New agreement sees dissolution of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced their dissolution in Syria as part of an agreement with the interim government. The SDF, which was formed in 2015 to combat the Islamic State group, claimed on Tuesday in a televised statement that it had fulfilled its mission and would merge with the national military forces. Their commander-in-chief, Mazloum Abdi, declared that the dissolution marked a transition from wartime efforts to societal development and peace-building.

The dissolution process, originally set to begin on January 29th, faced obstacles due to disagreements over integration terms. These included the recognition of the Kurdish language, the inclusion of theoretical subjects taught in Kurdish schools, and the integration of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) into the Ministry of Interior as part of internal security and counterterrorism efforts.

Turkish and Saudi Arabian officials praised the move, seeing it as a step towards consolidating state authority and uniting the country's diverse population.