Kurdish-led SDF dissolves after merging with Syrian army
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The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced its dissolution as an independent military force on Tuesday evening, following a merger with the Syrian army. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi made the announcement in a televised speech at the presidential palace in Damascus, calling for the preservation of Kurdish-language education. The move comes a day after the United States removed Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list.
Key Facts
- SDF commander Mazloum Abdi announced the dissolution of the group as an independent military force on Tuesday evening at the presidential palace in Damascus.
- Abdi said the SDF has completed a merger with the Syrian army and would cease to operate independently.
- Abdi stated that interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has recognized the preservation of the right to education in the Kurdish language.
- The announcement came one day after the United States removed Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list.
The Dissolution Announcement
Mazloum Abdi, head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, announced the end of the group's mission and its dissolution as an independent military force in a televised speech at the presidential palace in Damascus on Tuesday evening. Abdi said the SDF has completed a merger with the Syrian army and would cease to operate as an independent force. The SDF once controlled a de facto autonomous zone in Syria's northeast but lost most of its territory in January during a government offensive. The group then signed a deal to merge with the army.
Kurdish Language Rights
Abdi said interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has recognized the preservation of the right to education in the Kurdish language. He added that they would work to implement education in the Kurdish language during the current year. Abdi called for building a new Syria for all its people, including Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and Assyrians.
US-Syria Relations
The SDF was once the main partner of the United States in Syria as it battled ISIL. After the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Washington formed close ties with the new government in Damascus led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Abdi's announcement came a day after the US removed Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list, a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions.
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Kurdish-led SDF dissolves after merging with Syrian army
