement the following policies to hasten the end of Turkey’s unprovoked land grab in northeast Syria:
1. Provide military and diplomatic support necessary for the SDF to sustain defensive operations and continue counter-ISIS patrols. Enhanced security cooperation through intelligence sharing, military aid, and advisory assistance empowers the SDF to take responsibility for its own security.
2. Implement sanctions against Turkey unless it agrees to an immediate and lasting ceasefire and orders a complete SNA withdrawal from the DAANES. Hold Turkey accountable for the SNA’s documented war crimes and human rights abuses and expand sanctions against SNA militias.
3. Safeguard Syria’s at-risk ethnic and religious minorities, including Alawis, Druze, Kurds, Turkmen, Yezidis, and Christians – among them Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, and Arameans. Seek commitments from Turkey and HTS to acknowledge equal rights, prevent unlawful retaliatory killings, and establish a stable, inclusive government that represents all Syrians. Pressure Turkey to honor a safety corridor for Kurds and other displaced Syrians to relocate to the DAANES.
4. Maintain the designation of HTS as a terrorist organization until it demonstrates that its stated commitment to the rights of women and minorities is not merely a public relations strategy to win international recognition and legitimacy.
Mr. President, your leadership and decisive action are crucial at this pivotal moment. By bolstering support for the SDF, ensuring the enforcement of a durable ceasefire, and imposing necessary sanctions on Turkey for its actions, the U.S. can safely disengage from Syria while protecting its core national interests.
Thank you for your leadership during this critical time, and we look forward to seeing actions that protect our allies and promote a stable, inclusive future for all Syrians.
Sincerely,
American Friends of Kurdistan
American Mideast Coalition for Democracy
American Syriac Union
Armenian National Committee of America
Hellenic American Leadership Council
In Defense of Christians
Israel-American Civic Action Committee
Middle East Forum
Copy to:
Secretary-designate Marco Rubio, U.S. Department of State
Secretary-designate Scott Bessent, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth, U.S. Department of Defense
National Security Advisor-designate Mike Waltz, National Security Council
