ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Thursday marked the first anniversary of the offensive which led to the fall of the previous regime, strongly rejecting decentralization and warning against new proposals for federalism. 

Syrian rebel groups, spearheaded by Sharaa’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched operation “Deterrence of Aggression” on November 27, 2024, seizing the capital Damascus after a 12-day blitz offensive, and ending Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year reign.

“Over the past year, since our arrival in Damascus, Syria has taken important steps and achieved tangible accomplishments across various fields,” said Sharaa.

The president called on all spectrums of the Syrian people to take to the streets to express their joy on the occasion, and display “national unity.”

Since Syria’s new rulers assumed power, Kurdish and Druze political components have called for a federal governance system where all religious and ethnic groups are represented. Damascus has repeatedly rejected these demands and maintained a centralized stance.

“The proposals concerning separation or federalism often stem from narrow perspectives or a lack of political understanding,” Sharaa said, adding that “calls for division or separation reflect a degree of political ignorance.”

“Even the concept of federalism, as proposed by some, is not fundamentally different from the framework of local administration currently in practice in Syria,” Sharaa said.

Sharaa’s remarks were delivered in a video call during a meeting between Latakia Governor Mohammed Othman and community dignitaries.

Located in the country’s west, the Alawite-majority Latakia has seen several escalations since Sharaa and his associates seized power.

On Tuesday, thousands of Alawites took to the streets in Latakia in anti-government protests. Government forces cracked down on the demonstrations, firing live rounds to disperse the protesters which resulted in injuring several individuals.

“Over the past two days, we have witnessed many legitimate popular demands, though some were politicized if we are to call things by their names. The State affirms its full readiness to listen to all demands and discuss them seriously,” said Sharaa, noting that the Syrian coast is “among the foremost priorities of national work in the current stage.”

A year into their rise to power, the new Damascus authorities continue to face criticism for their treatment of anti-government movements and failure to protect minority groups.

Over 1,400 people, mostly Alawite civilians, were killed in the violence which erupted in the Syria’s western coastal areas in March, which resulted from clashes between Syrian security forces and Assad loyalists.