Trump Discusses Kurdish Conflict with Syrian President

On Monday, President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shalah regarding the ongoing tensions between Kurdish and Sharah forces in northeastern Syria. This conflict has escalated recently, with Kurdish groups accusing the Syrian government of various abuses and the release of approximately 120 Islamic State fighters from a Kurdish-operated prison in Hasakah province.

The Syrian state news agency, SANA, reported that Trump and Sharah emphasized the significance of maintaining Syria’s territorial integrity and independence, along with supporting efforts aimed at creating stability in the region. During their discussion, they also acknowledged the need to protect the rights of the Kurdish population within the Syrian state framework and to cooperate against the re-emerging threat of ISIS.

SANA’s report on the call conveyed a shared commitment from both leaders to see Syria as a strong and unified nation capable of addressing both regional and international challenges. However, the White House did not provide a summary of the call or challenge SANA’s account.

Shara rose to power following the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad by a coalition of jihadists and rebels in December 2024. Since then, he has struggled to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into his government. The Kurdish forces maintain a significant level of political and economic autonomy, alongside their own military and police units.

The SDF played a crucial role in supporting the United States and its allies against the Islamic State during Syria’s prolonged civil war. However, the Trump administration appears to have placed considerable faith in Shara’s capability to create a post-Assad government that equitably addresses the interests of the country’s diverse ethnic and religious groups.

Shara, a former al-Qaeda member, fought alongside U.S. forces in Iraq. It seems that Trump was inclined to see him as a potential reformer who could garner Western diplomatic and economic backing by committing to an inclusive governing approach.

The Kurdish issue has become increasingly problematic for Shara, particularly as the SDF remains reluctant to disarm or turn over their forces to Damascus. Shara contends that unifying Syria is unfeasible if the Kurds retain their autonomy and military capabilities, especially in light of the valuable oil resources in the Kurdish-controlled area known as Rojava.

The Kurds are understandably hesitant to fully trust Shara. After all, his coalition includes jihadist factions that often oppose the Kurds, except when it comes to a shared disdain for ISIS.

In December, violence erupted in Aleppo between Shara’s forces and the SDF, with both sides blaming each other for initiating attacks. Kurdish leaders indicated that the clashes in Aleppo were indicative of jihadists taking advantage of the situation, and they shared videos on social media depicting various human rights violations committed against Kurdish individuals.

The Kurds also expressed concerns that hostilities in their territories compromise the security of prisoner-of-war camps housing ISIS fighters captured by the SDF. Those fears materialized recently when at least 120 detainees escaped the al-Shadadi prison in northeastern Syria. The SDF noted that the number of escapees could be as high as 1,500, comprising both foreign and Syrian prisoners.

On Monday night, the Syrian Ministry of Interior reported that government forces recaptured 81 escapees and were undertaking a systematic search in the surrounding areas to locate others.

Meanwhile, the SDF noted their intention to liberate more ISIS fighters from al-Shadadi and planned to do the same at another facility under siege. They believe the Shara government should take responsibility for any humanitarian or security repercussions resulting from this siege, which has reportedly cut off food and water supplies to the camps.

The situation escalated further on Tuesday when Kurdish forces withdrew from the large al-Hol camp, which had been under SDF control for over a decade. The camp houses many spouses and children of ISIS fighters, raising concerns about the implications of this withdrawal.

The SDF justified their decision by stating they needed to redeploy their troops to northern cities facing growing dangers. They criticized the international community for its inaction regarding the ISIS threat, claiming that their withdrawal was a necessity.

Before announcing their retreat, the SDF reported violent confrontations between their forces and factions aligned with Damascus near the camp.

In response, SANA accused the SDF of neglecting security at the al-Hol camp, allowing detainees to escape, and leaving it to Syrian forces to secure the area.

Jihan Hanan, the camp manager, described a scene of chaos during the SDF’s withdrawal, indicating that families were fleeing the camp and that buildings were being set ablaze.

Both the SDF and the Syrian government have publicly called for adherence to an armistice agreement established between Shara and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi. This agreement, however, was not favorable for the Kurds, who had previously rejected more advantageous terms for fully integrating into Shara’s government. A series of battlefield losses had left them in a weaker negotiating position.

In a round of concessions they hadn’t previously wanted to make, the Kurds agreed to surrender control of key gas and oil fields and to integrate their troops into the Syrian National Army as individuals rather than as battalions under Kurdish leadership.

The SDF quickly accused Damascus of violating the ceasefire with further aggressive actions, while some Kurdish individuals expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. role in negotiating what they viewed as an unfavorable deal, feeling it betrayed their longstanding alliance against ISIS.

In a recent announcement, both Damascus and the SDF declared the initiation of a new four-day ceasefire. Syria’s ambassador to the U.N. recognized U.S. assistance in coordinating this ceasefire and praised the Trump administration as a valued partner since the beginning of their engagement with the SDF.

Orabi stated, “We want this agreement to stand. We are working with our partners in the United States to ensure this agreement is upheld,” reaffirming that Shara’s government is confident it will meet all its commitments, which includes respecting the rights of the Kurdish people.