The Kurdish National Council (ENKS), an umbrella group of Kurdish opposition parties in northeast Syria (Rojava), announced its withdrawal from the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces on Friday. The decision comes in response to what the ENKS considers the completion of the Syrian revolution with the fall of the Baathist regime.

Faysal Yousef, spokesperson for the ENKS, stated that the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government marked the beginning of a new phase in Syria’s political landscape. “The revolution has achieved its goal with the end of the Baathist rule,” he said, confirming that the Kurdish opposition group had chosen to step away from the coalition as the country transitions into a new era.

The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, established in 2012 in Qatar, has served as the primary opposition body against Assad’s rule. Headquartered in Istanbul, the coalition has played a significant role in international diplomatic efforts regarding Syria’s civil war.

The collapse of Assad’s regime occurred in December 2024, following a large-scale offensive led by rebel factions, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), that resulted in the capture of major Syrian cities, including Damascus. Assad fled to Russia, ending more than five decades of Baathist rule in the country.

The ENKS’s decision to exit the Syrian Coalition reflects the shifting political dynamics in Syria as opposition groups reassess their roles in the nation’s future governance. Analysts suggest that the move could indicate a new phase of political realignment among Kurdish and broader Syrian opposition groups in the post-Assad era.