Explainer: What to Know About the U.S.–Kurds Alliance in Syria and Iraq

This explainer examines the history of military cooperation between the United States and Kurdish forces during the campaign against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

The partnership emerged during the group’s rapid expansion in 2014, when Kurdish forces were among the first local actors to confront ISIS on the ground. As the U.S. launched air operations later that year, coordination with Kurdish fighters expanded, particularly through the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

The U.S. role focused on air support, training, weapons, and intelligence coordination, while Kurdish-led forces conducted ground operations across large areas of northeastern Syria.

This cooperation played a central role in major campaigns, including the defeat of ISIS in Raqqa in 2017. After ISIS lost most of its territory, Kurdish-led authorities continued to maintain security in areas previously held by the group.