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Zinonas Tziarras: In Syria, the Dream of Political Autonomy for the Kurds is Collapsing

Published January 25, 2026, 07:12
Zinonas Tziarras: In Syria, the Dream of Political Autonomy for the Kurds is Collapsing

Zinonas Tziarras, a Lecturer at the University of Cyprus, analyzes the collapse of efforts for political autonomy for the Kurds in Syria. He explains that the clashes between Kurdish forces and the Damascus government, combined with the failure of negotiations due to conflicting demands and internal disagreements, led to a ceasefire agreement that effectively ends hopes for autonomy. This agreement is a significant political victory for Ahmed al-Sarrah, as it strengthens Damascus' control over the region. However, the risk of a new cycle of violence remains real. This development has implications for the wider region, affecting the balances between Turkey, Israel and the US. Ankara indirectly supports Damascus, while Israel exploits the gaps in sovereignty. For Cyprus, the situation creates the need to balance its relations with the US and Israel, while also monitoring the risk of new refugee flows in the event of further destabilization of Syria. Mr. Tziarras points out that Syria remains in an unstable situation, with economic difficulties and humanitarian challenges.