Qamishli, Syria – Residents of the Kurdish‑dominant northeast expressed mixed feelings after commander Mazloum Abdi announced the official dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The force, which once administered roughly a quarter of Syria, is now being folded into the Syrian state military and its civilian institutions are being transferred to the central government.
Local hopes and concerns
Many Kurds welcomed interim President Ahmad al‑Sharaa’s pledge to strengthen Kurdish rights, a promise that resonates after decades of marginalization under the Assad regime. Civil‑society activist Mohammed al Mohammed said he trusts Abdi’s leadership to protect basic rights such as speaking the Kurdish language, managing land, and living without persecution.
Eva Sheikh Mousa, a resident of Amuda, emphasized that the fate of the SDF matters less than the protection of Kurdish cultural and political freedoms. “Whoever secures our language, our farms and our political participation is the one we support,” she said.
Reservations remain
Some, like displaced Afrin native Jwan Mohammed, are uneasy about the loss of the SDF as an organization. While he supports integration into the national army, he lamented the end of a group that “made great sacrifices” fighting the Islamic State.
Economic pressures have also intensified. Residents report rising prices after the central government removed fuel subsidies, sparking protests over deteriorating living conditions.
International reaction
The move drew praise from foreign leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron called the integration a “decisive step” toward peaceful unification, while U.S. envoy Tom Barrack described the announcement as “absolutely historic,” highlighting the promise to recognize Kurdish language education and to place senior former SDF figures in substantive government roles.
Local media suggest Abdi may become a presidential adviser and former SDF foreign‑relations official Elham Ahmad could serve as a parliamentary deputy, though official confirmation is pending.
Regional implications
Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, welcomed the agreement and urged all Kurdish parties and Syrian societal components to support the integration, hoping it will foster stability in a country still recovering from a fourteen‑year civil war.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
