Part 7/8:
Turkey's President Erdogan is using the recent flare-up in violence as a catalyst to address the lingering issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey while simultaneously exerting pressure on what he deems "terrorist organizations" along his borders, namely the SDF. This is further complicated by Russia's positioning, as Erdogan anticipates that Russian support will assist in negotiations with Assad amidst these tumultuous dynamics.
As U.S. policies toward Syria under President Trump remain uncertain, the SDF's ongoing operations to counter ISIS are complicated by the current instability. The presence of a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops has raised alarm bells about the region's security balance and control over remaining ISIS strongholds.