Kurdish-led SDF has dissolved, but has Syria really unified its military?
SDF's dissolution is a major victory for Damascus, but unresolved questions over command and deployment remain.
In northeastern Syria, Kurds have expressed a mixture of hope and apprehension following the dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as announced by Mazloum Abdi, the group's commander. The SDF, which once held a de facto autonomous zone covering about 25% of Syria, recently saw much of its territory lost to a government offensive in January.
The group's fighters are now being integrated into the official state military, with civilian institutions being handed over to the state. This transition has taken place more smoothly than many had anticipated, and interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has pledged to bolster the rights of Kurds, who suffered from marginalization under the Assad regime.
While some Kurds initially distrusted al-Sharaa's government, many are now giving the new system a chance. Civil society activist Mohammed al Mohammed, from Qamishli, expressed faith in Abdi and his team, believing they will work for the Kurds' interests and secure their basic rights, such as the ability to speak in their own language and manage their land.
Eva Sheikh Mousa, from the town of Amuda west of Qamishli, emphasized that the SDF organization is not crucial to Kurds as long as their rights, including language, freedom to work on their farms, and political participation, are respected.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
