Syrian Kurds displaying the new Syrian flag during a gathering in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF, mostly Kurdish), backed by the United States, in the city of Qamishli (Northeast), on Dec. 19, 2024. (Credit: Delil Souleiman/AFP)
Tensions between the central government and the predominantly Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria continue to rise. On Saturday, Damascus withdrew from talks planned in Paris with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), deepening a rift that has been widening for months.The decision came a day after an unprecedented conference organized by the Kurdish administration brought together a broad group of religious and ethnic representatives — including Druze and Alawite dignitaries — to call for a democratic and decentralized Syria.The Syrian authorities reacted sharply. The state-run SANA news agency quoted an unnamed official accusing the SDF of undermining the March agreement, which was meant to pave the way for the group’s integration into Syrian state institutions, and of “welcoming separatist figures involved in hostile acts.” ...
Tensions between the central government and the predominantly Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria continue to rise. On Saturday, Damascus withdrew from talks planned in Paris with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), deepening a rift that has been widening for months.The decision came a day after an unprecedented conference organized by the Kurdish administration brought together a broad group of religious and ethnic representatives — including Druze and Alawite dignitaries — to call for a democratic and decentralized Syria.The Syrian authorities reacted sharply. The state-run SANA news agency quoted an unnamed official accusing the SDF of undermining the March agreement, which was meant to pave the way for the group’s integration into Syrian state institutions, and of “welcoming separatist figures involved in hostile...
