Mazloum Abdi Officially Announces SDF Integration Into Syrian Army
At a Glance
- Mazloum Abdi announced the end of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ mission as an independent military force.
- He stated that the next phase should focus on peace, stability, and rebuilding Syria.
- He also highlighted Kurdish-language education as a key right for Syria’s Kurdish population.
Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Mazloum Abdi announced a major transition for the force, saying Syria has entered a new phase centered on peace, stability, and nation-building.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- End of the SDF Mission: “We announce today the end of the Syrian Democratic Forces' mission, and we responsibly declare its dissolution as an independent military force.” — SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi.
- Transition to Peace: “We want this day to be the beginning of a true transition from battlefields to fields of construction, from the era of weapons to the era of peace, and from the phase of defending Syria to the phase of building Syria.” — Mazloum Abdi.
- Kurdish-Language Education: “The right to education in the Kurdish language is one of the most important rights that our Kurdish people have sought for decades.” — Mazloum Abdi.
In his speech, Abdi said the Syrian Democratic Forces had carried a major responsibility during some of the country’s most difficult periods since its establishment. He recalled the force’s battles against Ba'athist rule and later against ISIS, during which thousands of fighters were killed.
He said the circumstances facing Syria have now changed, with the country moving into a phase focused on peace and participation in building what he described as the “new Syria.”
According to Abdi, the transition follows an agreement reached with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the completion of integrating SDF forces into brigades of the Syrian Army. The announcement formally marks the dissolution of the SDF as an independent military force.
Abdi said the sacrifices of those killed during the conflict would remain part of the force’s collective memory. He argued that their deaths were intended to help create conditions in which Syrians would no longer need to fight.
He also addressed the future of Kurdish-language education, saying Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa had previously announced the preservation of the right to education in the Kurdish language. Abdi said he had found an open-minded position from the president on education in the mother tongue and on developing the existing decision in the future.
Abdi said work would begin to implement the decision during the current year, with the aim of building on it in the near future.
He said the Syria envisioned by the SDF should include all of the country’s communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians, and Turkmen. He described the desired outcome as a unified and secure country that protects the rights and dignity of all citizens and provides a better future for coming generations.
FYI
The Syrian Democratic Forces were established during the Syrian conflict and became a major force in the fight against ISIS, with the Kurdish-led force operating alongside local Arab and other allied fighters. The SDF later became a key military and political actor in Syria.
Abdi’s announcement comes after an agreement with Damascus that provides for the integration of SDF forces into the Syrian Army, marking a significant change in the military and political structure of Rojava.
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