Syrian Deputy Defence Minister Sipan Hamo: SDF, autonomous administration to dissolve 'within days'

Syrian Deputy Defence Minister for the Eastern Region Sipan Hamo announced that the coming days will see the official announcement of the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration and their full integration into Syrian state institutions. 

He stressed that the military and security integration process had been completed and that the current phase had moved from "integration" to "harmony" within official institutions.

He added, in comments to Al-Youm TV, that SDF forces had been integrated into the Syrian army with a strength of four brigades, noting that the Syrian government would take over administration of the region. 

He stressed that "there cannot be two administrations in one state", reaffirming the principle of unified state institutions and administrative authority.

Hamo, a former senior commander in the SDF, added that the next phase would address political and legal issues, foremost drafting a new constitution and enacting legislation that guarantees equality among all Syrians, as well as their rights to express their identities and languages and live with dignity.

For his part, Kurdish political analyst Abdel Halim Suleiman said that describing what is happening as "surrender, handover or dissolution" does not reflect the reality of the integration process between the Syrian government and the SDF. 

Suleiman told The New Arab that the military and civilian integration process was nearing completion, considering what is happening to be a "partnership" between the two sides across various state institutions, which is being expanded, particularly within the military institution.

Suleiman added that Syria was witnessing a gradual transition from the stage of military factions to that of a national military institution, explaining that this process also included other factions that took part in the "Victory Conference" following the fall of the regime but had not yet completed their full integration into the army. 

He further said completing the integration process was primarily linked to technical and practical considerations on the ground rather than political considerations, noting that implementation procedures would determine when the final announcement would be made.

On 4 August, informed Kurdish sources told The New Arab that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed, head of the foreign relations department of the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, in Damascus.

 The sources added that the meetings discussed progress made in integrating institutions and forces under the Jan. 29 agreement signed between the Syrian government and the SDF, as well as the next steps to complete implementation of the agreement's provisions.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.