Tensions have flared in Raqqa as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) detained five teachers who refused to teach the curriculum imposed by the Autonomous Administration, leading to widespread protests and threats of military escalation from local tribes.
Dozens of residents gathered in Raqqa’s city center on Sunday, demanding the immediate release of the detained teachers. In Al-Mashlab neighborhood, protesters blocked roads and burned tires, opposing the arrests after the teachers had resigned in protest of the Autonomous Administration’s mandated curriculum. The SDF has reportedly declined requests from tribal elders to release the detainees, taking them to an undisclosed location.
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The Autonomous Administration’s new curriculum has sparked significant controversy and resentment across SDF-controlled areas, with locals and the opposition condemning it as “racist and extremist” and counter to the culture of the region. The Interim Government, aligned with the Syrian opposition, has urged the United Nations to pressure the SDF to halt the enforcement of these curricula.
Activists, like Mohammad al-Khalaf, report that the SDF’s disregard for tribal mediation is escalating tensions, with calls for both civil and military responses. Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Bursan of the al-Bushaban tribe issued a warning to SDF commanders in a video, demanding the teachers’ release within 48 hours and threatening severe retaliation if his demand is ignored.
The new SDF curriculum emphasizes Kurdish as the primary language in schools, discourages education in regime-controlled areas, and includes elements that reportedly align with the ideology of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). In response, several SDF-controlled areas, including Raqqa, Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, and Manbij, have witnessed protests opposing the imposed curriculum.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
