Abdi rejects ‘Kurdish surrender’ narrative after SDF dissolution
Shafaq News- Damascus
Syrian presidential adviser Mazloum Abdi on Friday rejected claims that Kurds had “lost everything” following the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), pointing to gains retained through integration with Damascus.
In an interview with The Amargi, Abdi acknowledged a major shift after 15 years of largely independent Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria but disputed portrayals of the transition as a “surrender.” “This doesn’t mean all has been lost,” he said, citing Kurdish participation in local security and administration, recognition of Kurdish as a national language, and its inclusion in schools.
Read more: Syria expands Kurdish education ahead of new school year
Conceding that the current arrangements fall short of broader aspirations, Abdi said that for the first time in a century, Kurds are entering Syrian institutions while retaining their collective identity. The Jan. 29 agreement with Damascus, he added, offered the most realistic path to preserve those advances while avoiding renewed fighting, displacement, and bloodshed.
He also called for Kurdish representation on the yet-to-be-formed committee tasked with drafting Syria’s new constitution. “The Kurds must be included in the constitution drafting committee, so that their rights are guaranteed,” he said, proposing that provisions from previous understandings with Damascus and Presidential Decree No. 13 be incorporated into the document.
On Turkiye, Abdi said communication channels remain open and expressed hope for a “natural, stable” relationship, noting that clashes and Turkish attacks had stopped.
Syrian transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa appointed Abdi, formally Mustafa Khalil Abdi, as a presidential adviser on Aug. 28. Three days earlier, Abdi dissolved the SDF as an independent force after its formations were integrated into state institutions, completing a process launched under the March 10, 2025 agreement and advanced through the Jan. 29, 2026 deal.
Read more: Kurds in Syria: From marginalization to a defining political force
