Uncertainty Grips Kurds in Syria and Beyond Following the Disbandment of the SDF

The integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into government forces last month has triggered an intense debate among Kurds in Syria, Iraq, and Turkiye regarding the future of their rights. While Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged constitutional protections for the Kurdish language and political rights, analysts question whether abandoning armed struggle will weaken the pursuit of Kurdish identity and autonomy.

“We want this day to be the beginning of a true transition from the battlefields to the fields of construction, and from the era of weapons to the era of peace,” SDF leader Mazloum Abdi stated from the presidential palace in Damascus.

While some political figures view the integration as an opportunity to help build a new Syria, others argue the move stems from intense Turkish and American pressure. Turkiye, which has previously targeted Kurdish fighters along its border, has established close ties with the new Syrian government that took power after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024. Meanwhile, the US shifted its backing to the al-Sharaa government despite previously helping form the SDF in 2015 to combat ISIL (ISIS).

Talal Mohammed, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Peace Party in Syria, views the shift as a crucial turning point. However, he also cautions that Turkiye remains heavily invested in neutralizing armed Kurdish groups like the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which decided to dissolve in May 2025 following a call from jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Other Kurdish leaders, such as Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chair Perwin Yousef, emphasize that political efforts will continue, though they acknowledge a distinct lack of concrete guarantees for cultural and political rights under the new arrangement. Academic voices like Sarbast Nabi argue that the decisions made by the SDF and PKK primarily serve Turkish national security interests, leaving regional Kurds with limited independent political leverage.

Conversely, experts like Muhammad Amin Penjweny suggest the SDF's integration was a necessary and pragmatic victory given the withdrawal of Western military support and the changing political landscape following al-Assad's fall. As debates over the fate of imprisoned leaders like Abdullah Ocalan continue, sentiments regarding the future of Kurdish statehood and rights vary sharply across Syria, Iraq, and Turkiye.