Syria's Power Play: Kurds Lose Ground in Shifting Conflict

In a dramatic turn of events, Syria's army has taken charge of significant parts of the north, pushing Kurdish forces out of areas they had controlled for over a decade. This move has raised eyebrows and sparked tension, as the Kurds feel betrayed by what they see as a breach of trust.

Government Gains and Kurdish Concerns

The Syrian government has been on a roll, capturing key locations like the city of Tabqa and its dam, as well as the Freedom dam near Raqaa. This happened even though the US asked them to stop. The government seems to be tightening its grip on Kurdish-run areas, especially after the Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, declared Kurdish an official language and recognized the minority group.

Broken Deals and Escalating Tensions

Things took a turn when a deal made in March 2025 to integrate Kurdish forces into the state fell through. The Syrian army then moved in, taking over two neighborhoods in Aleppo and an area east of the city. Troops had gathered around villages west of the Euphrates River, asking Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to move their troops to the other side. Clashes broke out over strategic posts and oilfields along the river.

The SDF pulled back from the area as a goodwill gesture but then accused Syrian troops of breaking the agreement by pushing further east into towns and oilfields not included in the deal. The SDF claimed Damascus had "violated the recent agreements and betrayed our forces," with fights breaking out south of Tabqa. The army, on the other hand, urged the SDF to "immediately fulfil its announced commitments and fully withdraw" east of the river.

Continued Fighting and International Reactions

Syrian state media reported that Kurdish-led forces blew up two main bridges over the Euphrates River in the Raqa region. The US and other countries called for a ceasefire, but the fighting continued. The initial withdrawal deal included the town of Deir Hafer and some surrounding villages, where residents welcomed the Syrian troops.

The Syrian Petroleum Company said that nearby oilfields of Rasafa and Sufyan had been captured by Syrian troops and could now be brought back online. SDF forces withdrew east, some on foot, towards the flashpoint town of Tabqa. But when Syria's army announced it aimed to capture Tabqa next, the SDF said that was not part of the original deal and that it would fight to keep the town, as well as another oilfield in its vicinity.

Deepening Divide and Sectarian Violence

Both sides have accused each other of violating the withdrawal deal, with deaths reported on both sides. US-led coalition planes flew over the flashpoint towns, releasing warning flares. The US has had to adjust its Syria policy to balance its support for the SDF against its new support for the Syrian president.

The latest violence has deepened the divide between the government led by Sharaa, who wants to reunify the country after 14 years of war, and local Kurdish authorities wary of his Islamist-led administration. Kurdish authorities still hold Arab-majority areas in the east that are home to some of Syria's largest oil and gas fields. Arab tribal leaders in SDF-held territory have said they are ready to take up arms against the Kurdish force if Syria's army issues orders to do so.

Kurdish fears have been deepened by bouts of sectarian violence in 2025 when nearly 1,500 Alawites were killed by government-aligned forces in western Syria and hundreds of Druze were killed in southern Syria, some in execution-style killings.