Syrian Kurds Face Dire Challenges Amidst Changing Power Dynamics

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In northeastern Syria, Syrian Kurds are confronting significant threats to their autonomy following the recent takeover of Damascus by Islamist forces. Celebrating the tenth anniversary of their victory over the Islamic State in Kobane, local leaders express their determination to resist external pressures, despite the ominous presence of Turkish drones overhead. According to Alaadin Atto, head of local rescue services, civilians continue to support Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with supplies, even as they face drone attacks.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Asad, the Kurds are squeezed between Turkish-backed militias advancing from the north and pressures from the newly empowered Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the south. The group’s leader has demanded that the SDF disband and yield control of valuable oil fields. Ilham Achmed, Foreign Affairs representative of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, noted ongoing discussions with Damascene authorities, but calls for surrendering weapons remain contentious.

Despite dire economic circumstances and growing disenchantment among Arab populations, Kurdish leaders assert their readiness to fight. "We will never relinquish our weapons without security guarantees," stated Siyamend Ali of the SDF, highlighting the precarious nature of their situation amid an evolving conflict landscape.

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