US abandoning the SDF has impacted Kurds across the region

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Kamaran PalaniFebruary 3, 2026 at 11:59 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

The United States' recent actions in Syria, perceived as abandoning the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and siding with Damascus, have generated suspicion among Kurds across the Middle East. This shift in US policy, occurring in January 2026 during clashes between Kurdish forces and the Syrian army, is viewed as a signal that the US is no longer a reliable partner for Kurdish communities. Kurds fear a return to marginalization under a centralized Syrian state, despite recent agreements offering limited recognition of Kurdish identity. The US support for a centralized Syrian state is a fundamental divergence from Kurdish hopes for the region’s future. This development is expected to impact Kurdish communities in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, altering political calculations and raising concerns about future security and autonomy.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Erbil 30% Kurdistan Region of Iraq 30% Turkiye 40% Iran 40% Assad regime 40% Ahmed al-Sharaa ×250% Iraq 50% Damascus ×260% Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) 70% Syria ×680% Kurds ×1185% United States ×590%

Keywords

kurdish minorities 80% us-kurd relations 70% centralised state 60% syrian democratic forces (sdf) 50% kurdish identity 50% kurdish hopes for the region's future 40% assad regime 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Kurds

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

Topic Connections

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories

No topic relationship data available yet. This graph will appear once topic relationships have been computed.

kurdish minorities us-kurd relations centralised state syrian democratic forces (sdf)kurdish identity kurdish hopes for the region's future assad regime

Explore Full Topic Graph