SDF Completes Integration into Syrian State Institutions Amid Unresolved Autonomy Concerns

The full integration of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s state institutions represents a significant milestone for Damascus, though Kurdish aspirations for meaningful autonomy remain unresolved, experts told The National on Friday.

Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi announced on Thursday from the city of Qamishli that the integration of the Kurdish administration into Syria’s state institutions was complete. "Today, on this occasion, I would like to say that this process of integrating our military, security and administrative institutions into the institutions of the state structures has ended and has been fully completed. Today, a new phase begins for us," Mr Abdi stated.

Tens of thousands of SDF personnel are now employees of Syrian government ministries. This move builds upon an agreement struck between Damascus and the SDF in January. The deal was mediated by Washington and Paris, and endorsed by Ankara. It sought to end hostilities between Kurdish forces and the new Syrian authorities while establishing a road map for incorporating the north-east into state structures, alongside specific linguistic, cultural, and political representation rights.

In January, President Ahmad Al Shara issued a decree following weeks of violence, offering concessions designed to foster goodwill with Syria's Kurdish population. These measures included recognizing Nowruz as a national holiday, recognizing Kurdish as a national language to be taught in public and private schools in Kurdish-populated areas, and granting Syrian nationality to previously stateless Kurds.

The full integration of the SDF is an important achievement in efforts to consolidate state authority after years of conflict, noted Bente Scheller, head of the Middle East and North Africa Division at the Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung Foundation in Berlin. "For many Kurds, however, the move constitutes a difficult concession. Hopes for self-rule are now seen as more likely to survive only at the municipal rather than provincial level," she told The National.

Mr Al Shara has taken steps to recognize Kurdish rights that go further than any previous government, though these have yet to be embedded in the country’s constitution, Ms Scheller added. "Our struggle will continue, to cement our people's rights in the constitution," Mr Abdi affirmed.

Despite this progress, relations between Damascus and Kurdish groups are expected to remain complicated. "It will remain a rocky road, one that will require both sides to work hard to break down mutual mistrust," Ms Scheller said, noting that the deal has also raised concerns among advocates of women’s rights. Kurdish fighters, renowned worldwide for their women's units, have faced pushback from the government. "Not only has the integration of women's units as such been denied but the transitional government also apparently does not allow for integration on an individual basis," she explained.

For years, the Kurdish-led administration governed much of north-eastern Syria, establishing its own military, security, and civilian institutions with US backing during the war against ISIS. The US served as the main ally of the SDF in Syria during the civil war from 2011 to 2024, but American support for the group dwindled as Washington established ties with Damascus following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.