ALLIES Weekly Discussion- The Kurdish Skirmish

Dispersed across Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran, the Kurds have been the largest stateless minority in the Middle East since the re-shaping of borders after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. In the past 80 years, in all parts of Kurdistan various attempts have been made to demand increased cultural and linguistic rights, autonomy and the creation of an independent Kurdish state. In 2014, Syrian Kurds established control over a large portion of Syria with the help of US troops which intervened in the war to help defeat ISIS. However, with Trump’s decision to withdraw troops and Turkey’s recent invasion into northeast Syria, the reality on the ground is changing for Syrian Kurds.

Join ALLIES and MERG this week to discuss the involvement of Syrian Kurds in the Syrian Civil War and the potential for an independent Kurdish state. No prior knowledge is required. As usual, background readings will be provided at the meeting. We hope to see you there!