Syrian forces expel Kurdish fighters as US strikes Islamic State targets

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Jon HenleyJanuary 11, 2026 at 12:06 PM

AI Summary

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Syrian government forces expelled Kurdish fighters from Aleppo following clashes that began after negotiations to integrate Kurds into the new government stalled. Over 400 Kurdish fighters were evacuated, and 300 Kurds were detained. The fighting, which began last Tuesday, has deepened tensions between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, raising fears of regional escalation, with Turkey threatening intervention and Israel siding with the Kurds. The clashes have resulted in at least 21 civilian deaths and displaced 155,000 people. Separately, US and allied forces conducted large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, a response to a December attack that killed three Americans in Palmyra.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Palmyra 40% Operation Hawkeye Strike 40% Ahmed al-Sharaa 50% Israel 50% Turkey 60% Bashar al-Assad 60% Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) 70% United States ×270% Syrian government 80% Islamic State ×380% Aleppo ×580% Kurds ×690%

Keywords

syrian conflict 90% kurdish fighters 80% us strikes 70% islamic state 70% aleppo clashes 70% syrian democratic forces 60% ceasefire 50% regional escalation 50% civil war 40%