The ability of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces to control ISIS may now be in jeopardy as the rebels who overthrew the Assad regime in northern Syria are gaining ground.
The Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which assisted the United States in defeating the Islamic State terrorist organization and currently detain thousands of ISIS fighters, agreed to a cease-fire with the Syrian National Army (SNA), which is supported by Turkey. In exchange, the SDF gave up control of the Kurdish stronghold of Manbij in the north on Tuesday.
Mazloum Abdi, the general commander of the SDF, stated in a post on X on Tuesday that the ceasefire deal in Manbij was established through American mediation in order to protect civilian security and safety. As soon as feasible, fighters will be cleared from the area. Our objective is to put an end to the fighting in Syria and start a political process for the nation’s future.
The quickly changing scenario throughout Syria, including for Kurdish troops, is reflected in the conquest of Manbij by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which has its roots in extreme Islamist factions.
The fall of Assad and the rise of HTS could hardly have gone better for the Turkish administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğ, even though Israel has used the opportunity to attack Syrian navy ships in the west and buildings associated with chemical weapons outside of Damascus.
Erdoan is a major supporter of HTS. He has long considered the SDF to be a continuation of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey and labels both groups terrorist groups. The political tide has turned against the SDF, even though Syria’s Kurds have mainly maintained their autonomy in the country’s northeastern region, which borders Iraq and Turkey, since 2011.
According to Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow on the Middle East and North Africa program at the London-based think tank Chatham House, the Kurds in Syria are likely in the most unstable and unstable situation since they created those structures following years of independent government.
Over the previous ten years, Kurdish troops have negotiated agreements with a number of different factions, but Mansour told NBC News that they will need to rewrite these agreements, most likely through violence.
Before Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s trip to Turkey and during the arrival of Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, chief of U.S. Central Command, the United States had to mediate an armistice between the SDF and the SNA.
For a while now, we have collaborated with the SDF. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Japan on Wednesday that the process is still ongoing. I believe our positive relationship with them will continue.
However, the SDF leadership will not have overlooked the remarks made by the new president of the United States.
Last week, President-elect Donald Trump wrote in all caps: “The United States should have nothing to do with Syria. It is a mess, but it is not our friend.” We are not fighting this. Let it happen. Don’t get involved!
There will be two schools of thinking about Syria, according to Mansour, who cited early indications from the incoming Trump administration. Trump stated that one camp acknowledges the historic battle against ISIS with the Kurds, while the other camp, where he is likely to land, is to try to leave Syria.
In the northeastern region of Syria, which was formerly part of the Islamic State’s control, Kurdish organizations and American forces are reportedly keeping an eye on thousands of ISIS fighters detained in prisons and internally displaced person camps.
Kurdish forces would lose a significant foreign partner if a second Trump administration withdrew from Syria. According to Reuters, HTS and its supporters are supported by Turkey and Erdoğan, who on Monday praised the expulsion of terrorists from Manbij.
Signs of more conflicts are already present. SDF communications chief Farhad Shami told NBC News on Wednesday that Turkey and its Islamist mercenaries’ constant provocations have left Kobani, northeast of Manbij, vulnerable to conflict.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!