SDF begins surrendering heavy weapons to Damascus as integration accelerates

2026-02-26 - 22:52

The Syrian government's military pressure on Kurdish-led forces east of the Euphrates has yielded concrete results, with the Syrian Democratic Forces entering the disarmament and integration phase outlined in last month's landmark agreement. Syrian media reports indicate that the handover of heavy and medium weapons to Damascus authorities has been completed, while the process of incorporating SDF personnel stationed in Hasakah and Kobani into Syrian government forces has also commenced. Implementation of the 14-Point Agreement The January 29 ceasefire deal, announced by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, provided for a phased military and administrative integration of northeast Syria . Under the terms, the SDF agreed to cede territorial control, hand over border crossings and oil fields, and integrate its fighters into state institutions . Reports now indicate that weapons transfer has been finalized, with SDF units beginning to join Syrian defense and interior ministry structures. Discreet Disarmament According to sources cited in Syrian media, the SDF reportedly requested that the weapons handover be conducted discreetly, seeking to avoid the public appearance of conceding defeat. This reflects the group's concerns about maintaining legitimacy among its constituency while complying with the agreement's requirements. The integration process, however, has moved forward despite these sensitivities. Regional and International Context The disarmament follows decisive Syrian government operations that seized swathes of territory from the SDF earlier this year, bringing most of the country under central authority for the first time since 2011 . Turkey, which views the SDF as an extension of the PKK terrorist organization, has welcomed the group's dissolution and urged its complete disarmament . The United States, the SDF's former main ally, has shifted its position and now urges Kurdish forces to integrate into Syria's state apparatus .