A YPG fighter in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo. (Credit: Miguel Medina/AFP)
It is a small local development that could be a sign that Damascus’ recent outreach to Syrian Kurds remains in effect.On Monday, an agreement was reached between Aleppo’s official security authorities and the civil council of the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods, the two Kurdish strongholds in the north of the city, until now held by the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Under this agreement, YPG’s fighters, who dominate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), will withdraw northeast of the Euphrates, and the role of security will be transferred from the Asayish (Kurdish police) to the new authorities.From now on, residents will come under the security umbrella of the Syrian Ministry of the Interior — a move that was part of the transitional central government’s goals and which marks another step in its efforts to integrate all...
It is a small local development that could be a sign that Damascus’ recent outreach to Syrian Kurds remains in effect.On Monday, an agreement was reached between Aleppo’s official security authorities and the civil council of the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods, the two Kurdish strongholds in the north of the city, until now held by the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Under this agreement, YPG’s fighters, who dominate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), will withdraw northeast of the Euphrates, and the role of security will be transferred from the Asayish (Kurdish police) to the new authorities.From now on, residents will come under the security umbrella of the Syrian Ministry of the Interior — a move that was part of the transitional central government’s goals and which marks another step in its efforts to...