Dida Faridoon is one of the few journalists to have attended the meeting of Rojava’s political representatives held in Qamishli on August 29, 2026, with Mazlum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed among the participants. Reading her account, the meeting appears to have been a moment of truth. Away from the cameras, a difficult and at times painful debate unfolded among Kurdish leaders confronted with an existential question: what will remain of Rojava, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and the political and social achievements built over more than a decade? Through Dida Faridoon’s exceptional first-hand account, EISMENA offers access to the discussions behind closed doors, as well as to interviews she personally conducted with several senior figures about the future of Rojava, the SDF, and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).

Alexandre Aoun is specialist in non-state movements and the transformation taking place in the Arab world, in this article he takes us behind the scenes of what is unfolding in Ali al-Taher. Based in Lebanon, where he experiences the consequences of this war on a daily basis, our researcher provides a particular insightful framework for understanding the military, political and geopolitical dimensions of the battle unfolding around Ali al-Taher.