America’s closest ally in Syria is losing ground as a new order takes shape

Associated Press

The jihadi rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad say they want to build a unified, inclusive country. But after nearly 14 years of civil war, putting that ideal into practice will not be easy. For Syria’s Kurdish minority, America’s closest ally in the country, the struggle for a new order is entering a potentially even more challenging phase. Over the course of Syria’s civil war, Kurdish fighters have partnered with the U.S. to rout the Islamic State group and carved out a largely autonomous region in the east. But the gains of the non-Arab Kurds are at risk. The ascendance of Sunni Arab rebels who overthrew Assad — with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the Kurds — could prolong the conflict.