My latest: The Future of Northeastern Syria: In Conversation with SDF Commander-in-Chief @MazloumAbdi washingtoninstitute.org/fikraforum/vie… (1) 
@MazloumAbdi General Mazloum noted that although there is still a risk Turkey could attack either Jazira (Hassakah province) or Kobani, such a scenario would not be easy for Turkey (2).
@MazloumAbdi “They know that we will put a major fight—but there are larger agreements for now. There are agreements with Russians and also with the US, which are preventing Turkish attacks. The Americans say that if Turkey attacks [Kobani], there will be sanctions against Turkey." (3)
@MazloumAbdi SDF officials have reported that there was no major defection of Arab SDF fighters or uprising of Arab citizens in northeastern Syria to support either Syrian regime forces or Turkey in areas like Raqqa or Deir ar Zour (4)
@MazloumAbdi As General Mazloum stated, “Turkey’s plans were undermined; they were expecting that once they attack, the Arab-populated areas will rise against us [SDF], Raqqa, Deir Az-Zour, Manbij and Tabqah for instance.” (5)
@MazloumAbdi Similarly, although there was an expectation that non-Kurdish SDF soldiers would defect, “Nothing like that ever occurred, actually, there has been more unity. And as we speak, Arab fighters are joining the SDF more than pre-Turkish invasion.” (6)
@MazloumAbdi Yet the call by Ali Mamlouk highlights the continuing reality that the SDF and Syrian government are not on good terms, despite the two sides’ earlier military cooperation against Turkey (7)
@MazloumAbdi Negotiations between Damascus and the SDF to settle the status of NES in the eyes of the Syrian government have been ongoing.However, so far Damascus refuses to agree to any stipulations that they would recognize the SDF (8).
@MazloumAbdi The SDF has stated that they would only join the Syrian army in the event of a new Syrian constitution, in which the SDF “preserve[s] its autonomous status in the area of command and institutions.” (9)
@MazloumAbdi According to General Mazloum, it is only “Within that framework [that] our discussions with the Russians and Syrian government [will] continue.” So far, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad seems to be uninterested in such a deal (10).
@MazloumAbdi Moreover, the SDF is now primarily concerned with another type of challenge to its borders: the publicly expressed desire by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to settle a million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey into Syrian areas under his control (10)
@MazloumAbdi Read more here of my conversation with @MazloumAbdi here: washingtoninstitute.org/fikraforum/vie… (11)
Posted the wrong link. My apologies Correct link for full interview is here: washingtoninstitute.org/fikraforum/vie… (11)
