Negotiations between the Syrian Kurds and the Damascus government with a view to reaching a political settlement are being pursued under conditions that the announcement of the retreat of US forces from Syria has faced the Kurds with a new atmosphere. At present, the main priority of the Syrian Kurds is to repel a possible invasion by Turkey which views the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (PGY) as a threat to their national security.

It should be noted that during recent years, Syrian Kurds have suffered double oppression; on the one hand, ISIS strikes put them under enormous pressure, and on the other hand, the presence of US forces in the region to set up bases and advance a series of separatist policies has put the Syrian Kurds in an unsolicited situation, causing the Kurds to get out of their normal way of life. Therefore, the Kurds have been subjected to storms caused by the application of international policies as well as reactionary intentions.

During the last eight years of the civil war in Syria, the Kurds have been faced with significant dilemmas where the choice of each of these routes has had different costs and consequences for them. Unfortunately, some of the tempting promises of the Americans forced them to choose a course which eventually had no fruits but more losses for them.

The Syrian Kurds also sent many of their young and powerful forces to be trained by the Americans so that they would use their capabilities in defending the Kurdish tribes and move toward a better condition, but unfortunately, the Americans committed the worst mischief towards the Kurds in this engagement. In fact, Washington took advantage of the Kurdish forces and used them for their own ends in the political and military equations of the region. Ultimately, they ended their support for the Kurds in a sudden and unexpected decision.

Syrian Kurds received distressing messages from the countries having Kurdish minorities in the region. Indeed, the movements inside Iraq, in the Kurdish region, left devastating effects on the normal life of the Syrian Kurds, and the Turkish government too made life hell for the Syrian Kurds through military interventions and violent movements against the Kurds.

Perhaps, after the passage of seven years in the current juncture, the Kurds are in a more assertive position than in previous years, and this time, unlike in the past, they are thinking of their bonds with the administration of Bashar Assad: bonds that helped maintain the territorial integrity of Syria and meant the restoration of the past conditions that preceded before the outbreak of the civil war in Syria.

Currently, the Kurds’ main hope is to begin a new round of interactions with the Damascus government, hoping that they will be able to compensate for the losses of the past.

It can be said that the new round began by announcing the withdrawal of American troops from Syria by the US President Donald Trump. Of course, Trump’s decision to pull out troops from Syria initially raised a lot of concerns among the Kurds. In particular, with the withdrawal of American forces, the barriers in the way of the Turkish army to carry out military operations in the Kurdish areas would be removed, and the threat of bloodshed and elimination of Kurdish groups from Ankara has become more serious. Turkey spoke about launching a major military offensive in northern Syria about three months ago and cited the movements of the Kurdish opposition groups in the northern areas of Syria the main pretext for a new military operation.

Meanwhile, Kurdish experiences in various cities in northern Syria, including Afrin, showed threats that would make them seek solutions. Thus, the Kurds began their engagement and dialogue with the Syrian government and, contrary to Ankara’s expectation, were able to come up with a wise solution and start cooperation with the Damascus government: cooperation which in contrast to their previous partnerships with regional and international players will result in positive outcomes.

Nevertheless, this has caused the wrath and concern of Turkey, the United States as well as certain Arab states in the region.

Among the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.

Another option is to increase Turkey’s military presence in the Kurdish areas of Syria and to create new and violent harassment against the Kurds, which undoubtedly will lead to more engagement between the Kurds and the Syrian government. This time, Kurdish armed groups, along with the Syrian army, are trying to defend their areas of residence.

Of course, Turkey’s military presence will create a gap between the Kurds in Turkey and the Syrian Kurds and will end or hinder what has already been triggered by a series of interactions among different ethnic groups. This will mean the tightening of the borders between Turkey and Syria and its preference for ethnic bonds.