'There is a double-layered conflict in this' — Almassian on clashes in Syria

Deadly clashes have broken out in Aleppo amid high-stakes negotiations over the future of Syria’s Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The violence comes as Damascus and Ankara discuss integrating the SDF into Syria’s national army—an effort already fraught with mistrust, regional pressure, and competing agendas.

Middle East analyst Kevork Almassian explains why the confrontation was predictable, how internal Syrian tensions intersect with regional rivalries, and why the question of centralization versus decentralization could determine whether Syria moves toward stability or renewed conflict.