US Envoy: SDF’s role has run its course in Syria
Shafaq News– Damascus
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have largely fulfilled their original role as the United States’ main ground partner against ISIS, and Syria’s Kurds now face their best opportunity to secure lasting rights through integration into the country’s new government, US Special Envoy Tom Barrack said on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Barrack said the post-Assad transition under President Ahmed al-Sharaa offers Kurds a path to full citizenship, cultural protections, and political participation, after decades of discrimination under the former regime.
The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and…
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) January 20, 2026
Barrack said Washington is now facilitating a transition in which SDF fighters would be absorbed into the national army, while control of key infrastructure and ISIS detention facilities is transferred to Damascus under an integration deal signed on January 18. He stressed that the United States does not seek a long-term military presence in Syria and is pushing for safeguards on Kurdish rights, warning that prolonged separation could risk renewed instability or an ISIS resurgence.
Earlier today, Syria announced a four-day ceasefire with the US-Backed SDF. The announcement followed days of fighting across northern and eastern Syria. The SDF has reported losing control of Al-Shaddadi prison in Hasakah after repeated attacks by government-aligned factions, while the Global Coalition patrols have entered Al-Aqtan prison following clashes near the site. Efforts to advance talks have stalled in recent weeks over unresolved issues, including the future command structure of SDF forces and the scope of administrative decentralization, despite earlier commitments by both sides, according to previous statements.
Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?
