Coalition meets SDF as Syria tensions rise

A U.S.-led coalition delegation met with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) officials in northern Syria as tensions escalate and the Syrian government appears poised to press a military campaign aimed at forcing stalled political talks with Kurdish authorities back to the negotiating table. Sources including Syrian officials, Kurdish figures and foreign diplomats said Syrian army divisions have been massing near contested areas in Aleppo and the vast desert province of Deir el‑Zor, and units have deployed to Deir Hafer and surrounding villages just west of the Euphrates—territory held by the SDF, long backed by the United States in the fight against Islamic State.

The talks under strain sought to integrate Kurdish-run military and civilian institutions into Syrian state structures by the end of 2025, but missed deadlines and limited progress prompted recent clashes in Aleppo that ended with Kurdish withdrawals. Syrian planners reportedly threaten to employ as many as five divisions in an offensive targeting Kurdish‑held towns; if limited pressure fails to secure concessions, commanders are said to be considering a full-scale campaign that could revoke the semi-autonomous arrangements Kurdish forces have managed for more than a decade.

Syria’s military has ordered SDF fighters to withdraw east of the Euphrates and announced a humanitarian corridor for civilians to move into government-held areas, while Kurdish commanders have signalled tactical pullbacks in some contested positions to avert wider confrontation. The coalition visit aimed to de‑escalate, urge restraint and discourage a major operation, reflecting Washington’s ongoing backing of the SDF as a counter‑ISIS partner even as it presses for renewed diplomacy.

Humanitarian concerns are rising as residents flee frontline towns and displacement grows, potentially straining aid access and basic services. Diplomats warn that renewed fighting would risk undoing security gains and further destabilize Syria’s fragile political landscape; with negotiations deadlocked, the situation remains volatile and subject to rapid escalation if diplomatic interventions fail.