Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has officially appointed Mazloum Abdi, the former commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to serve as an advisor to the Presidency of the Republic. The appointment, formalized through Decree No 164 on Thursday, follows the recent dissolution of the SDF and the finalization of its integration into the national military structure.
This transition follows a period of significant geopolitical shifts. After an agreement in March 2025 to merge the SDF into the central government stalled, state forces launched an offensive in January that resulted in the capture of Raqqa and Deir Az Zor. A subsequent ceasefire established a 14-point plan for the SDF to join the ministries of defense and interior, effectively placing the key provinces of Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, and Hasakah under Damascus’s control. While Abdi is the most prominent Kurdish figure to receive a state post—following the appointment of another commander as assistant defense minister for the eastern region earlier this year—the advisory position is considered a lower-tier role than the previously proposed deputy defense minister and governor of Hasakah nominations.
The integration process has faced specific hurdles, particularly regarding the YPJ, the SDF’s women’s units. These fighters sought to join the national defense ministry, but were informed that the current army structure does not accommodate female units. Despite these challenges, the dissolution of the SDF represents a major milestone for President al-Sharaa, who has made national reunification his primary objective since the ousting of former leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Beyond the military restructuring, the government has moved to address long-standing grievances. In January, al-Sharaa issued a decree granting formal recognition to the Kurdish language as a national tongue and restoring citizenship to Syrian Kurds. This action marked the first official acknowledgment of Kurdish rights in the country since Syria gained independence in 1946. With the SDF now dissolved, the central government has effectively asserted formal authority over nearly the entirety of Syrian territory. The report also notes that one Kurdish-led force has yet to be absorbed.
