Syrian Kurdish leaders have appealed to Kurds to mobilise, a call likely to resonate broadly among Kurds, ​who form sizeable populations in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Kurdish forces in northern Syria must lay down weapons and disband now to avoid further bloodshed.

The rapid turn of events has brought almost all of Syria back under the authority of the central Damascus-based state following years of civil war that fractured the country, and puts a spotlight on shifting U.S. policy. The Reuters Gulf Currents newsletter brings you the latest on geopolitics, energy and finance in the region. Sign up here.

The nearly 14-year civil war prevented Syrians from traveling freely to many parts of their own country. After the conflict ended a year ago, a group of outdoor enthusiasts began exploring newly accessible areas,

In the space of two days, the Syrian military, aided by tribal militia, has driven Kurdish forces from wide swathes of northern Syria that they have held for more than a decade.