Graham, Pompeo Urge Protection For Syrian Kurds As Government Forces Advance

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have sounded urgent warnings about the need to protect Syria’s Kurdish population as government forces move into territory long held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Kurdish civilians gather with their weapons in the city of Qamishli on Jan. 20, 2026 as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) called for "young Kurds, men and women" both within and outside Syria to "join the ranks of the resistance". Negotiations had collapsed between the Syrian president and the chief of the country's Kurdish-led forces, as the army deployed reinforcements to flashpoint areas in the north.(Getty Images)

Growing Bipartisan Concern

Posting on X, Graham wrote there is a "strong and growing bipartisan interest in the U.S. Senate regarding the deteriorating situation in Syria," adding that "there is strong consensus that we must protect the Kurds who were there for us in destroying the ISIS caliphate, as well as many other groups." Pompeo replied, "Turning our backs on our Kurdish allies would be a moral and strategic disaster."

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters pose for a photo with the American flag on stage after a SDF victory ceremony announcing the defeat of ISIL in Baghouz was held at Omer Oil Field on March 23, 2019 in Baghouz, Syria. The Kurdish-led and American-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) declared on Saturday the "100% territorial defeat" of the so-called Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. The group once controlled vast areas across Syria and Iraq and a population of up to 12 million, an aspired "caliphate" that drew tens of thousands of foreign nationals to join its ranks.

Advance Into SDF Territory

According to multiple reports, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa this month ordered his forces — which some sources say include jihadist elements — to seize ground controlled for more than a decade by the SDF. Kurdish leaders and international observers worry the shift could produce renewed fighting, civilian displacement and the risk of mass atrocities.

Syrian government forces load rockets which will be launched towards Kurdish forces near Dibsi Faraj in the northern Syrian Tabqa area, Raqa province on Jan. 17, 2026. Syria's army took control of swathes of northern Syria and threatened to bomb parts of Raqa province on January 17, after Kurdish forces pulled back from territory they had held for over a decade. The government appeared to be seeking to extend its grip on parts of the country under Kurdish control a day after President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a "national language" and granting the minority official recognition.

Concerns About Stability And Detention Facilities

Officials have expressed alarm about potential instability in northeastern Syria, including the possibility of ISIS prison breaks. Reports indicate U.S. officials have relocated some detainees to Iraq amid the uncertainty. The SDF, formed in 2013, helped defeat ISIS’s territorial caliphate and detained thousands of suspected fighters and family members in facilities such as al-Hol and al-Shaddadi.

A masked Islamic State terrorist poses holding the ISIS flag in 2015.

U.S. Messaging And Diplomatic Shifts

U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack (as referenced in recent public messages) wrote that the SDF "proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019," and noted that the regional context has changed, arguing that Syria now has an acknowledged central government that is cooperating on counterterrorism. Kurdish leaders, however, said recent U.S. statements have created fears of abandonment.

"We really wished to see a firm position from the U.S. The Kurdish people are at the risk of extermination. The U.S. does not give any solid or tangible guarantees," said Iham Ahmed, a prominent Syrian Kurdish politician.

Kurdish Leaders’ Appeals And Regional Accusations

Kurdish representatives pressed for firmer guarantees and some urged recognition of a special status for the Kurdish region in northeastern Syria. They also accused neighboring Turkey of backing or encouraging attacks on Kurdish areas; Turkish officials were contacted for comment.

Sinam Mohamad, the Syrian Democratic Council’s representative to the U.S., criticized Washington’s framing of the relationship with the Kurds as a narrowly military partnership without political guarantees, calling recent developments "a betrayal" from the Kurdish perspective.

Ceasefire And Ongoing Risks

Officials announced a 15-day extension of a ceasefire, but observers reported continued Syrian government troop buildups near Kurdish-held areas, raising concerns that the truce could break down and conflict could resume.

Note on reporting: This article maintains the statements and claims made by the parties quoted. Some details reported in original accounts (names, titles, or specific claims about personnel) have been retained as presented but could not be independently verified in this edit; readers should consult primary government statements and multiple sources for confirmation.