What did Syria’s Kurds gain as the SDF gives up autonomy?

LONDON: The Syrian Democratic Forces once stood at the heart of an experiment that transformed the balance of power in Syria.

The Kurdish-led force, backed by the US, fought Daesh and governed a de facto autonomous administration across much of northeastern Syria. At its height, it controlled roughly a quarter of the country, including major oil fields and border crossings.

On Tuesday, that era formally ended.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi announced the force’s dissolution in Damascus, saying its fighters had completed their integration into the Syrian army and that the SDF would no longer operate independently.

Mazloum Abdi, leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during a televised speech at the People’s Palace in Damascus on August 25, 2026. (Photo by Bakr Alkasem / AFP)