On Tuesday, Mazloum Abdi announced the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-dominated force that the US had backed for years until abandoning it in the wake of the terrorist Hayat Tahrir al Sham’s capture of Damascus at the end of 2024. “We hereby announce, as of today, the conclusion of the mission of the Syrian Democratic Forces, and we responsibly declare its dissolution as an independent military force,” Abdi said in Damascus following a meeting with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, reported Rudaw News.
The SDF and the Syrian government signed an agreement on January 29 to integrate the force, along with the Kurdish region’s security and administrative bodies, into state structures. The deal followed weeks of clashes between both sides. SDF fighters have been incorporated into the Syrian army as brigades while remaining deployed in the Kurdish region. Abdi announced on Thursday that the integration process had been completed.
The dissolution of the SDF has been widely praised by Western and regional countries, including the US. Tom Barrack, US special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, called the decision “absolutely historic,” crediting President Donald Trump as a “steadfast partner” in helping “a united Syria for all” take shape. Saudi Arabia on Wednesday welcomed the integration of the Kurdish-led forces into Syrian military institutions, saying the move contributed to “security and stability for Syria and its brotherly people.”
