US-Backed Kurdish Forces Flee Aleppo, Leaving Power Vacuum, Again
France 24 informs us that Syria's Kurdish fighters are 'leaving' Aleppo following deadly clashes. What they miss is the pattern: the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a grouping heavily influenced by the Kurdish YPG, have repeatedly found themselves in precarious positions after their utility to certain foreign powers wanes. Recall how, in 2019, the US greenlit a Turkish invasion of
northeast Syria against the same Kurdish forces, leading to thousands displaced and a humanitarian crisis. This isn't a simple local dispute; it's a consequence of shifting alliances and cynical proxy politics. One might wonder if Kurdish populations are ever considered anything more than pawns in the larger regional power plays of NATO allies and their strategic objectives. The 'clashes' in
Aleppo simply accelerate what appears to be a broader trend: a slow-motion abandonment, leaving local groups to fend for themselves against multiple, often hostile, actors. Perhaps 'leaving' is a polite way of saying 'being squeezed out' once another objective is prioritized?