Syrian Revolutionary Left Current

The Syrian Revolutionary Left Current is a leftist political organization that opposes the Ba'athist-led government of Syria. Formed in October 2011, the group supports the uprising against the Syrian government and aims to build a "democratic, civil, and pluralist state" in Syria, while opposing any foreign military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.[1]

Syrian Revolutionary Left Current

Arabic: تيار اليسار الثوري في سوريا‎
French: Courant de la Gauche révolutionnaire en Syrie
Secretary-GeneralGhayath Naisse[1][2]
Notable membersJoseph Daher[3]
FoundedOctober 2011
HeadquartersAthens, Greece
IdeologyRevolutionary socialism
Democratic socialism
Participatory democracy
Direct democracy
Secularism
Colors Red
Website
http://revleftcurrentsyria.com/

Ideology and history

During the formation of the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current in October 2011, its founding documents stated that the it "adopts the major objectives of the Syrian People's Revolution, for freedom, democracy, dignity and social justice, and is committed to engage in mass action to achieve these objectives." It considered that "revolutionary dynamics is about building a democracy from below", and advocated for participatory democracy and direct democracy. The Revolutionary Left Current opposes all forms of foreign military intervention in Syria, including by NATO, by the Arab League, by Israel, and by Turkey.[1]

The Revolutionary Left Current's founding document also outlined a list of goals for the group and for other Syrian opposition groups, which were to overthrow the Syrian government and establish a "Provisional Revolutionary Government", dismantle the "security infrastructure of the state", and election of a Constituent Assembly.[1]

In August 2013, the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current condemned the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Nusra Front, and amid the Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict, it "reaffirmed its commitment" to support self-determination for Kurds in Syria. It also condemned the Syrian National Council for refusing to recognize rights for Kurdish people in Syria.[4]

On 23 September 2014, the group condemned the American-led intervention in Syria which began with airstrikes against ISIL, al-Nusra Front, and Ahrar al-Sham in Syria.[5]

In the spring of 2016, the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current and Greek leftist groups opened 6 centers in Athens, housing 2,400 Syrian refugees.[6]

In September 2016, the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current formed an alliance with the Syrian National Democratic Alliance and the Syrian Democratic Forces on the basis of political decentralization and the establishment of a pluralist democracy in Syria.[7] When the Turkish Armed Forces launched a military operation against the SDF in the Afrin Region on 20 January 2018, the Revolutionary Left Current condemned the operation and announced its support for the SDF in Afrin against Turkey.[8] On 1 May 2019 (International Workers' Day), the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current released a statement condemning the "bourgeois regime" of Syria and Turkey, and blaming the collapse of the Syrian Revolution on the absence of a "revolutionary party".[9]

Armed wing: People's Liberation Faction
People's Liberation Faction
Arabic: فصائل تحرر الشعب‎
French: Faction de la libération du Peuple
Leaders
Dates of operation18 March 2014 – 26 January 2015
AllegianceSyrian Revolutionary Left Current
AlliesIn Kobanî:[10] Unspecified Free Syrian Army groups[10]
Opponents Syrian Armed Forces

Al-Nusra Front

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and warsSiege of Kobanî[10]

Armed members of the Revolutionary Left Current operating in Syria announced themselves in January 2014.[11] On 18 March 2014, three armed and masked militants announced the formation of the People's Liberation Faction as part of the Syrian Revolutionary Left Current.[12][13] Fighters of the group were armed with Kalashnikov rifles, PK machine guns,[14] and RPG-7s.[15] The group also used a technical, a mortar, and a DShK heavy machine gun.[16] It cooperated with several local Free Syrian Army-affiliated groups.[10]

On 12 April 2014, a unit in the group attempted to redeploy fighters from the Hama Governorate to support other rebel groups in the Battle of Aleppo, when they were stopped at an al-Nusra Front checkpoint. Clashes then ensued and 3 fighters from the People's Liberation Faction were killed.[17]

Fighters of the group redeployed to Kobanî in order to reinforce the city against an ISIL offensive in September 2014.[10]

In late 2014, due to persecution by "counter-revolutionary forces", the People's Liberation Faction largely suspended its activities in Syria. It officially announced its dissolution on 26 January 2015.[18]

References
  1. Ghayath Naisse (6 November 2011). "Syria's Revolutionary Left: Challenges of a Transitional Phase". Al-Akhbar (Lebanon). Archived from the original on 22 August 2017.
  2. "Dr.. Ghayath Naisse: "The resistance of Afrin is against tyrants and tyranny."". Syrian National Democratic Alliance. 31 January 2018. Archived from the original on 25 March 2018.
  3. "Prospects for Syria: Revolution, Counter-Revolution and Solidarity". Columbia College Chicago. 17 February 2017.
  4. Joseph Daher (23 August 2013). "Imperialism, sectarianism and Syria's revolution". Solidarity.
  5. "Revolutionary Left Movement in Syria: position around the bombings of the International Coalition led by the USA". Syria Freedom Forever. 23 September 2014.
  6. Molly Crabapple (7 March 2017). "How Greece Became the EU's Prison for Refugees". VICE.
  7. "A joint statement to the public on the Declaration of Uniting Efforts". 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016.
  8. "'Long live the struggle of Afrin against occupiers': Syrian Revolutionary Left Current". The Region. 23 January 2018.
  9. ""النظام البرجوازي كان أشد قسوة على مناطق العمال والكادحين"". Hawar News Agency. 1 May 2019.
  10. "Syria: The Popular Liberation Factions (FLP)". Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières. 1 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
  11. "The Revolutionary Left Movement in Syria: Always with the masses in their struggle for liberation". Syria Freedom Forever. 31 January 2014.
  12. "Revolutionary Left Current in Syria: Establishment of the "People's Liberation Faction" to commemorate the third anniversary of the Syrian Revolution". Syria Freedom Forever. 18 March 2014.
  13. "Declaration of leftist "liberation groups" factions". Radio Rozana. 18 March 2014.
  14. "Statement of the People's Liberation Faction, Revolutionary Left Current in Syria". Syria Freedom Forever. 20 July 2014.
  15. "فصائل تحرر الشعب". Syria Freedom Forever. 21 March 2014.
  16. "أبطال فصائل تحرر الشعب". Syrian Revolutionary Left Current. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014.
  17. "Treacherous aggression of the forces of the counter-revolution against the fighters of the People's Liberation Faction". Syria Freedom Forever. 14 April 2014.
  18. "Statement: People's Liberation Faction". Syria Freedom Forever. 26 January 2015.
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