In the Syrian Civil War, Kurds and Sunni Rebels Increasingly Clash

Syrian rebel forces and Kurdish militias have been at odds since the outset of the Syrian civil war, but clashes between the two groups recently have become much more frequent and more intense — a trend that threatens the prospect of rebel success. Fighting mainly has been relegated to northern Syria, close to the Kurdish heartland. In fact, rebels and Kurdish forces fought in northeast al-Malikiyah, an area near the borders of Syria, northern Iraq and southern Turkey, as recently as May 29. For rebel leaders, these skirmishes are proving increasingly difficult to prevent.