The decade-long US partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has given way to a broader shift in Washington’s Syria strategy, as Damascus moves to reassert control across the country’s north-east.
The SDF, long Washington’s principal partner against Isis, has seen its role diminish as the Syrian government expands its authority.
US special envoy Tom Barrack said the SDF’s role had “largely expired”, urging Kurdish leaders to work with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Key developments
• Syrian forces reclaimed territory once under SDF control, including strategic and oil-producing areas.
• US-brokered negotiations on integrating the SDF into the Syrian state collapsed after months of deadlock.
• A four-day truce was extended by 15 days to allow further talks and prevent renewed clashes.
• The revised framework envisages only individual SDF integration, dropping earlier proposals for unit-level incorporation.
• The US began transferring thousands of Isis detainees from north-east Syria to Iraq amid concerns over prison security.
The transition marks a significant juncture in Syria’s post-war realignment, with Kurdish autonomy increasingly uncertain.
Follow on social media TikTok@tut0ughInstagram@tut0ugh Threads@tut0ugh X@tut0ugh YouTube@tut0ugh
tut0ugh 