The SDF and the Assad regime: Parallels of self-inflicted collapse and cruelty

Is it possible for a state to develop, sustain economic growth, keep its citizens safe, and start to rebuild after many years of conflict when it does not fully control its own territory? This was the question facing Syria under Ahmed Al-Sharaa until recently, and whilst the state is still facing questions in the Sweida region in the far south, the size of the area and its population pale in comparison to the north-east, which was until recently controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF.  The collapse of the SDF was quick, and has been likened by commentators to the fall of Assad just over a year ago, but it was also self-inflicted and a result of poor decisions from […]