"Fighting between the Syrian army and the SDF would create a nightmare for US strategic interests: it risks direct confrontation with US-backed forces, undermines the campaign against ISIS, forces US troops into protective or combat roles, and invites escalation involving Turkey, Russia, and Iran — all of which could fracture fragile local alliances, displace large civilian populations, and produce a humanitarian crisis while eroding American influence in northeast Syria."
"The immediate American concerns include potential attacks on US personnel, the collapse of the SDF as an effective partner, disruption of counterterrorism operations, and the diplomatic dilemma posed by competing patrons in Syria; any escalation risks pulling the United States deeper into conflict or forcing painful choices between confronting Syrian regime advances and avoiding wider regional war. It could also prompt Turkey to act unilaterally, complicate cooperation with Russia, and exacerbate humanitarian displacement and sectarian tensions across the region."
Recent clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces threaten to escalate into a wider conflict that directly impacts US strategic interests. The SDF serves as a US partner in counter-ISIS operations, and fighting risks degrading that partnership and undermining counterterrorism gains. Escalation could draw in regional actors such as Turkey, Russia, and Iran, complicating diplomacy and military coordination. Large-scale fighting would likely produce civilian displacement, humanitarian crises, and heightened sectarian tensions, while forcing the United States to make difficult operational and political choices about force posture and engagement in northeast Syria.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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