Kurdish-led SDF dissolves after completing its merger with the Syrian army
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announced its dissolution and integration into the Syrian army, a major step toward reuniting the country, the Associated Press reported. The decision ends the group's independent operations after a recent merger agreement with Damascus. Following the move, Turkey's ruling AK Party spokesman said the dissolution crosses an important threshold for strengthening Syria's internal unity, according to The Straits Times, reiterating Ankara's support for Syrian sovereignty.
Geopolitics··Evening
Merger with Damascus
Mazloum Abdi announced at the presidential palace that the Syrian Democratic Forces had completed their merger with the Syrian army and would cease operating as an independent force. The agreement gives the government a significant push toward reuniting the country after nearly 14 years of civil war. Prior to this, the SDF had lost much of its territory in the northeast following a government offensive in January, before the merger agreement was reached. The group was previously the primary US partner against ISIS in Syria, controlling about 25 percent of the country at one point. Abdi also noted that the government promised Kurdish-language education, following a January decree that made Kurdish an official language alongside Arabic and restored citizenship to tens of thousands of Kurds.[1]
Turkey's reaction
Following the announcement, Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party, stated on social media that the dissolution of the Kurdish-led group marks an important threshold passed in strengthening Syria's internal unity. Celik repeated that Ankara supports Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement coincides with Turkey's ongoing process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara regards as linked to the SDF. In February 2025, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his group to disarm and disband, leading to a symbolic weapon-burning ceremony in northern Iraq last summer and a recent law passed by the Turkish parliament establishing a legal framework for the PKK's disbanding.[2]
Remaining questions
Despite the integration of the SDF into the national military framework, several issues remain unresolved on the ground. The future of the SDF's all-female combat units has not yet been clarified in the public announcements. Furthermore, while the northeast sees this consolidation, the southern province of Sweida remains outside the central government's control. On the international front, Turkey still maintains thousands of troops in northern Syria, having mounted several cross-border operations against the SDF in the past, and maintains that its forces will not be withdrawn until the security threats it faces are completely eliminated.[1], [2]
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