In a significant political shift, Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa has appointed Mazloum Abdi, the former commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as his adviser. The announcement, made via the official SANA news agency on Friday, comes days after Abdi declared the SDF dissolved and integrated into the Syrian army, a move that ended the Kurdish-led force's decade-long independent existence.
Abdi, who led the SDF through years of conflict against the so-called Islamic State, announced the dissolution on Tuesday, stating that the integration process was complete. The development was welcomed by the United States, with Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack describing it as "genuine integration" and highlighting the appointment of Kurdish officials to influential government positions as a sign of respect for Kurdish leadership and their contribution to regional stability.
Who is Mazloum Abdi?
Born Mustafa Khalil Abdi in 1967 in the Kobani region near the Turkish border, Abdi studied engineering at Aleppo University before joining the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the early 1990s. He rose through its ranks in Iraq and Europe, and is known by several names, including Mazloum Kobani and Ferhat Abdi Şahin. Turkey considers him a terrorist and says he is subject to an Interpol Red Notice.
According to Nanar Hawach, a Syria analyst at the International Crisis Group, Abdi is one of the "experienced cadres of the PKK" who helped establish the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria after the civil war began in 2011. He gained international recognition during the battle for Kobani in 2015, when Kurdish forces defeated the Islamic State after months of intense fighting. That victory became a defining moment for Syria's Kurds and marked the beginning of a close partnership with Washington, which backed the SDF as its primary ground ally against the extremists.
Abdi is reported to have been close to Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned PKK founder, who in 2025 called on the organisation to abandon armed struggle. The PKK formally accepted the call and announced its disbandment as a fighting force, though Abdi said the move did not apply to the SDF.
Recognition from Damascus
The SDF's dissolution and Abdi's appointment are the culmination of an agreement signed in January 2026, which stipulated that Kurdish military and civilian institutions in northern and northeastern Syria would be brought under central state authority. On 16 January, al-Sharaa signed a decree guaranteeing the national rights of Kurds, recognising Kurdish as a national language, declaring Nowruz an official public holiday, and granting citizenship to Kurds previously denied legal status—the first such recognition since Syria gained independence in 1946.
By integrating into the Syrian armed forces, the SDF retained aspects of its internal command structure within those brigades during an initial transitional period, though long-term arrangements remain subject to ongoing negotiation. Armed clashes in January, in which the SDF lost large swathes of territory to Syrian government forces, and the United States' decision to support the new Damascus leadership, pushed Abdi toward a negotiated settlement.
For al-Sharaa, the deal is a significant achievement in his effort to extend state authority across all Syrian territory. For the Kurds, it marks the end of their de facto autonomous administration in the northeast. Abdi said political efforts would continue to ensure Kurdish rights were enshrined in the Syrian constitution. "Our struggle to secure our people's rights in the constitution will continue," he said.
Turkey regards the YPG—the main Kurdish component of the SDF—as the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, the EU and the UK. Ankara has conducted multiple military operations against YPG and SDF positions in Syria. The integration of the SDF into the national army could ease tensions with Turkey, though Ankara's concerns about Kurdish autonomy remain.
The appointment of Abdi as adviser is a notable step in Syria's post-war political landscape, as the country seeks to rebuild and reassert central control. The move also signals a potential shift in regional dynamics, with Damascus and Washington both backing the integration process. As Syria's banking sector reopens and international investment begins to flow, the integration of the SDF may prove a cornerstone of the country's stabilisation efforts.
