The Kurds number about 60 million, stretched across Turkey, Iraq, Iran – and Syria. Approximately 5-10% of Syria’s entire population, the Syrian Kurds have lived there for centuries, with their strongest presence in northern Syria, including Afrin, Kobani, and Jazira.
The Syrian Kurds have a complex history that has oscillated between phases of autonomy and repression, with equally varied and interwoven relationships between regional and international countries vying for influence and control.
The recent fall of the Assad regime brings a new era of hope but also uncertainty to Syria, and the entire Middle East. Understanding the history and influence of the Syrian Kurds is now more important than ever.
The US has an opportunity to partner with the Kurds there and across the region to heighten our mutual interests, and help stabilize the world’s hottest hot spots.
Early History of the Syrian Kurds
The end of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th century led to the division of Kurdish-inhabited regions that stretched across the Middle East, including Syria.
Under the French Mandate from 1920 to 1946, Kurds in Syria felt largely autonomous and free, but their identity was increasingly marginalized with each successive Syrian government. In 1962, more than 120,000 Kurds were denied citizenship, making them stateless actors across Syria.
By 1963, the rise of the Ba'ath Party made things even worse for the Kurds. The so-called “Arab Belt” policy repressed the Kurdish culture and language, and resettled millions of Kurds to keep them stateless and weak throughout the region.
An oppressive combination of statelessness and identity suppression, economic marginalization, political repression, regional isolation, and uprisings created major challenges for Syrian Kurds throughout this period.
Stubborn, proud, and relentless, Kurdish political movements nonetheless persisted. In 2003, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria became a significant political power advocating for Kurdish rights and autonomy, making an impact prior to the disastrous civil war.
The Syrian Civil War
The civil war, which began in 2011, created a power vacuum in northern Syria. Kurdish political and militant groups, primarily the PYD and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), established control over these predominantly Kurdish areas.
Within a year, Syrian Kurds declared the formation of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), known as Rojava. This autonomous region emphasized Western values such as democracy, gender equality, and ethnic inclusivity.
Throughout the civil war and after, the Syrian Kurds grappled with an entirely new set of arduous challenges. War against ISIS, exemplified by the defense of Kobani in 2014 and 2015, and the liberation of Raqqa in 2017 were demanding.
The YPG became a crucial ally to the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), and further solidified Kurdish control over large territories across northern Syria as a hedge against hostile forces in Damascus and from their sympathizers.
Turkish intervention in Syria also created acute problems for the Kurds, including the invasion of Afrin in 2018. Meanwhile, the Syrian government, in league with Russia and Iran, further pursued the marginalization and oppression of the Syrian Kurds.
The Fall of Assad and the Uncertain Future Ahead
Tthe overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 7, 2024, has infused the Syrian Kurds with both hope and fear. The power vacuum introduces a host of new complexities, but also significant opportunities for the Kurds and their US allies in Syria, and throughout the Middle East.
The fall of Assad's regime enables AANES to seek formal recognition and a more significant role in Syria's political restructuring. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led group, has expressed a desire for a democratic transition. Kurdish forces may also negotiate alliances with other Syrian factions and regional powers to secure and possibly expand their autonomous regions.
Turkey has consistently opposed any form of Kurdish autonomy near its borders, and the diverse array of rebel groups and political factions vying for control in post-Assad Syria may not all support Kurdish autonomy, leading to continued struggle for Syrian Kurds.
Meanwhile global powers have their own respective strategic interests. Russia giving asylum to Assad and his family suggests the Kremlin will have ongoing influence in Syrian affairs, which may not favor Kurdish aspirations. The US has previously supported Kurdish forces against ISIS, but its long-term commitment remains uncertain.
What’s Next for Syrian Kurds?
The Syrian Kurds stand at a pivotal moment in their history. The fall of Assad's regime offers a unique opportunity to solidify and expand their autonomy, and gain more freedom. But that will require navigating a complex landscape of regional hostilities, internal Syrian politics, and international diplomacy.
The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Syrian Kurds will be more free or less, with the potential role of the US likely more significant than it has ever been.
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