Syria’s al-Sharaa brings former Kurdish foe into government

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Mazloum Abdi, the former commander of the now-dissolved Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an adviser to the presidency, marking a significant step in Damascus’ efforts to consolidate control over the country.

Al-Sharaa issued a decree appointing Abdi as an adviser to the Presidency of the Republic, according to Syrian state media. The appointment came three days after Abdi announced the dissolution of the SDF and the completion of its integration with the Syrian military.

Abdi led the SDF for more than a decade. Backed by the United States, the force played a major role in the fight against Islamic State and controlled large parts of northern and eastern Syria during the country’s civil war.

Reuters reported that the appointment reflects a rapprochement between the former civil war adversaries after years of distrust. The SDF had established its own governing structures in areas under its control, while authorities in Damascus had insisted following Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December 2024 that the Kurdish-led administration and its institutions be integrated into the Syrian state.

A March 2025 agreement between al-Sharaa and Abdi committed the SDF to integration into the central government, but the process made little progress. Fighting erupted in January, with Syrian government forces taking control of key areas including Raqqa and Deir Az Zor. A subsequent ceasefire placed Raqqa, Deir Az Zor and Hasakah under central government control and set out a framework for incorporating SDF forces into the defence and interior ministries.

The SDF formally announced its dissolution earlier this week, with Abdi describing the move as the beginning of a new phase of “peace and participation in the construction of the new Syria.”

Al Jazeera reported that Abdi is the most senior of several Kurdish figures to have been brought into Syria’s state structure. Another former Kurdish commander, Sipan Hamo, was appointed deputy defence minister earlier this year despite having been critical of Damascus during the January fighting.

Abdi’s new advisory position is less senior than a proposal made by al-Sharaa in January, under which he would have become deputy defence minister and governor of Hasakah province. The latest appointment nevertheless represents a notable shift in relations between Damascus and the Kurdish leadership.

The integration process has not yet been fully resolved. The SDF’s women’s units, known as the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), have sought to join the Defence Ministry, but Syria’s military structure currently has no units for women.

Al-Sharaa’s government has also taken steps toward recognising Kurdish rights. In January, it issued a decree recognising Kurdish as a national language and restoring citizenship to Syrian Kurds, in what was described as the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria’s independence in 1946.

The dissolution of the SDF leaves Damascus with formal authority over almost all Syrian territory, advancing al-Sharaa’s central pledge to reunify the country following Assad’s overthrow in December 2024.

Turkey, a close ally of al-Sharaa, has welcomed the SDF’s dissolution. Ankara has long accused the Kurdish-led force of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).