syria Regains Control of Northern Territories as Kurdish Autonomy Faces Challenge
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Syria’s army has significantly expanded its control over the country’s north, displacing Kurdish forces who had maintained effective autonomy in the region for over a decade. the recent advances,despite calls from the United States to halt the offensive,signal a potential turning point in Syria’s long-running conflict and raise questions about the future of Kurdish self-governance.
On Saturday, state media reported that Syrian forces had seized the northern city of Tabqa and its adjacent dam, along with the strategically important Freedom Dam – formerly known as the Baath Dam – located west of Raqaa. This expansion of control comes after a stalled agreement intended to integrate Kurdish forces into the state military.
The government’s move appears to be bolstered by a recent decree issued by syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, declaring Kurdish an official national language and granting the minority group formal recognition. While seemingly conciliatory,this gesture has unfolded alongside a military campaign that Kurdish leaders view as a betrayal.
Stalled Integration Deal fuels Conflict
The current escalation stems from the failure to implement a March 2025 deal designed to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army. According to reports, the agreement faltered, leading to clashes that began earlier this month in Aleppo, resulting in a Kurdish withdrawal from two neighborhoods.
for days leading up to Saturday’s advances, Syrian troops had been strategically positioned around villages west of the Euphrates River, urging the SDF to redeploy their forces to the opposite bank. These movements occurred amidst clashes over key strategic locations and vital oilfields along the river.
Initially, SDF fighters withdrew as a gesture of goodwill. However, they quickly accused Syrian troops of violating the agreement by continuing to advance eastward into towns and oilfields not included in the initial terms. “Damascus has ‘violated the recent agreements and betrayed
Shifting Alliances
Both sides have reported casualties. Syria’s army stated that four of its troops were killed in attacks by kurdish militants,while the SDF confirmed some of its own fighters were killed,though the exact number remains undisclosed. Both sides accuse the other of violating the withdrawal agreement.
US-led coalition planes were observed flying over the contested areas,releasing warning flares,according to a Syrian security source. The United States is navigating a complex situation, balancing its years of support for the SDF – which played a crucial role in combating Islamic State – with its evolving relationship with the Syrian president, whose forces ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
To mediate the conflict, US envoy Tom Barrack traveled to Erbil in northern Iraq on Saturday to meet with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani. No immediate comment was available from Barrack’s spokesperson.
Deepening Fault Lines and Future Uncertainties
the recent violence has exacerbated the divide between president Sharaa’s government, which aims to reunify Syria after 14 years of war, and local Kurdish authorities who remain wary of his administration. Months of negotiations last year to integrate kurdish military and civilian structures into Syrian state institutions ultimately failed to yield considerable progress.
Kurdish authorities continue to control Arab-majority areas in eastern Syria, which hold some of the country’s largest oil and gas reserves. Arab tribal leaders in SDF-held territory have indicated their willingness to take up arms against the Kurdish force if ordered to do so by the Syrian army.
Underlying these tensions are deep-seated fears within the Kurdish community, fueled by past instances of sectarian violence in 2025 that resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,500 Alawites and hundreds of Druze. The future of Kurdish autonomy in Syria remains deeply uncertain as the Syrian army continues its advance and the region braces for further conflict.
