The United States is taking a victory lap after a Syrian paramilitary group previously backed by Washington against the Islamic State agreed to dissolve its organization and integrate into the national government.The Syrian Democratic Forces, formed by Kurdish fighters in 2015 to combat insurgent Islamic militants, will dissolve and integrate into the Syrian national armed forces, which enjoys the backing of President Donald Trump’s administration. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi made the announcement at the presidential palace in Damascus on Tuesday, striking an optimistic tone as he explained that the “circumstances have changed” and Syria has “entered a new phase” of “peace and participation in building a new Syria.”“We announce today the end of the mission of the Syrian Democratic Forces and declare, with full responsibility, their dissolution as an independent military force,” Abdi said.
The arrangement lends legitimacy to Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa, an ally of Trump who is positioning himself as a great unifier of the various ethnic groups that make up the modern state, after years of negotiations overseen by the U.S.An internal security officer with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces stands guard as a convoy of Syria’s Interior Ministry security forces arrives at Qamishli International Airport, eastern Syria, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, under an agreement aimed at stabilizing a ceasefire. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)
