On Wednesday, 7 February 2018, 500 enemy combatants assaulted an established headquarters of the Syrian Democratic Forces where US advisers were meeting with these US-backed opposition forces. This attack consisted of artillery fire, tank rounds, and small arms fire. US forces launched coordinated airstrikes in retaliation against Syrian troops backed by the Assad-regime. These airstrikes were supported by small ground action. No US or coalitions troops were wounded or killed in the assault or counter-attack, but one SDF soldier was wounded. The US’s retaliation killed an estimated 100 of the attackers, disengaging after the remaining attackers fled.

This is a very rare event for the US to strike against the Syrian government forces. While not allies, the SDF and their coalition and Pro-Assad government forces have been fighting to accomplish the same goal of driving out ISIS forces. Now that these enemy forces are dwindling and being driven back, the conflicting goals of the SDF and pro-government troops are becoming more apparent. Syria is currently divided up by four different groups: The remnants of ISIS, Syrian government forces, Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Syrian rebel forces. This has lead to increased tension in the country as each group is wrestling for control. ISIS has mostly been driven out from Syria but small contingents still exist. This is one of the US’s main reasons for keeping troops posted in Syria, supporting the SDF. The US government believes that the area needs to be fully secured and have ISIS expunged before US forces are brought home. It is believed by the current administration that the premature departure from Iraq in 2011 allowed Al-Qaeda to congregate and eventually develop into ISIS which expanded and reeked havoc within the Middle East.

The second reason for the US to remain in Syria and support the SDF is to help foster an end to the Syrian Civil War. President Bashar al-Assad still remains in power in Syria and is attempting to regain control of the country as a whole. The revolution initially sparked because of the egregious human rights violations by President Assad against his own people. At this point in time over 13.5 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance, 11 million have been displaced internally and externally, and 400,000 have died in the conflict. The US hopes to bring about a resolution to this conflict and end the suffering in the country. They have five primary goals:

• To completely remove the ISIS threat to a point where they no longer present a threat.
• To have the conflict resolved through a UN-led process, and “a stable, unified, independent Syria, under post-Assad leadership, is functioning as a state”
• To have the Iranian influence in Syria is removed to make it more secure for Syria’s neighbors
• To have conditions created so displaced people can begin to return to their homes
• To have a Syria that is free of weapons of mass destruction

From how the US government is currently handling the situation, I believe we are not looking at another Afghanistan situation. The US only has 2,000 troops in Syria and they are providing support and advisory roles to the SDF, not leading the fight themselves. This is not a retaliatory occupation but a peacemaking response to keep the Assad government forces from further killing its citizens with mass shootings and weapons of mass destruction. Tensions will continue to mount as US-backed SDF forces clash with Russian-backed government forces and Turkish government forces. Hopefully the UN will be able to step in and help instill peace in the region but the road ahead won’t be easy.