Explained: Who are the Kurds, and why is Turkey attacking them in Syria

Who are the Kurds, and why is Turkey attacking them in northern Syria? What role did Kurdish fighters play in the complex war in Syria, and what are the ramifications of US troops’ withdrawal from the conflict?

Turkey incursion Syria offensive explained, US Donald Trump

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters stand guard in Qamishli, Syria. Turkish forces having pushing into northeastern Syria. (AP Photo)

On Sunday, Kurdish forces who had until recently been America’s allies against both the Islamic State and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, announced an agreement with the Damascus regime, which is backed by Moscow and Tehran, the United States’ two great rivals in the region. This happened after President Donald Trump abruptly pulled US forces out of Syria, leaving Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to simply cross the border into Syria, pummel Kurdish positions, and take over Kurdish-held territory.