Despite this prominent position of the Syrian Kurds and their military achievements, their political ambitions within the context of the Syrian crisis are not as widely covered by the media. The Kurds are a crucial, yet undetermined actor in the conflict, as their military capabilities make them an indispensable actor in the Raqqa offensive; however their relations with other actors are more muddled. They have mostly avoided confrontation and conflict with the Assad regime throughout the course of the war, leading some to put forward accusations of collusion and collaboration.