Syrian Kurds hoping for lifeline from Biden administration

Damascus, Ankara and Moscow turn up the heat on US-backed group; UN Syria envoy says, "We can’t continue like this."

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen leaves a press conference following the conclusion of a drafting commission session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee on Jan. 29, 2021, at UN Offices in Geneva. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images.

Feb 5, 2021

The predominantly Kurdish US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have skirmished in recent weeks with Syrian government troops, putting the SDF on defense, politically and militarily.

For the Kurds, the decision for limited military coordination with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in October 2019 was a desperate hedge after Turkey,