The group's rapid downfall was driven by overconfidence in foreign support and an underestimation of the Syrian state's resolve

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/42204864

Ali Bakir
24 January 2026 12:00 GMT

But the YPG’s inevitable clash with the state came this month, as the Syrian army, supported by allied Arab tribes, advanced quickly. The YPG’s rapid collapse was expected by those familiar with its history: the group, operating under a Kurdish banner, was never a genuine grassroots force. It lacked popular support even among most Kurds and was completely dependent on foreign political and military backing.

Throughout the Syrian conflict, the group shifted its loyalty from the Assad regime to Iran, then Russia, then the United States and the European Union, and finally Israel. At no point since 2011 could it have held its ground against its opponents without massive funding, weapons and air support from the US and others.

    • perestroika@slrpnk.netEnglish
      3·
      12 hours ago

      Well, he’s an assistant professor in an institute in the Qatar emirate - which is not a democratic state. If he gets the emir’s money, he sings the emir’s song.

      Some of the sources he offers are posts on Twitter. He should offer better than that.

      Some of the opinion he offers contradicts what has been recorded.

      But in some things, he also brings information that’s factual. For example, conditions in prisons run by the SDF were actually very poor and unhealthy, and the AANES political project failed to integrate its large Arab population as eager participants. They tried, but it didn’t work. Then they stopped trying.

      Holding positions in Arab-majority areas would have only worked if Arabs had been eager to participate in the SDF, but it was too much of a Kurdish project, and people became corrupt over the years.

      Holding positions might have still worked if the river Euphrates had been the border between the two factions, but this would have required an armed-to-the-teeth effort at the river to prevent a crossing. And likely, the fragile economy of the AANES region and its very limited trade connections did not enable such a method.

      Which does not mean that everything is over. International pressure should be brought to bear to allow evacuations from, and food and medical supplies to Kobani. Syrian government should be told by foreign governments that they will get renewed sanctions if they fight against civilians.