Kurdish Forces Cede Large Swaths Of Northeast Syria After Clashes With Government

AL HASAKAH, SYRIA - JANUARY 24: YPG fighters operate at a frontline position January 24, 2026 in Al Hasakah, Syria. The fate of Kurdish self-rule in northeast Syria appears increasingly imperilled after weeks of clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led SDF, which have forced the SDF to cede large swaths of the region. The United States, which has long backed the Kurdish forces, viewing them as instrumental in the war against ISIS, has shifted its weight behind the new Syrian government, which seeks to integrate the Kurds into the national armed forces. (Photo by Ethan Swope/Getty Images)