After years of autonomy - and battles: the Kurdish force in Syria disbands and merges into the army

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced the dissolution of the organization and its merger with the Syrian army, following years of Kurdish autonomy in the northeast of the country. The announcement came after battles with the Syrian army last January and the loss of most of the territories under the force's control. Abdi stated that the country is entering a new phase of peace and reconstruction.

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced this evening (Tuesday) the dissolution of the organization and its merger with the Syrian army. In a statement delivered at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Abdi said that the SDF has completed the merger and ceased to operate as an independent force. The announcement comes after the SDF lost most of the territory it controlled in battles against the Syrian army last January, and subsequently signed a merger agreement. The SDF was previously the main partner of the United States in Syria in the fight against ISIS. After the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Washington established close ties with the new government in Damascus led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Abdi declared that "the country has entered a new phase, one of peace and participation in building a new Syria." The Kurds, who were marginalized under Assad's rule, filled the vacuum created in northeastern Syria after the start of the uprising in 2011, and at its peak the SDF controlled about 25% of the country's territory. During ceasefire negotiations in January, al-Sharaa issued a decree strengthening Kurdish rights, recognized Kurdish as an official language alongside Arabic, and restored citizenship to tens of thousands of Kurds.