Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s future remains uncertain despite international recognition of the new government. Israel and Turkey are vying for control of this country, now open to all influences. For the Zionist entity, allowing Ankara to extend its influence across the entire nation is unthinkable. Under the pretext of safeguarding Israel’s security interests, Tel Aviv continues to bomb military sites, including areas near Damascus, the capital. These attacks aim not only at expansion but also serve as clear warnings to President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkey, which Netanyahu’s government considers a hostile state since the onset of the war in Gaza. Tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv have escalated since Erdogan’s government expressed intentions to establish air and naval bases in Syria under a strategic defense agreement with Damascus—an action Israel views as a red line not to be crossed. The Zionist entity is determined to maintain its operational freedom in Syrian airspace and secure its air corridor for potential strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.This long-distance duel conceals another issue that risks plunging Syria back into chaos. Syrian Kurds are preparing to demand a federal system in the country’s new political configuration, seeking regional autonomy with their own security forces. This possibility has been dismissed by President Sharaa, whom they accuse of seeking to monopolize power. Kurdish-led groups have controlled about a quarter of Syrian territory since the 14-year civil war. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, signed an agreement with Damascus in March to integrate their governance structures and security forces with the central government. However, harmony between the two sides remains elusive. Kurdish leaders criticize the new government’s handling of the transition, arguing that Damascus fails to honor Syria’s diversity despite promises of inclusion. While the Kurdish administration avoids the term “federalism,” preferring “decentralization,” the room for maneuver for Damascus’s strongman already appears limited amid Israeli aggression, Turkey’s influence, Washington’s ambitions in the northeast, and minority demands. Without international community involvement to guarantee Syria’s sovereignty and stability, Assad’s fall may ultimately prove to be just a fleeting moment in the Syrian tragedy.
El Moudjahid
