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3. Syrian Interior Ministry Sets February Deadline to Absorb SDF Into State Institutions

The Syrian Ministry of the Interior announced on Monday that it would impose a deadline on the Syrian Democratic Forces for integration into the government by the end of February.

Focusing on governorates in northeastern Syria, the ministry will mandate that SDF members to regularize their status as of March, with the threat of legal troubles if any members fail to make this deadline.

The measure focuses on disarmament, requiring SDF members to surrender their weapons and submit documentation to register under Syrian state authorities. However, the policy does not explicitly call for the complete dissolution of the organization. As a result, the SDF still may be able to retain some autonomy and limited-function service-provision institutions for the time being.

The SDF has proposed candidates for government positions as they integrate, including for Syria’s deputy defense minister, according to The New Arab.

As the Syrian government underwent efforts to consolidate its control across Syrian territory, the SDF remained an obstacle to these ends until their military losses against Damascus in January, extending Damascus’ authority into northeastern Syria. 

The Syrian government has blamed violence against minorities on non-state armed groups, a characterization which would include the Kurdish-led SDF. The policy regarding the SDF is connected to its minority integration agenda, and on Monday, officials in Damascus have stated that it would be open to utilizing its military against Hezbollah in Syria, connected to this position.

Earlier on Monday, reports that a car containing weapons exploded in Suwayda in southern Syria, causing injuries. Suwayda has remained a Druze stronghold where armed groups outside of the Syrian government’s apparatus have operated, and has long been a stronghold against the al-Sharaa regime’s control, with tensions mounting in July 2025.