Dr. Kamran Matin, Professor of International Relations, has warned of a serious risk of ethnic cleansing in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo if these areas are handed over to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

In a post published on his personal Facebook page, Dr. Matin stated that transferring control of Kurdish neighborhoods to HTS would likely lead to widespread ethnic cleansing against Kurdish residents. He noted that tens of thousands of people—many of whom are displaced from Afrin—have already been forced to flee their homes amid the current crisis.

Commenting on the broader situation in Rojava, Dr. Matin warned that such a handover would encourage HTS to advance step by step and occupy other areas currently under the control of the Autonomous Administration. He stressed that this trajectory poses a serious threat to the entire self-administration structure in northern Syria.

Dr. Matin also pointed to recent political developments behind the scenes, arguing that Abu Mohammad al-Julani has, in recent meetings held under U.S. oversight, granted significant concessions to Israel in order to prevent Israeli intervention in a war against the Syrian Democratic Forces. According to him, this dynamic effectively gives Recep Tayyip Erdoğan greater leeway to increase support for HTS in the event of clashes with the SDF.

He further warned that any retreat at this stage would severely undermine public morale in Rojava. By contrast, the clear stance taken by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party—declaring an end to the “peace process” in Turkey should attacks on Aleppo continue—could create hesitation for Erdoğan about entering the conflict directly.

In conclusion, Dr. Matin argued that the Julani-led administration lacks both the political will and the independent decision-making capacity needed to resolve its disputes with the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Autonomous Administration in a mutually acceptable manner. Therefore, he emphasized that if war is to be imposed on Rojava, it is essential for the Syrian Democratic Forces to enter a phase of confrontation at a time and place of their own choosing.

The warning comes amid growing concern over the future of Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo and the safety of civilians in northern Syria.