Why the US repeatedly abandoned the opposition in the Syrian war

The Syrian government army launched an offensive on the opposition-held southern city of Deraa on June 25. Although the move violates a ceasefire agreement in the de-escalation zone signed by the US, Russia and Jordan last year, Washington has said it will not support the Free Syrian Army (FSA) if they come under attack.

Observers say this is not the first time the US has "abandoned" its opposition partners in the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).various reasons, according toMilitary Times.

The US had previously reached a secret deal with Türkiye to force Kurdish militia fighters, the core force of the SDF, to withdraw from the strategic town of Manbij to hand over control to the Turkish army. Many Kurdish officials have criticized the US for "abandoning" them under pressure from Türkiye, even though the Kurds were once considered the US's most reliable partner in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.

The Pentagon asserted that the “no support” message was not only sent to the FSA, it was also sent to US-backed armed groups in Syria, including the SDF.

"Let me reiterate that the coalition does not support 'rebel forces' in Syria, nor do we conduct operations in Syrian government-controlled territory. The coalition and its SDF partners are not involved and do not seek to intervene in the fight against the Syrian government. We remain focused on defeating ISIS and creating conditions that enhance regional stability," said the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. This message shows that the US is okay with the Syrian army retaking rebel-held areas in the south, as long as they do not attack areas controlled by the Turkish and US armies in northern Syria.

Deraa is considered a strategically important location for the Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels, a US-backed force that has been trying to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The area is important because it is very close to the Jordanian border and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

"The US seems to believe that Israel can take care of itself in the Golan Heights, as well as drawing red lines with Iran and Syria," Landis commented.

Witnessing the US's refusal to provide fire support to repel the Syrian government forces, the SDF will likely have to give up its ambition to overthrow the Assad regime and build an autonomous Kurdish state to focus on the fight against IS.

SDF units have been repeatedly asked to focus on the anti-IS mission on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. The coalition was forced to halt the operation in March, when Kurdish fighters in the SDF moved north to fight the Turkish army in the city of Afrin.

"The SDF is trying to protect its achievements. The leaders of this force have called for negotiations with the Syrian Government on the establishment of a federal state and an autonomous region. The recent agreement between the US and Türkiye on Manbij is a bad signal for the Kurds," Landis assessed.

A month ago, the US administration declared that it would not make concessions to Türkiye in Manbij. However, the current reality is very different as Washington still needs Ankara and is willing to make concessions to maintain its alliance. "Deraa is clear evidence that the US is reducing its commitment in Syria," Landis emphasized.