The US strategy in Syria risks an ISIS resurgence due to its recent decisions, warns Gen. Mazlum Kobani, commander of Kurdish forces. Kobani accused the US of abandoning its Kurdish allies in Syria, key partners in the fight against ISIS. The decision to abandon these allies has left a “vacuum” that ISIS can take advantage of.
Kurdish forces played a crucial role in helping the US and other countries battle ISIS, operating prisons filled with accused fighters, managing camps for displaced people, and establishing an autonomous government in northern Syria. However, recent clashes between Kurdish forces and Turkey-backed groups have intensified, putting these efforts at risk.
Gen. Kobani stated that the US failure to stop Turkish attacks on Kurds has endangered the peace established by US forces. The general said that there was no firm position from the US side to offer help when Turkish-backed rebel groups began their assault on Kurdish forces in Manbij.
The US has an interest in defeating ISIS, but its divided allegiances between its Turkish and Kurdish allies have raised concerns. Gen. Kobani warned that the US’s actions may embolden ISIS, which seeks to establish a global caliphate.
A recent cease-fire agreement in Manbij, brokered by the US, included the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from the city, ending their eight-year control. However, the details of this agreement have not been confirmed by the US.
The US’s actions in Syria have put it at odds with Turkey, a NATO ally. In 2019, President Trump withdrew US forces from posts near the Turkish border, leaving Kurds more vulnerable to attack. Despite this, about 900 American troops remain in Syria, working with the Kurds.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/world/middleeast/syria-isis-united-states-kurds.html