The Syrian Democratic Forces, tip of the spear in anti-jihadist fight

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), once a leading force in the anti-jihadist fight in Syria, announced their dissolution on Tuesday. Led by Mazloum Abdi, the SDF was a key ally of the United States and the autonomous administration of Kurdish-controlled territories in Syria. The SDF had been trained and organized by the US since 2015, following the US' victory over the Islamic State group in the region.

At its peak, the SDF numbered around 100,000 fighters, comprising Kurds and Arabs, who controlled oil-rich northern and northeastern Syria.

However, the dissolution of the SDF marks the end of an era for the Kurds in Syria. Following clashes in January, the Kurds lost significant territory to government forces and signed a deal to integrate their military and civilian institutions into the state. Arabs within the SDF also defected en masse after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's army took control of previously Kurdish-held provinces, including Raqa and Deir Ezzor.

The dissolution of the SDF signifies a bitter end for the Kurds, according to Mutlu Civiroglu, a Washington-based analyst and expert on the Kurds. The force was also plagued by Turkish invasions between 2016 and 2019, as Ankara sought to push the SDF away from its border. Turkey has long perceived the SDF as linked to the Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which waged a decades-long insurgency in Syria.

Although the SDF denied any connection to the PKK, Syria specialist Fabrice Balanche stated that the People's Protection Units (YPG), formed by PKK veterans, including SDF chief Abdi, effectively directed the YPG.

The January agreement between the SDF and Damascus stipulates that the SDF must expel all non-Syrian PKK leaders and members from Syria. While the SDF was numerically limited, they held significant influence in command and administrative roles. Following the agreement, Abdi acknowledged that thousands of young Kurdish men and women had supported the SDF from other parts of Kurdistan, including Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.

Abdi affirmed that, at their request and according to a practical plan, those forces had withdrawn from the region, marking a new phase in the area.

The SDF's integration into the state is a significant victory for President Sharaa, who has been striving to assert control over all of Syria since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.