Popular Front Regional Conflict Threatens the Future of Jolani's Syria
Oct 21, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Alexander McKeever, a researcher specializing in northern Syria, dives into the complex regional conflicts shaping the future of Jolani's territory. He explores the intensifying clashes in Aleppo and the implications of Kurdish enclave tensions. McKeever sheds light on the evolving dynamics of the SDF and pro-government forces, as well as the Druze community's political maneuvers. His insights reveal the precarious balance of power and the uncertain prospects for peace in the region.
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Isolated Kurdish Enclaves Fuel Local Pressure
- Aleppo's Sheikh Maksud and Ashrafia are isolated Kurdish enclaves surrounded by pro-government areas and dependent on negotiated access.
- Tensions rose after crossings were blocked and clashes erupted despite earlier joint checkpoints and a temporary normalization.
Uniforms Change, Loyalties Often Don't
- Convoys of SDF fighters left under the April agreement but many fighters likely 'switched uniforms' locally.
- Local dynamics and pressure from Damascus complicate distinguishing centralized strategy from spontaneous clashes.
Druze Militias Fragment Political Outcomes
- Suwayda in the south is dominated by multiple Druze militias with divided loyalties and competing religious leaders.
- Government security operations, abuses, and retaliatory mobilizations escalated clashes and pushed many Druze militias toward a harder anti-Damascus stance.