Syrian Democratic Forces Dissolve to Merge With National Army

Commander Mazloum Abdi announced the official dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the People's Protection Units (YPG) on Tuesday during a news conference at the presidential palace in Damascus. The move concludes a transition period that began with a January 29 agreement between the Kurdish-led forces and the Syrian government, following a government offensive in January that saw the SDF lose significant territory in provinces such as Raqa and Deir Ezzor.

The integration represents a major victory for interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is working to unify the country after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. To secure the merger, President al-Sharaa issued decrees strengthening Kurdish rights, including making Kurdish an official language, adopting Nowruz as a national holiday, and restoring citizenship to thousands of Kurds in Hassakeh. In exchange, the SDF committed to expelling all non-Syrian members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the country.

While the dissolution ends Kurdish aspirations for autonomy, it shifts the region toward national integration. The agreement integrates SDF forces into the brigades of the Syrian army and includes the appointment of Sipan Hamo as deputy defense minister for eastern territories. However, the fate of the SDF's all-female fighting units remains uncertain within the conservative new government.