Syria's Fragile Peace: Can Trust Be Built?

In Syria, a shaky truce is holding between the government and Kurdish-led forces. The U. S. is pushing for this peace to last. They want both sides to trust each other more. This comes after the Syrian government took control of big parts of the northeast. They want to show they are in charge. The fighting started this month. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) did not want to join the government. A ceasefire was announced. It gave the SDF four days to make a plan. If they agree, government troops will not take two cities still held by the SDF. A U. S. envoy met with SDF leaders. He said the U. S. supports the peace process. All sides agreed the ceasefire must hold. They need to build trust for peace to last.But both sides blame each other for breaking the ceasefire. The SDF used to be close to the U. S. But now, the U. S. is closer to Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The SDF's power has weakened. They have pulled back to areas where Kurds are the majority. The SDF leader also met with the president of Iraq's Kurdistan Region. They talked about the deal between the SDF and Syria's government. There is pressure on the SDF to end disputes. But they do not trust Syria's promises. The Syrian government took over important areas. These include oil fields, farms, and prisons holding Islamic State prisoners. The SDF wants to keep control of their areas. They fear the government will dominate the country. The Syrian government says they prefer a political solution. They promise to protect Kurdish rights. But the SDF is not sure they can be trusted. The government says the SDF should negotiate. They warn that all options are on the table.