The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, whose dissolution was announced by their leader Mazloum Abdi on Tuesday, were the Washington-backed de facto army of the Kurds' autonomous administration in Syria and spearheaded the battle against jihadists.
The force was Syria's most highly trained and organised for years, until Washington dropped them for the new US-friendly authorities in Damascus.
Experts say the SDF's dissolution marks the end of an era for the country's Kurds, who had long dreamt of autonomy before the 2024 fall of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad.
The force was formed in 2015 at the instigation of the United States, impressed by the Kurdish fighters who had defeated the Islamic State group in Kobane in the north, and seeking a reliable partner in the battle against the jihadists.
The SDF then led the battle against IS, which was defeated territorially in Syria four years later.
