Head of Kurdish forces in Syria announces their dissolution

The head of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, announced on Tuesday the group's dissolution, as part of a deal struck with the new authorities in Damascus. "We announce today the end of the mission of the Syrian Democratic Forces and declare, with full responsibility, their dissolution as an independent military force," Abdi said in a televised speech at the presidential palace. The SDF was founded in 2015 and has spearheaded the fight against the Islamic State (IS) militant group. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi, speaks during a press conference in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakeh on 6 December 2024 (Delil Souleiman/ AFP)