Syria’s president appoints Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as his adviser

Damascus, Syria - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as a presidential adviser, state media reported on Friday, just days after Abdi announced the dissolution of his Kurdish forces under an integration deal with Damascus. Abdi, who has held various titles, previously served as the leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-backed group that led the fight against the Islamic State.

The integration deal, signed in January, aimed to incorporate Kurdish forces and civilian administration into the Syrian state. This move represents a significant victory for President Sharaa, but it also ends long-standing Kurdish aspirations for autonomy. US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack praised the integration as a model diplomatic solution that strengthens the Syrian nation.

Abdi confirmed that the dissolution of the SDF followed the completion of the integration process, which was reached after clashes last January left the Kurds with significant losses of territory to government forces. The new Syria, now under Islamist authorities that overthrew the previous regime, has been working to extend its control throughout the country.