Kurdish-led forces to withdraw from contested area in northern Syria

Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced Friday they will withdraw fighters from contested areas east of Aleppo, a decision framed by their leadership as both a goodwill gesture and a commitment to stalled political talks with the Syrian government. In a statement on X, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the pullback would begin at 7 a.m. local time on Saturday and that the forces would redeploy to areas east of the Euphrates River. Abdi said the decision was taken “ based on calls from friendly countries and mediators, and as a demonstration of our goodwill in completing the integration process and our commitment to implementing the provisions of the March 10 agreement ,” referring to a pact meant to integrate Kurdish forces into the national framework.

The move follows several days of intense hostilities in and around the town of Deir Hafer, where the Syrian Arab Army has been carrying out heavy artillery shelling of SDF positions. SDF media sources described the bombardment as sustained and a growing threat to civilian safety , with government troops reportedly entering the area after the Kurdish withdrawal and calling on residents to stay clear until mines and unexploded ordnance are cleared.

Abdi’s statement signals that the SDF remains committed to the broader political process despite battlefield pressures. He has previously said the SDF seeks to be part of Syria’s new army and should lead to mutual understanding on military integration and counter-terrorism cooperation, though implementation has repeatedly stalled.

The withdrawal decision comes amid escalating clashes, including recent battles in Aleppo that displaced tens of thousands of civilians and saw Kurdish fighters withdraw from neighborhoods there under a ceasefire. Thousands fleeing the heightened violence in Deir Hafer carried belongings on side roads after the main highway was blocked, while Syrian authorities announced “humanitarian corridors” for evacuation that were reportedly restricted at times.

The United States and coalition partners have been actively seeking to ease tensions. A U.S. military delegation visited Deir Hafer Friday and met with SDF officials in an effort to tamp down fighting, with U.S. envoys urging both sides to avoid broader conflict and return to political talks aimed at implementing the integration agreement.

The situation highlights the fragility of Syrian politics more than a decade into the country’s civil war. For years the SDF has been Washington’s main partner against the Islamic State , while Damascus seeks to reassert authority over all territory. Turkey , which considers the SDF a terrorist group because of its links to Kurdish separatists, has also applied pressure in the region.

In a parallel political initiative, Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued a decree on Friday granting full citizenship rights to tens of thousands of Kurds previously stateless, recognizing Kurdish as a national language alongside Arabic, and making the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, an official holiday a historic step aimed at addressing long-running ethnic grievances. There was no immediate public response from the SDF to the decree.