The violation of the agreement of March 10, 2025, sparked an outburst of another escalation in northeastern Syria, led to Turkish intervention, and contributed to the defeat of the Kurdish SDF forces. As a result, a new Syrian-Kurdish agreement was signed on January 18 on Damascus’s terms, with the participation of Washington and Ankara.

The Idea of the Kurdish Autonomy of Rojava as a US “Bargaining Chip” in the Middle East

The alliance with the US and Israel gave Syrian Kurds hope for external support in defending their national rights in Syria, which is particularly crucial in the view of Damascus’s discriminatory policy towards Rojava. Politically, the SDF sought recognition of national autonomy or even an independent entity, similar to that of Iraqi Kurdistan. Rich oil fields in the Kurdish provinces of northeastern Syria served as an additional incentive. Such an American line, which presupposed balancing between supporting the Kurds and the interests of other players, was ringing the alarm bells in Turkey, which has long been fighting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in its own southeastern territories.

After having revived Turkey-Russia relations in 2016, Ankara launched four military operations in Syria’s northeastern provinces. The official goal was to create a “security zone” 30 km deep and 140 km long along the Turkish-Syrian border. This was allegedly to prevent the export of Kurdish separatism and extremism. Subsequent negotiations led to an agreement on joint Turkish-Russian patrols in Manbij and Kobani. At that time, the US opted out of actively defending the Kurds, having hence avoided direct military confrontation with Turkey.

From September 2015 to December 2024, the survival and preservation of power for President Bashar al-Assad directly depended on Russian backing. Moscow could have convinced Damascus of the need for a political settlement of the Kurdish issue. This could have granted Rojava cultural or political autonomy. Such a move would have weakened American influence on the SDF, guaranteed Turkey’s security, and established Russian control over the oil-bearing provinces in northeastern Syria. However, Russia preferred not to interfere in the political disagreements inside Syria, limiting itself to peacekeeping operations and counter-terrorism. Respecting Turkey’s interests and its concerns about separatist threats, Moscow did not hinder Turkish military operations........

© New Eastern Outlook