Kurdish formations in Syria announced self-dissolution and joining the Syrian army
The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, announced the official dissolution of the organization on August 26. According to him, the SDF completed the process of integration into the Syrian army and will no longer operate as an independent armed force, writes Euronews.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces lost a significant part of the territories they controlled in northeastern Syria after a government operation in January. Following this, the parties agreed on the inclusion of Kurdish military and civilian structures into the country's state system.
During the fight against the Islamic State, the SDF was the main partner of the USA in Syria. However, after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Washington began to establish closer relations with the new leadership in Damascus, headed by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Just a week ago, Abdi reported that the military, security, and administrative structures of the SDF were already fully integrated into state institutions. According to him, the organization is now moving to a new stage, and its political activity will be aimed at enshrining the rights of Kurds in the Syrian Constitution.
The integration agreement was reached after several months of negotiations. The USA called it historic.
In January 2026, Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a decree guaranteeing the national rights of Kurds and recognizing the Kurdish language as one of the national languages. The Kurdish holiday Nowruz also received the status of an official day off. In addition, the decree provided for granting citizenship to Kurds who had long lacked full legal status.
After the battles in Aleppo in December 2025, the SDF agreed to withdraw its units to territories west of the Euphrates River. The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated that government troops would be deployed to the liberated territories.
At the same time, relations between Kurdish formations and Turkey remain complex. Ankara considers the People's Protection Units (YPG), founded by the SDF, to be the Syrian wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkish armed forces previously conducted several military operations against the YPG and SDF. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, the USA, the UK, and France.
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is currently serving a life sentence in a Turkish prison, also believed that the agreements between the SDF and Damascus could accelerate the normalization process in Turkey. In his appeal at the end of 2025, he stated that the agreement creates a basis for democratic integration and dialogue, and Turkey's constructive role could be crucial for peace in the region.
Now reading
Remember the Minsk resident who saved the flag from under the OMON officers' feet in 2017 — at the cost of his freedom? Now he, a former political prisoner, needs help 1414
Comments