The Kurdish Gamble in Syria: A Deal with the Devil?
The Kurds of northeastern Syria have long sought autonomy, carving out a de facto independent region known as Rojava amid the chaos of war. But their recent decision to submit to the rule of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with deep roots in al-Qaeda, marks a drastic shift—one that may come at a steep cost.
HTS, backed by Turkey, has historically been hostile to Kurdish ambitions. Turkey itself views the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as an offshoot of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization. Given Ankara’s longstanding goal of suppressing Kurdish self-rule, it’s difficult to see how this arrangement leads to anything but further instability.
Why would the Kurds make such a dangerous move? Simply put: survival. Facing annihilation or exile, they may have seen submission to HTS as their only option. But in doing so, they’ve all but abandoned their dreams of an autonomous Kurdish state in eastern Syria. Instead, they now find themselves under the thumb of former jihadists—many of whom fought alongside groups that once targeted them.
This deal may buy the Kurds time, but it doesn’t guarantee their future. With Turkey’s influence growing and HTS’s extremist roots still intact, the Kurdish people may soon find that the cost of survival today is the loss of their independence tomorrow.
I’ll be in Syria next month to report on this firsthand. Stay tuned.
