Article “Rojava, the Kurds, the US Withdrawal and Turkish Invasion: Betrayal, Evil and Folly?”

Date of publication: November 11, 2019

Tomáš Kaválek of Prague Centre for Middle East Relations (PCMR) of CEVRO Institute published an article “Rojava, the Kurds, the US Withdrawal and Turkish Invasion: Betrayal, Evil and Folly?” for epravo.cz. Turkey’s incursion into Syria east of the Euphrates was followed by chaotic statements by the US administration, particularly President Trump, and eventually the withdrawal of most US forces from the region. This decision provoked strong emotions, an image of American betrayal of Kurdish allies and gratuitous Turkish aggression. Following the Sochi agreement between President Putin and his Turkish counterpart Erdoğan, concluded on 22 October, it is clear that the vacuum has been filled by the Syrian regime and Russia. Thus, according to many, Washington has recklessly ceded influence in north-eastern Syria to Moscow.