{
  "id": 3375699,
  "title": "Syrian Kurdish leader dissolves force that spearheaded fight against Daesh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/syrian-kurdish-leader-dissolves-force-that-spearheaded-fight-against",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-25T22:47:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/syrian-kurdish-leader-dissolves-force-that-spearheaded-fight-against-daesh-1.500652271"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 25, 2026, the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, declared the dissolution of the force that had been a key player in the fight against Daesh (Islamic State). The SDF, a Washington-backed group, had been Syria's most highly trained and organized paramilitary force for years. However, with the ousting of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, the SDF was dropped by Washington in favor of the new US-friendly authorities in Damascus. Abdi announced the dissolution in a televised speech at the presidential palace in Damascus, declaring the end of the SDF's mission as an independent military force and their integration into the Syrian army. The SDF, formed in 2015, had spearheaded the battle against Daesh, which was defeated territorially in Syria four years later. US special envoy to Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, hailed the SDF's disbandment, emphasizing the importance of integration and a diplomatic solution to strengthen Syria as a sovereign nation. The SDF had amassed around 100,000 fighters at its peak and controlled swathes of Syria's oil-rich north and northeast. However, following January clashes, the group lost large chunks of territory to government troops and signed a deal to integrate its military and civilian institutions into the state.",
  "summary": "Syrian Kurdish leader dissolves force that spearheaded jihadist fight",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Syrian Kurdish leader dissolves force that spearheaded jihadist fight",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/syrian-kurdish-leader-dissolves-force-that-spearheaded-jihadist-fight",
        "published": "2026-08-25T19:30:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}