The year 2025 marked a critical turning point for TΓΌrkiye and its immediate neighborhood, as counterterrorism ceased to be merely a military issue and evolved into a broader problem of regional order. The political transition triggered by the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, combined with the new equilibrium created by the reduction of the U.S. military footprint in Iraq, clearly demonstrated that degrading armed groups on the battlefield alone is insufficient. In this sense, 2025 was not a βyear of cleansing,β but rather a preparatory phase in which the contours of the post-conflict order, and the actors who would shape it, were negotiated. The year 2026 will test whether this preparation can yield sustainable outcomes.
Persistence of YPG in Syria
Entering 2025, the prevailing expectation was that intensified military pressure would accelerate the disintegration of terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq. By the end of the year, however, it became evident that the erosion of military capabilities does not automatically translate into political dismantlement.
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