Overnight Wednesday, reports emerged that the Kurdish rebel forces, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), reached a cease-fire agreement with Turkey-backed rebels near the city of Manbij. The truce was brokered by the United States.
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הכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטייםהכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטיים
SDF fighters in northeastern Syria
(Photo: REUTERS/Orhan Qereman)
The SDF commander confirmed the agreement to Reuters, just days after the Kurdish rebels announced they had shifted to a defensive posture against "Turkish occupation and its mercenaries."
Among the many groups currently fighting in Syria, here’s what is known about the Syrian Democratic Forces.
In October 2024, the SDF celebrated nine years since its founding. The alliance was established in the midst of the Syrian Civil War in the fall of 2015, in the city of Qamishli, located in Syria’s northeastern Al-Hasakah province, a predominantly Kurdish border region. This area also became the SDF’s main theater of operations during the civil war.
According to a recent BBC Arabic report, the SDF has enjoyed U.S. support since its inception, having been created to serve as a local partner for the international coalition fighting ISIS.
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SDF forces in Qamishli
(Photo: Delil Souleiman / AFP)
When the SDF was launched, it described itself as a “national military bloc” representing all Syrians, including but not limited to the Kurdish minority. Its primary goal was to defeat ISIS and reclaim all territories seized by the terror group. Backed by financial and military aid from the coalition, the SDF made significant gains on the battlefield.
However, as the Syrian Civil War progressed, Turkey—Syria’s northern neighbor—viewed the SDF’s armed structure, its concentration in northeastern Syria and its successes with increasing hostility.
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מל"ט אמריקני מדגם ריפר MQ-9 בשמי נבאדה ארה"ב 2020מל"ט אמריקני מדגם ריפר MQ-9 בשמי נבאדה ארה"ב 2020
An American MQ-9 Reaper drone
(Photo: AFP PHOTO /US AIR FORCE)
Against this backdrop of Pentagon support and U.S. activity in parts of Syria, CNN reported on Wednesday that SDF forces mistakenly shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone in northern Syria. According to several U.S. officials, the Kurdish fighters believed the drone was Turkish and deemed it a threat. CNN noted that a single MQ-9 drone costs around $30 million.
The SDF succeeded in driving ISIS out of several strategic areas and took control of large swathes of northeastern Syria. Although ISIS was declared defeated in 2019, the victory did little to secure the Kurdish forces, who feared displacement or annihilation. Their concerns grew following then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw most American troops—a move the Kurds viewed as abandonment.
The U.S. alliance with the SDF had long been a point of contention between Washington and NATO allies, particularly Turkey. Ankara, a NATO member, opposes the Syrian Democratic Forces and Kurdish aspirations along the borders with Syria and Iraq. Turkey vehemently criticized U.S. support for the SDF and repeatedly launched operations against the group.
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נשיא טורקיה רג'פ טראיפ ארדואןנשיא טורקיה רג'פ טראיפ ארדואן
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Ankara views the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group Turkey designates as a terrorist organization. Turkey has waged a decades-long war against the PKK, resulting in significant casualties.
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SDF forces in Qamishli
(Photo: Delil Souleiman / AFP)
In addition to Turkey's hostilities, the SDF faced clashes with Arab tribes in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor region, with a second wave of fighting breaking out in August 2023 following earlier clashes in September. Pro-Iranian groups have also attacked SDF positions, adding to the challenges faced by the Kurdish-led alliance.
The main adversaries of the SDF are jihadist groups involved in the Syrian war, particularly ISIS, Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups and factions linked to al-Qaeda. However, the SDF faces additional challenges.
Opinions are divided regarding the SDF’s exact composition. Some argue that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) make up the vast majority of SDF fighters and form the backbone of the organization. Other reports suggest that the number of Arab fighters has increased as the SDF advanced into Arab-majority territories.
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SDF forces in Al-Hasakah
(Photo: REUTERS/Orhan Qereman)
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הכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטייםהכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטיים
(Photo: REUTERS/Orhan Qereman)
According to the Pentagon, in March 2016, the SDF comprised 40% Kurds and 60% Arabs. Other sources claim a lower percentage of Arab fighters, but there is consensus that Kurdish leadership dominates the group.
The SDF is made up of several armed factions with varying compositions, including the Sanadid Forces, the Syrian Christian Military Council, the Army of Rebels and the YPJ, an all-female militia. These groups have also been active in the Syrian Civil War, striving to protect the independence of Syrian Kurdistan and resisting the Assad regime’s attempts to annex the region.
The SDF’s commander, Mazloum Abdi, whose real name is Ferhad Abdi Şahin, was born in Kobani, Aleppo province, Syria. According to a recent BBC report, Abdi recently congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory but had previously criticized U.S. policy toward Syria during Trump’s first administration.
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ארה"ב דונלד טראמפ נפגש ב הבית הלבן עם ג'ו ביידןארה"ב דונלד טראמפ נפגש ב הבית הלבן עם ג'ו ביידן
Donald Trump
(Photo: AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Announcing a cease-fire agreement with Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces, Abdi said, “Our goal is to cease fire throughout Syria and enter into a political process for the future of the country.”
The Kurds’ strong ties with Israel are well-documented, and the SDF views Israel as a model.
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הכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטייםהכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטיים
(Photo: Delil Souleiman / AFP)
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הכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטייםהכוחות הסוריים הדמוקרטיים
(Photo: REUTERS/Orhan Qereman)
Over the years, the Kurds have also fought against the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia, led byAbu Mohammed al-Golani. Al-Golani, who had spearheaded efforts to topple Assad in what has been termed "Deterrence of Aggression," recently sent messages advocating for "avoiding sectarian violence and building a new Syria for all."
However, given Syria’s fragmentation, only time will tell if these optimistic messages are genuine and achievable, or if the country will once again spiral into complex internal warfare driven by competing interests.