Evacuation of civilians from Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud and Ashrafiah neighborhoods. Photo credit/ Syria TVRecent clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government have forced hundreds of civilians in the Sheikh Maksoud and Ashrafiah neighborhoods of Aleppo to flee to government-held territory.
This violence highlights the challenges to Syria’s stability, with the SDF playing a significant role. In March 2025, the SDF and Damascus signed an agreement for the SDF to integrate into Syrian state institutions, ending its existence as a separate entity. However, the SDF has delayed implementation, citing technical issues and pushing for a federal or decentralized system that would maintain its forces in the region.
“This violence underscores Syria’s fragile stability, as the SDF delays its integration into state institutions while pressing for decentralization that preserves its regional forces.”
Omar Almuqdad
The Damascus government, fully aware of the SDF’s undeclared objectives of imposing a fait accompli in northeastern Syria, fears this could lead to the emergence of a semi-independent Kurdish entity similar to the one in Iraq today. Alongside these political risks, economic dangers also arise as the Syrian Jazeera region represents Syria’s grain reserves and the primary source of energy for the entire country.
Realistically, such an entity has little chance of surviving in a region where Arab tribes represent more than 75 percent of the total population, along with the presence of Christians and other minorities. This could lead to a great deal of instability if the SDF insists on proceeding with this project and deliberately delays it. Damascus, which appears to be using utmost diplomacy and caution, is finding its options narrowing with the destructive role of the SDF in the Syrian scene. The next stage may witness a diplomatic escalation to obtain international approval to end the SDF situation if it continues on this difficult path.
The SDF’s actions suggest it is seeking to pressure Damascus into concessions, particularly regarding administrative decentralization and representation for various communities. The organization held what it called a “Conference for Unity of Positions of the Components of Northeast Syria” in the city of Hasakah on August 8, 2025, in an effort to forge alliances with other groups including the Druze and Alawites.
But the attendees of this conference were not representatives of minority groups, but rather the leaders of armed militias that represent the remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the Hikmat al-Hijri group in the south. The SDF’s efforts have sent signals to other players, such as Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite sheikh loyal to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, living outside Syria, and Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri of the Druze, who is backed by Israel as a proxy to weaken Damascus authorities.
In addition, investigations by the New York Times revealed how the SDF has provided support to the Druze in southern Syria, fueling rebellion and instability in the region. An activist close to the SDF stated, “The SDF is trying to play the time card, hoping something changes in the international stance towards Damascus, or counting on a wide-scale Israeli intervention in southern Syria that sparks a war, strengthening the SDF’s position in the north.”
In light of Damascus’ developing relationship with the rest of the world, the SDF’s intentions seem unlikely to succeed, with Syria officially joining the international coalition against ISIS. Coupled with Turkey’s full readiness to end the SDF’s presence, the international stance does not appear to be in the organization’s favor.
The SDF may actually find itself completely ostracized by everyone, as the world prefers dealing with stable states, not militias. The international community, particularly the United States, emphasizes the need for Syria’s unity and stability and the Syrian government’s diplomatic efforts have enhanced its credibility, potentially weakening the SDF’s position. Syria is also set to sign a security agreement with Israel, removing a threat from the southern border.
“The world prefers dealing with stable states, not militias, and Syria’s growing diplomatic credibility may further weaken the SDF’s position.”
Omar Almuqdad
The danger of this policy pursued by the SDF is that it gives ISIS a lifeline as a result of the chaos and instability in the region. Although the SDF was part of the coalition against ISIS in the past, its use of the ISIS card may bring the latter back into the scene through the gateway of chaos and instability.
Both ISIS and the SDF are seen as hindering Syria’s stability. ISIS poses a brutal and destructive threat while the SDF’s actions may contribute to sectarian divisions. In the near future, Damascus may find itself facing difficult choices in how to deal with the SDF, as the option of a military solution remains on the table. And this time, it may even have an international green light from the SDF’s old allies.
