Thoughts and questions about US withdrawal from Syria
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN There has been shock at the sudden decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw from Syria. Here are some thoughts and questions, and maybe some […]
Tag Archives: YPG
List of reported developments in northern Syria amidst Afrin conflict
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Since Ankara launched its offensive against the YPG on January 20 there have been many developments in the battle between Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies […]
Reporting on the Afrin crises
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Since Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies decided to intervene in Syria I have been reporting on the new conflict. Turkey says it is fighting terrorists […]
Reading between the lines of the Russia-US statement on Syria in Vietnam
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN On November 11 US President Donald Trump and President of Russia Vladimir Putin met on the sidelines of the APEC conference in Danang, Vietnam. They issued […]
Countdown to conflict with YPG, Turkey over Afrin?
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN In the last week of June 2017 rumors began to spread of increased tensions on the Turkish border with Kurdish-run areas in Afrin. A small province, […]
BREAKING: Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi reaching Iraq-Syria border, implications?
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Just after noon on May 29th the Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), a mostly Shia group of militias that have been officially part of […]
When western media calls Syria war confusing “free for all” it’s a form of racism
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN I was reading a major US media outlet about Turkey’s president visiting Washington and there was a link to the “free for all” in Syria. “The […]
Oped attacks “westerners fighting ISIS” as “no heroes”, but they are heroes
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Since 2014 dozens of volunteers have joined the Kurdish YPG in the war against ISIS. They came from all walks of life and from all over […]
Whaaaa – The NYT just published a column supporting ISIS in Syria?!
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The New York Times just published a column by Thomas Friedman (‘Why is Trump fighting ISIS in Syria’) that argues for supporting ISIS in Syria. Surely that […]
Battles for Mosul and Raqqa: Challenges and comparisons
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN On March 22nd US forces helped transport elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces across lake Assad behind ISIS lines. Coming ashore around 30 kilometers from Raqqa, […]
Seth J. Frantzman - author - analyst 