SDF commander declares end of Kurdish-led force in Damascus
Mazloum Abdi, head of the Syrian Democratic Forces, announced the group's dissolution during a televised address in Damascus. The move follows the integration of SDF fighters into the Syrian military, a key demand of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The SDF, once a US-backed force that fought Islamic State, has now been formally absorbed into the state's armed forces.
The SDF's origins trace to 2015, when Washington sought a reliable partner after Kurdish fighters repelled Islamic State in Kobane. At its peak, the force numbered roughly 100,000, mixing Kurdish and Arab fighters while controlling oil-rich territory across Syria's northeast. Its ranks thinned considerably after Arab members defected when government troops reclaimed Raqa and Deir Ezzor provinces.
The dissolution follows a January agreement that also brought unprecedented Kurdish rights, including official recognition of Kurdish as a national language—a first since Syrian independence in 1946. Turkey, which long viewed the SDF as linked to the PKK and launched repeated cross-border operations between 2016 and 2019, had pressed for the group's dismantlement.
This development could reshape Syria's internal balance, particularly for Kurdish communities who may now rely on state institutions rather than autonomous militias for protection. Regional actors—Turkey, the United States, and Iran—may recalibrate their positions as Damascus consolidates authority over former SDF territory. The integration's success could influence whether Kurdish cultural rights endure or erode under central governance, while neighboring countries with Kurdish populations may watch closely for precedent-setting implications.