Policy paper “Mapping Regional Armed Actors and Alliances in Northeastern Syria (2019-2025)”

Date of publication: January 20, 2026

Research interns Anežka Petráková and Mahi Farman from the Centre for Middle Eastern Relations (PCMR) at CEVRO University have published a policy paper entitled “Mapping Regional Armed Actors and Alliances in Northeastern Syria (2019–2025)”.

The paper analyzes relationships among regional armed actors in northeastern Syria. It primarily focuses on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Syrian National Army (SNA), and Arab tribes operating in the region, examining their mutual interactions and the evolution of their relationships from 2019 following the fall of the Islamic State (ISIS) caliphate through the end of 2025.

The position of the SDF in the region has changed significantly since 2019. During the fight against ISIS, the SDF were among the most important allies of the United States and the international coalition, playing a key role in countering the group. Over the years, however, U.S. support has declined, as has support from Arab tribes, while pressure from Turkey to limit SDF activities has intensified. Following the change of the Syrian regime at the end of 2024, the position of Turkey and its proxy forces, the SNA, has continued to strengthen, placing the SDF in an increasingly disadvantaged position.