SDF rules out pullout from Northeast Syria

Shafaq News – al-Hasakah

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have firmly dismissed any plans to withdraw from northeast Syria or transfer control to Damascus, a tribal source told Shafaq News on Monday.

The announcement came a day after a high-level meeting at the Al-Shadadi Military Base in southern al-Hasakah, where SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and senior Autonomous Administration officials met with tribal leaders and local representatives from Deir ez-Zor.

The meeting, according to the source, centered on the future of northeast Syria, the Autonomous Administration, and ongoing negotiations with the Syrian government.

While the SDF remains open to integration into the Syrian state, the source explained, such a process must occur within a framework that safeguards the region’s distinct administrative and security structures. “The SDF urged the tribes to prepare for institutional integration,” he added, “should a final agreement with Damascus be reached.”

A source close to the SDF described similar outreach efforts in Raqqa, al-Hasakah, and Deir ez-Zor as part of a broader strategy to reinforce social stability and neutralize attempts to ignite internal unrest. “Syria is navigating an extremely fragile moment,” he warned, pointing to recent unrest in Suwayda and coastal areas as signs of mounting tension. “There’s a systematic effort underway to stoke communal divisions and restore centralized control.”

He further emphasized that while the SDF supports reintegration into the state, it firmly opposes any top-down arrangement dictated by the Syrian transitional government. “Any genuine settlement,” he asserted, “must guarantee inclusive participation, equal rights, and lasting stability for all communities across northeast Syria.”

Following a recent round of tripartite talks with France and the United States, a round of consultations between the SDF and the transitional government in Paris was agreed, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry. The discussions are expected to build on the March 10 agreement and advance a broader political settlement, particularly in northeast Syria and Suwayda.

بيان مشترك بين الجمهورية العربية السورية والجمهورية الفرنسية والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بشأن المحادثات حول الاستقرار في #سوريا pic.twitter.com/EOKL6Qk4T9

— وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين السورية (@syrianmofaex) July 25, 2025