Qatar welcomes SDF integration into Syrian army

The Syrian Democratic Forces have dissolved as an independent military force following their integration into the Syrian Army.Qatar has welcomed the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the military institutions of the Syrian Arab Republic, describing the move as an important step towards consolidating civil peace and enhancing security and stability in Syria.In a statement on Wednesday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) welcomed the development, saying it would help “consolidate civil peace, enhance security and stability, and build a state of institutions and law”.The ministry stressed that Syria’s stability and economic prosperity require the state to maintain a monopoly on arms through a single army representing all segments of Syrian society.Such an arrangement, MoFA said, would “guarantee the preservation of the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity”.Qatar also expressed its appreciation for Syria’s approach and its efforts to bring all segments of the Syrian people under the state’s umbrella.The ministry renewed Qatar’s full support for Syria’s sovereignty and for the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom, development and prosperity.The statement came a day after SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi announced the group’s dissolution as an independent military force following the completion of its integration into Syrian Army brigades.In a televised speech on Tuesday, Abdi said the SDF’s mission had come to an end following the completion of the integration process, marking a new phase focused on peace, stability and building a new Syria.The move follows an agreement reached in January between the SDF and the Syrian government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, outlining the phased integration of SDF-affiliated forces and institutions into the Syrian state.The agreement also included a ceasefire following clashes between the Kurdish-led group and Syrian government forces, as well as the gradual transfer of military and civilian structures to state control.The SDF, a Kurdish-led force backed by the United States in the fight against the Islamic State, had for years controlled large parts of northeastern Syria and operated alongside a de facto autonomous administration.