A Kurdish-led militia alliance in north-eastern Syria has reached a significant agreement to integrate into the Syrian state. The deal includes plans for both military and civilian institutions, with a promise to stop all hostilities.
Under this agreement, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which have US support, will hand over control of key areas like border posts, the airport, and vital oil and gas fields. It also recognizes the Kurdish minority as an essential part of Syria and ensures that all Syrians have the right to participate in the political process.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi sees this deal as a “real opportunity to build a new Syria.” He highlighted the commitment to create a future that respects the rights of every Syrian and fulfills their aspirations for peace and dignity.
The agreement was signed in Damascus, alongside interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This is a crucial step in Sharaa’s efforts to unite a fractured nation after a long and brutal civil war, which saw significant violence recently in western Syria.
The recent violence shows the challenges ahead. Attacks on security forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have led to severe reprisals, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 civilians, mostly from Assad’s minority Alawite sect.
This pact could also help reduce tensions between the SDF and Turkey, as well as with Turkish-backed factions. These groups have been trying to push the SDF out of border areas.
The SDF, which boasts tens of thousands of trained fighters, has not been aligned with either Assad’s regime or the opposition during Syria’s civil war. They control more than 46,000 square kilometers in the north-east, having defeated the Islamic State (IS) group in 2019 with US assistance.
The SDF plays a vital role in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), known to Kurds as Rojava. Currently, around 10,000 IS fighters are detained in SDF-run prisons across this territory, along with approximately 46,000 others connected to IS, mostly women and children.
However, ongoing attacks from Turkish-backed factions have forced the SDF to redirect some of its fighters, increasing the risk of an IS resurgence. It’s important to note that Turkey views the largest SDF militia, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist organization, linking it to the PKK, which has fought against the Turkish state for decades.
The agreement’s reception from Turkey is still unknown. The Kurdish population, which spans parts of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Armenia, is the fourth-largest ethnic group in the Middle East but lacks a permanent nation-state. In Syria, Kurds make up about 10% of the population and have faced significant repression and denial of basic rights under Assad’s rule.
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