After years of autonomy and battles: Kurdish force in Syria is disbanding, merging with army

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led military group, officially disbanded and merged into the Syrian army on Tuesday evening, as announced by SDF commander Mazloum Abdi in Damascus. This follows the SDF losing most of its territory in January during clashes with the Syrian army and subsequently signing a merger agreement. The SDF, once a key U.S. partner against ISIS, had controlled a de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria. Abdi stated, "The SDF carried a heavy responsibility during one of the most difficult periods in Syria’s history," and that the country has entered a "new phase, one of peace and participation in building a new Syria." This integration comes after the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024 and subsequent agreements with the new government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, which included a decree strengthening Kurdish rights such as making Kurdish an official language and restoring citizenship.