Meeting Fails to Cement Agreement
A crucial meeting in Damascus between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi and Syrian officials on Monday failed to consolidate the terms of a ceasefire agreement announced just one day earlier, according to informed sources who spoke to Syria TV . The sources reported that Abdi attempted to amend the agreement's terms during the Damascus meeting, revealing "clear differences" within the SDF leadership and "a lack of clear perception of what they want" .
Foza Alyusuf, a senior member of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), told Rudaw that the meeting was "not positive," claiming Damascus is demanding the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration "hand over all authority" and return northeast Syria to its pre-2011 status . She accused the interim government of seeking to "dismantle" Kurdish institutions and being "opposed to the Kurds gaining their rights" . Alyusuf asserted that "surrender is not an option" and that "the only option is resistance" .
Trump-Sharaa Phone Call
Hours after the failed meeting, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the deteriorating situation . According to the Turkish news site T24 and a statement from the Syrian presidency, both leaders emphasized "the preservation of the unity and independence of Syrian territory" and stressed "the need to guarantee the rights and protection of the Kurdish people within the framework of the Syrian state" . The two presidents agreed to continue cooperation in combating ISIS and ending its threats, expressing "a common vision of a strong and unified Syria capable of facing challenges" .
'Second Kobane Resistance' Declared
The diplomatic setback comes amid fierce clashes that began on January 6, when Damascus-affiliated forces launched attacks on Kurdish-held areas in northeast Syria. The ANF News Agency reports that the SDF Command Council member Mahmoud Berxwedan announced in an audio message that the current situation marks the beginning of a "Second Kobane Resistance," invoking the historic 2014 battle when Kurdish forces defeated ISIS in the strategic border city .
"Just as our comrades displayed historic resistance in Kobane in 2014 with great determination and will, turning Kobane into a graveyard for ISIS supported by Turkey, today with the same will we will turn all our cities from Derik to Hasaka and Kobane into a graveyard for those with the new ISIS mentality managed by the Turkish state," the SDF General Command stated . Berxwedan emphasized that this is "not just a military process but a struggle of the entire society" .
Atrocities and Extremist Violence
The SDF accused Damascus-aligned groups of beheading several Kurdish fighters "in the style of" ISIS, releasing graphic video footage it described as "a heinous crime" . The footage shows captured fighters in military uniforms while Arabic-speaking men refer to them as "Havalan [comrades in Kurdish]" and "PKK pigs" . Other videos circulating online appear to show captured SDF members and civilians being insulted and beaten, with one showing a man referring to two female fighters as "the nicest gifts" to another militant, implying they could be used as sex slaves .
SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami reported that Damascus-affiliated forces were shelling and attempting to storm al-Aqtan Prison in Raqqa for the third time on Monday, which houses ISIS detainees . "Everything [we do] is for our people. We either live a life with dignity or go as martyrs with honor," Shami wrote on social media.
Pan-Kurdish Mobilization Call
The SDF General Command issued an urgent appeal calling on Kurds across all parts of Kurdistan and in Europe to mobilize. "We call on all our youth, our young women and men of Rojava, North, South and East Kurdistan, as well as in Europe, to unite together and break the borders of the occupiers and join the resistance," the statement declared . The command emphasized that "today is a day of honor" and "a day of historical responsibility," asserting that "the people's will is stronger than any attack and occupation" .
US Senator Issues Stark Warning
The T24 reports that the veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, known for his close ties to Trump, threatened to push for reimposing "bone-crushing" sanctions on Syria if government forces continue advancing toward Raqqa. "It appears no one in Syria is listening to me or other US government officials. If this continues, not only will crushing sanctions come, but relations between the US and the new Syrian government will be permanently damaged," Graham wrote on social media.
Graham emphasized that thousands of ISIS militants held in SDF-controlled prisons pose an existential threat. "If they are released, all hell breaks loose," he warned, adding that "you cannot unite Syria through military force as Syrian government leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to do" . The senator noted that the SDF served as Washington's primary partner in defeating ISIS during Trump's first term, stating, "I believe we owe them better".
Concerns Over Extremist Elements
Myles Caggins, a retired US Army colonel and former spokesperson for the US-led coalition against ISIS, expressed concern about the composition of forces advancing under Damascus' banner. "Some of these groups that are making up the Syrian government's military, some of these groups are jihadis, are extremists, are takfiri, and I do not know if Damascus can actually control them," Caggins told Rudaw . The term takfiri refers to individuals who declare other Muslims to be non-believers, often to justify violence .