Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Syria’s fragile post-war order is unraveling fast. In this special Middle East Forum briefing, host Lauri Regan is joined by journalist and researcher Sirwan Kajjo and Kurdish Peace Institute non-resident fellow Kamal Chomani for a hard-nosed discussion of the Syrian government’s military push into Kurdish-led northeast Syria and the collapse of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The panel traces the origins of the U.S.–SDF partnership during the fight against ISIS, the political and military expectations that followed the fall of the Assad regime, and why Damascus—under President Ahmad al-Sharaa—has moved now to dismantle Kurdish self-rule in Rojava. They examine the regional alignment enabling the offensive, including Turkey’s expanding role, Gulf normalization with Damascus, and Washington’s shifting priorities.
Kajjo and Chomani also assess the growing risk of an ISIS resurgence amid prison breaks and defections, the strategic consequences for Israel and regional security, and why re-centralization efforts in Damascus threaten minorities across Syria. The discussion closes with audience questions on sanctions, U.S. leverage, red lines for the new Syrian leadership, and what—if anything—could halt the current trajectory.
Share this briefing, and subscribe for more Middle East Forum analysis on Syria, regional security, and U.S. foreign policy.
Syria’s fragile post-war order is unraveling fast. In this special Middle East Forum briefing, host Lauri Regan is joined by journalist and researcher Sirwan Kajjo and Kurdish Peace Institute non-resident fellow Kamal Chomani for a hard-nosed discussion of the Syrian government’s military push into Kurdish-led northeast Syria and the collapse of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The panel traces the origins of the U.S.–SDF partnership during the fight against ISIS, the political and military expectations that followed the fall of the Assad regime, and why Damascus—under President Ahmad al-Sharaa—has moved now to dismantle Kurdish self-rule in Rojava. They examine the regional alignment enabling the offensive, including Turkey’s expanding role, Gulf normalization with Damascus, and Washington’s shifting priorities.
Kajjo and Chomani also assess the growing risk of an ISIS resurgence amid prison breaks and defections, the strategic consequences for Israel and regional security, and why re-centralization efforts in Damascus threaten minorities across Syria. The discussion closes with audience questions on sanctions, U.S. leverage, red lines for the new Syrian leadership, and what—if anything—could halt the current trajectory.
Share this briefing, and subscribe for more Middle East Forum analysis on Syria, regional security, and U.S. foreign policy.
