Syrian Democratic Forces dissolve after integration with Damascus

Aug 25, 2026

On August 25, 2026, Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazloum Abdi announced the official dissolution of the US-backed group at the presidential palace in Damascus. The decision follows a January integration deal with President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government after a lightning military offensive stripped the Kurds of key territories. While the deal ends Kurdish military autonomy, the new Damascus administration has recognized Kurdish language rights and restored citizenship to tens of thousands of Kurds.

SDF dissolution announcement

▪Syrian Democratic Forces commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi announced the official dissolution of the group as an independent military force on August 25, 2026
▪Mazloum Abdi delivered the televised dissolution speech at the presidential palace in Damascus, declaring the end of the Syrian Democratic Forces' mission.

Syrian army integration process

▪The dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces follows the completion of the process integrating its fighters into the brigades of the Syrian army.
▪The Kurdish People's Protection Units, which formed the core of the Syrian Democratic Forces, integrated into state forces, and commander Sipan Hamo was appointed deputy defense minister in March 2026.
▪The January 2026 integration agreement required the Syrian Democratic Forces to commit to expelling all non-Syrian Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leaders and members from Syria.

US policy shift

▪The United States officially removed Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list on August 24, 2026, a move hailed by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
▪US Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack praised the orderly integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the recognition of Kurdish language rights.
▪Following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Washington dropped its support for the Syrian Democratic Forces in favor of the new authorities in Damascus led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Kurdish territorial loss

▪Arab fighters within the Syrian Democratic Forces defected en masse after Ahmed al-Sharaa's army took control of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, leaving the force at half its peak strength.
▪The Syrian Democratic Forces lost large swathes of territory in northern and eastern Syria during a lightning government offensive led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa in January 2026.

Islamic State defeat role

▪The Syrian Democratic Forces was formed in 2015 with United States backing and spearheaded the military campaign that territorially defeated the Islamic State in Syria.
▪At its peak, the Syrian Democratic Forces amassed approximately 100,000 Kurdish and Arab fighters and controlled oil-rich regions in northern and northeastern Syria.

Kurdish language education rights

▪Mazloum Abdi stated that President Ahmed al-Sharaa promised to preserve the Kurdish right to education, with plans to implement Kurdish-language education during 2026.
▪Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a decree recognizing Kurdish as an official national language and establishing the Nowruz holiday as a national holiday.