Kurdish-Led SDF Reportedly Reaches Agreement to Merge With Syrian Armed Forces

Latest Developments

• Integration Agreement Reached: The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main military force in northeastern Syria, has agreed in principle to integrate into the Syrian armed forces. According to Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed SDF, the two parties have agreed on a “mechanism” for integration. “We are talking about a large number, tens of thousands of soldiers, as well as thousands of internal security forces,” Abdi stated, adding, “these forces … will join as large military formations formed according to the rules of the Defense Ministry.” He further explained that SDF members joining the national military will receive “respectable” roles tied to their “experience and long service.”
• Agreement Follows Clashes: Earlier in October, clashes broke out in two neighborhoods of Aleppo between Kurdish fighters and government-aligned security forces. Subsequently, Abdi traveled to Damascus for talks with representatives of the Syrian government, in conjunction with a separate meeting between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack, and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Adm. Brad Cooper. The meetings culminated in a ceasefire between the SDF and government forces, announced by Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra on October 7, the implementation of which was confirmed later in the day by Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib.
• Ankara to Supply Damascus With Weapons: Turkey reportedly plans to supply military equipment and weapons to Syria, including armored cars, drones, artillery, missiles, and air-defense systems, in the coming weeks. Additionally, an agreement is expected to be finalized between the two countries to allow Turkey to target Kurdish fighters along its borders, with Ankara reportedly wishing to extend the permitted range it can strike inside of Syria from approximately 3 miles to 19. Turkey views the Kurdish YPG, which comprises a significant portion of the SDF, as affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), labeled by Turkey and by the United States as a terrorist organization.

FDD Expert Response

“The devil is still in the details. The Syrian Kurdish commander says his forces will join the Syrian army as ‘large military formations’. Does Damascus agree? Does it define those large formations in the same way as the Syrian Kurds?” — David Adesnik, Vice President of Research

“Turkey, which has given the SDF until the end of the year to integrate or face military action, will have no excuse to launch an operation if Mazloum Abdi’s claims are true. At the same time, the silence from Damascus is deafening. What Abdi is saying directly contradicts what Damascus has been negotiating for the past seven months: that the SDF must integrate into the army as individuals, not as units. This would mark a major concession, one that Sharaa’s partners in Turkey may not welcome.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“SDF moves forward with integration into new Syrian security forces,” by Seth J. Frantzman

“Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa Meets With Putin in Moscow,” FDD Flash Brief

“Buying the Hatchet,” by Ahmad Sharawi

“After sectarian clashes in Aleppo, US, SDF, and Syrian government officials meet in Damascus,” by Seth J. Frantzman