Lindsey Graham says 'strong consensus' to protect Kurds as Syrian forces advance on territory

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and erstwhile Secretary of State Mike Pompeo some issued dire warnings astir the pressing request to support the endangered Syrian Kurdish colonisation nether onslaught by authorities forces successful the war-torn nation.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who earlier this period ordered his army, which reportedly has a ample jihadist constituent successful it, to conquer territory controlled for much than a decennary by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF.)

Writing connected the societal media level X on, Graham declared, "There is beardown and increasing bipartisan involvement successful the U.S. Senate regarding the deteriorating concern successful Syria. There is beardown statement that we indispensable support the Kurds who were determination for america successful destroying the ISIS caliphate, arsenic good arsenic galore different groups."

Pompeo responded to Graham’s post, stating, "Turning our backs connected our Kurdish allies would beryllium a motivation and strategical disaster."

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The Trump medication is facing disapproval from its long-standing ally, the Syrian Kurds, who played a important relation successful the decision of the Islamic State successful the heartland of the Middle East, pursuing a U.S. authorities announcement connected societal media that seemed to hint that the concern had ended this past week with the Kurdish-run SDF successful bluish Syria.

The SDF formed arsenic a bulwark against the accelerated dispersed of the Islamic State’s violent question successful 2013. ISIS created a caliphate covering important territory successful Syria and Iraq. Al-Sharaa was a erstwhile subordinate of the Islamic State and al Qaeda.

Kurdish civilians stitchery with their weapons successful the metropolis of Qamishli connected Jan. 20, 2026 arsenic the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) called for "young Kurds, men and women" some wrong and extracurricular Syria to "join the ranks of the resistance". Negotiations had collapsed betwixt the Syrian president and the main of the country's Kurdish-led forces, arsenic the service deployed reinforcements to flashpoint areas successful the north.  (Delil Souleiman / AFP via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached retired to the State Department regarding U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who besides serves arsenic the Special Envoy for Syria, for a effect to his caller connection connected X wrote that indicated the U.S. concern with the SDF was over.

Barrack wrote, "The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the astir effectual crushed spouse successful defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and household members successful prisons and camps similar al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, determination was nary functioning cardinal Syrian authorities to spouse with — the Assad authorities was weakened, contested, and not a viable spouse against ISIS owed to its alliances with Iran and Russia."

He added, "Today, the concern has fundamentally changed. Syria present has an acknowledged cardinal authorities that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th subordinate successful precocious 2025), signaling a westward pivot and practice with the U.S. connected counterterrorism."

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters airs for a photograph with the American emblem connected signifier aft a SDF triumph ceremonial announcing the decision of ISIL successful Baghouz was held astatine Omer Oil Field connected March 23, 2019 successful Baghouz, Syria. The Kurdish-led and American-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) declared connected Saturday the "100% territorial defeat" of the alleged Islamic State, besides known arsenic ISIS oregon ISIL. The radical erstwhile controlled immense areas crossed Syria and Iraq and a colonisation of up to 12 million, an aspired "caliphate" that drew tens of thousands of overseas nationals to articulation its ranks.  (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

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Iham Ahmed, a salient Syrian Kurdish politician, told Fox News Digital that, "We truly wished to spot a steadfast presumption from the U.S. The Kurdish radical are astatine the hazard of extermination. The U.S. does not springiness immoderate coagulated oregon tangible guarantees."

Ahmed formed uncertainty connected statements similar Barrack’s, informing the "Syrian service is inactive consisting of extremist factions that nary 1 tin trust. Alawites, Christians, Sunnis and Druze cannot spot these factions. We could look massacres, which happened successful different Syrian cities."

When asked by Fox News Digital if the SDF wants Israel to intervene to assistance the Kurds arsenic it did to assistance the Syrian Druze and different minorities past year, Ahmed said, "Whoever wants to assistance america should bash truthful – contiguous is the day." She said that "the Islamic State is showing itself successful the representation of an authoritative army. Everyone is threatened now."

She urged a "special presumption for the Kurdish region" successful northeastern Syria.

Syrian authorities forces load rockets which volition beryllium launched towards Kurdish forces adjacent Dibsi Faraj successful the bluish Syrian Tabqa area, Raqa state connected Jan. 17, 2026. Syria's service took power of swathes of bluish Syria and threatened to weaponry parts of Raqa state connected January 17, aft Kurdish forces pulled backmost from territory they had held for implicit a decade. The authorities appeared to beryllium seeking to widen its grip connected parts of the state nether Kurdish power a time aft President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a "national language" and granting the number authoritative recognition.  (Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images.)

Ahmed accused the Erdoğan authorities of nefarious involvement. "Turkey stands down the attacks connected our region. Turkish quality and tiny groups are starring attacks. Statements from Turkey are encouraging the extermination of our people," she claimed.

Fox News Digital sent a property query to the Turkish embassy spokesperson successful Washington D.C.

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The influential president of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, wrote on X that, "Sen. Graham is right. I’ve been discussing the concern successful NE Syria with Republican House leaders.  It is not successful America’s involvement for Islamist forces to prehend territory erstwhile governed by trusted U.S. allies who protected minorities and precocious spiritual freedom. Yet this is happening arsenic Syrian person Ahmed al-Sharaa’s forces determination into northeast Syria, displacing the Syrian Democratic Forces — our partners successful the combat against ISIS, who mislaid thousands of fighters, guarded U.S. bases, and detained ISIS prisoners."

He continued, "Before we spot place successful al-Sharaa, a erstwhile al Qaeda insurgent who fought U.S. forces successful Iraq and was held astatine Abu Ghraib, helium has to amusement helium is trustworthy.  So far, helium is failing the test."

A masked Islamic State violent poses holding the ISIS emblem successful 2015.  (Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Sinam Mohamad, the typical of the Syrian Democratic Council to the U.S., had harsh words for the administration, telling Fox News Digital, "American officials proceed to picture the SDF arsenic a reliable spouse successful that constrictive mission. Washington avoids framing the narration arsenic a governmental alliance. The U.S. ne'er intended a semipermanent governmental committedness to the Syrian Kurds. It was a subject concern without governmental guarantees. From Washington’s view, that’s consistency. From the Kurdish view, that’s betrayal."

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She added determination has been an announcement of a 15-day hold of a ceasefire, "But some the SDF and extracurricular observers noted continued [Syrian] authorities unit buildups adjacent Kurdish-held areas, signaling that struggle could resume." She added, "The Kurds privation to person bid and stableness done negotiations."