❗️Damascus and SDF reach breakthrough deal to merge forces into national army

 ❗️Damascus and SDF reach breakthrough deal to merge forces into national army

The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached an agreement in principle to merge the US-backed force as a cohesive military formation into the new Syrian army, marking a major breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said a joint committee with the Defense Ministry will oversee the integration of tens of thousands of fighters and internal security forces as large military units, rather than dissolving them individually.

The agreement comes after interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government and the SDF signed a deal in March, with implementation delayed over disputes about the force’s structure. Abdi said the merger could ease post-war tensions and strengthen the national military, while also signaling some Turkish flexibility on the issue.

(AP)