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QAMISHLI, Syria (AP) — The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), predominantly Kurdish-led fighters, announced on Tuesday their initiation of a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). This military operation aims to reclaim territory near Syria’s northern border with Turkey.
The SDF has played a crucial role as an ally to the United States in the region, focusing on eliminating remnants of the extremist Islamic State group that still have a presence across eastern Syria.
This surge in military activity follows the recent collapse of Bashar Assad’s totalitarian regime, leading to heightened confrontations between the SDF and the SNA, especially in the strategic city of Manbij, which has been contested.
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The ongoing clashes have erupted during a volatile period for Syria, which is grappling with the aftermath of over ten years of conflict and a severe economic crisis, amid discussions about its political landscape post-Assad.
Ruken Jamal, a spokesperson for the Women’s Protection Unit (YPJ) under the SDF, stated that their forces are now within 11 kilometers (7 miles) of central Manbij. She accused Turkey of attempting to undermine the SDF’s negotiating power in future political discussions regarding Syria.
“Syria is now in a new phase, and discussions are underway about the future of the country,” Jamal asserted. “Turkey is attempting to complicate matters for us by instigating battles and aiming to exclude us from any negotiations happening in Damascus.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reports that the recent SNA offensive in northern Syria targeting the Kurds has resulted in numerous fatalities on both sides since its inception earlier in the month.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently communicated with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler to discuss the evolving situation in Syria. According to Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Austin emphasized the importance of close cooperation to combat the Islamic State remnants effectively and stressed the necessity for establishing secure conditions in the region.
Ankara considers the SDF as a proxy for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it classifies as a terrorist organization. For years, Turkey, alongside its backed militias, has conducted aerial and ground operations against the SDF, seeking to establish a buffer zone along the border.
While the SNA had a role in the rapid insurgency that helped overthrow Assad, it is continuing its military efforts against the SDF, viewed as a significant player in determining Syria’s future governance.
On Monday, SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami reported that their fighters had successfully pushed back Turkish-affiliated rebels from proximity to the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River, a critical hydroelectric resource. Additionally, they claimed to have destroyed a rebel tank southeast of Manbij.
The war monitor also indicated that the SDF reclaimed four villages surrounding the dam after recent nighttime skirmishes.
Simultaneously, Turkish jets have been actively targeting the border town of Kobani in recent days.
Throughout the ongoing conflict initiated by Syria’s uprising, the Kurdish factions established a degree of autonomous governance across northeastern Syria, previously navigating between allegiance to Assad and the insurgents seeking his removal.
With the Assad regime’s future now uncertain, Turkey’s stance remains unchanged. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s notable visit to Syria reinforced Turkey’s intentions toward the Kurdish-led group during discussions with HTS’s leader Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Fidan declared, “It has turned the region into a cauldron of terror with PKK members and far-left groups who have come from Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Europe. The international community is turning a blind eye to this lawlessness because of the wardenship it provides (against IS).”
SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi has raised alarms regarding a potential resurgence of the IS due to the prevailing power vacuum and ongoing hostilities, which hamper the Kurdish-led forces from effectively managing threats posed by extremist sleeper cells.
Tens of thousands of children, family members, and others connected to IS militants remain detained in large facilities located within areas under SDF control.
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Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
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