In a significant development in the ongoing conflict in northern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a US-brokered ceasefire agreement with Turkish-backed fighters in the city of Manbij. This decision comes in the wake of intensified clashes that have resulted in the deaths of 218 combatants since Turkish-aligned forces initiated offensives in the region following the recent ousting of Bashar al-Assad’s government on Sunday.
Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the SDF, confirmed the ceasefire and stated that the forces affiliated with the Manbij Military Council would commence withdrawal from the area promptly. Abdi emphasized the broader objective of establishing a nationwide ceasefire and initiating a political dialogue aimed at determining Syria’s future. In comments made last week, he indicated that the United Nations had been in discussions with the SDF to facilitate a political resolution in light of the current power shifts in the region.
The SDF, which played a pivotal role in dismantling the Islamic State group’s self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria in 2019, has been a crucial player in the ongoing complexities of the Syrian Civil War. Their operations have drawn significant attention and support from the United States, further highlighting the intricacies of international involvement in the region.
Adding to the escalating tensions, the pro-Turkey fighters had recently captured the strategically important northern enclave of Tal Rifaat from Kurdish forces, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Turkey has long viewed the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), a major component of the SDF, as a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been involved in a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state.
Tal Rifaat and Manbij are identified as key Kurdish-controlled areas in the north of Syria, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously signaling intentions to annex them. The current ceasefire in Manbij marks a tentative step towards easing hostilities in a region where tensions run deep and the stakes for both local and international actors remain high.
