The predominantly Kurdish US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have skirmished in recent weeks with Syrian government troops, putting the SDF on defense, politically and militarily.
For the Kurds, the decision for limited military coordination with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in October 2019 was a desperate hedge after Turkey, including Turkish-backed Syrian armed groups, launched Operation Peace Spring and seized over 1,800 square miles of mostly Kurdish-administered towns.