SDF dissolves after merging with Syrian army

Kurdish-led forces have formally dissolved the Syrian Democratic Forces, with Mazloum Abdi announcing that the SDF has completed its merger with the Syrian army and will no longer operate as an independent force. The dissolution follows a period of significant shifts in Syria, including a government offensive that eroded the SDF’s territorial control and a January agreement to integrate its military, security, and administrative structures into Damascus. Abdi described the move as entering a new phase that secures constitutional rights for Kurds in Syria and focuses on building a unified state, while former SDF officials have taken positions within the Syrian military hierarchy. The transition also involves the broader integration of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria’s institutions into state structures, signaling the end of their autonomous administration. Analysts note that Washington’s realignment with Damascus and the changing regional security landscape paved the way for the dissolution, marking a major shift for Kurdish forces that once operated in a de facto autonomous zone. In the immediate aftermath, the SDF and AANES are to be folded into Syrian state institutions, signaling a significant reconfiguration of Syria’s security and political map.