SOHR: Syrian Army Order Excludes SDF, Targets Militias
SOHR Director Rami Abdulrahman clarified that the integration directive issued by Damascus is aimed solely at minor armed factions. “The decision does not include the SDF, but rather the smaller forces."
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Rami Abdulrahman, Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), has confirmed that the Syrian Ministry of Defense’s recent order to bring armed groups under its control does not apply to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but instead targets smaller militias operating within the country.
“There are many armed groups in Syria committing violations, so the country's security forces must confront them and prevent their spread,” Abdulrahman told Kurdistan24.
He clarified that the integration directive issued by Damascus is aimed solely at minor armed factions. “The decision does not include the SDF, but rather the smaller forces. The number of SDF forces exceeds the number of forces in the country,” he stated.
Addressing the governance structure in Syria, Abdulrahman rejected the notion that decentralization threatens national unity. “Federalism and decentralization do not mean the division of Syria,” he said, adding, “No one wants to divide Syria along religious or ethnic lines.”
The SOHR director also warned of a resurgence in extremist activity, noting that ISIS has intensified its operations in areas controlled by the SDF. “The terrorist organization ISIS has increased its activities in areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces,” he cautioned.
In parallel, Syrian Minister of Defense Major General Engineer Marhef Abu Qasra confirmed that a 10-day deadline has been issued for small armed factions in various provinces to report to the Ministry of Defense and initiate the integration process. He noted that this directive does not apply to northeastern Syria, where a separate agreement governs military coordination and will be implemented in line with national policy frameworks.
The statements underscore the Assad government’s ongoing efforts to consolidate military authority across fractured regions of Syria, while simultaneously navigating complex political and territorial dynamics involving the SDF and other influential actors.
