Syrian Armed Group "Syrian Democratic Forces" Announces Dissolution

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to a report by Al Jazeera on the 25th, Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" dominated by Kurdish armed groups, announced at a press conference held at the Syrian presidential palace on the 25th that the "Syrian Democratic Forces" and the autonomous government established by the Syrian Kurdish armed groups would be dissolved and fully integrated into the Syrian national institutions.

Abdi stated that Syria is entering a new phase themed "peace and building a new Syria." After reaching an agreement with the president of the Syrian transitional government, Ahmad Sharad, and completing the process of integrating military forces into the Syrian transitional government army, the mission of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" has ended, and it will be dissolved as an independent military force. Abdi said, "We hope today will be a real turning point, moving from the battlefield to construction, from the era of war to the era of peace... We hope to build a new Syria that belongs to all people."

Analysts believe that the dissolution of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" will lay the foundation for the unification of the Syrian state. Syrian-American scholar Saleh Mubarak stated, "After the fall of the Bashar regime, both sides chose the path of least confrontation, which I appreciate." He told Al Jazeera that this move will have a ripple effect on other anti-government armed groups in southern and even western Syria, making all parties understand that Syria will remain unified and recognize and respect the diversity in terms of religion, sect, language, and ethnicity. Al Jazeera's correspondent in Damascus, Heidi Pet, stated that the dissolution of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" is a "moment of great significance for Syria."

The "Syrian Democratic Forces" were established in 2015, led by the Kurdish armed group "People's Protection Units," and have long controlled large areas in northern and eastern Syria. Al Jazeera reported that this Kurdish armed group once controlled an autonomous region in northeastern Syria but lost most of its territory during a military offensive launched by the Syrian government in January this year. Subsequently, both sides signed a merger agreement, which also promised to safeguard the cultural, civil, and educational rights of the Kurdish people within Syria. (Chen Qi)