Kurds vs Syrian government troops: What you need to know

"For almost 14 years of the Syrian civil war, the SDF had been in control of most of northeastern Syria. When the Syrian civil war started in 2011, the SDF took over territory there that had a Kurdish-majority population as troops then fighting for the country's brutal dictatorial regime headed by Bashar Assad withdrew from the area. The Kurds never fought the Assad regime itself but gained further terrain, including Arab-majority areas like Raqqa, as they defeated the extremist "Islamic State" group."

"After the Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024, the new interim government headed by members of rebel militias that ousted the dictatorship insisted all of Syria be united. It argued the Kurds should return the areas they ran to central government control, as well as merge their fighters into the new Syrian army. On Monday, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa (right) and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi met in Damascus but couldn't come to an agreementImage: SANA/AP Photo/picture alliance"

The Syrian Democratic Forces controlled most of northeastern Syria for almost 14 years after Assad-era troops withdrew in 2011. The SDF expanded without directly fighting the Assad regime and helped defeat the extremist "Islamic State," gaining Arab-majority areas like Raqqa while allied with US forces. The area administered by the SDF became known as the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES or Rojava). After Assad's overthrow in December 2024, the interim government demanded national unity, territorial return, and integration of SDF fighters. A March 2025 agreement saw little implementation, and recent clashes resulted in major territorial losses for the SDF.

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