Syria’s Kurds face a new challenge in maintaining control over the country’s east following recent developments in Deir el-Zour. The Islamist rebel group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has reportedly seized the key city from Kurdish forces, further complicating the already complex situation in the region.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the US, had taken control of Deir el-Zour from government forces just weeks before HTS’s advance. The city, known for its oil production, holds strategic importance in the region.
The SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab, and other ethnic fighters, emerged during Syria’s civil war and played a key role in the fight against the so-called Islamic State. With IS largely defeated, the Kurdish-led forces have come to control significant territory in the northeast, establishing an autonomous region.
However, the Kurds face challenges from various fronts. Turkey, a longstanding adversary, views them as an extension of the Kurdish separatist insurgency and the PKK. HTS’s recent takeover of Deir el-Zour signals a new threat to Kurdish control in the region, with the group expressing intentions to advance further east across the Euphrates river.
To gain insights on the situation, Middle East analyst Giorgio Cafiero provides his perspective on the latest developments. The shifting dynamics in Syria’s east raise questions about the future stability of the region and the Kurdish presence in the face of opposition from multiple factions.
As the conflict continues to evolve, the fate of Syria’s Kurds in maintaining control over their territory remains uncertain. The struggle for power and influence in the region persists, with implications for the broader geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.
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