From Foes to Partners: U.S. Orchestrates Syrian Military Unification, Lifts Sanctions

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, has pledged to expedite the integration of his forces into the Syrian Arab Army following President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s historic visit to the White House, where the U.S. administration confirmed the suspension of Caesar Act sanctions and announced a new trilateral framework between Syria, the United States, and Turkey.

Abdi, in a statement shared on his official X account, affirmed his commitment to “accelerate the integration of the SDF into the Syrian state.” He expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump “his leadership on Syria and for giving the Syrian people a chance for greatness,” and revealed that he had held a “wonderful phone call” with U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack, Special Representative for Syria.

According to Abdi, the discussion with Barrack revolved around the outcomes of the Trump–al-Sharaa summit at the White House on November 10, which reaffirmed the March 10 Agreement. This accord outlines the formal mechanism for merging the SDF with the Syrian Arab Army under the framework of national unification.

“We discuss the outcomes of the meeting with President al-Sharaa in the White House and our commitment to accelerate the integration of the SDF into the Syrian state.
Syria’s accession to the global coalition against ISIS represents a pivotal step towards enhancing collaborative efforts and bolstering the initiatives aimed at achieving the enduring defeat of ISIS and eliminating its threat to the region.
We are diligently working with our partners in close coordination to advance progress towards a more prosperous and secure future for our people in a unified Syria.” Abdi Stated.

Ebdî’s statement came hours after the White House meetings between President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in which both sides reaffirmed the implementation of the March 10 Agreement — the framework that formally outlines the process of incorporating SDF forces into the Syrian military structure.

In a separate and wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post during his stay in Washington, Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa elaborated on his government’s new direction following the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule. The interview, conducted after his meeting with President Trump, offered rare insight into the leader’s evolving stance toward the United States, his past affiliation with militant groups, and his vision for Syria’s reconstruction.

Asked why the United States would lift sanctions on a man who once fought against it, al-Sharaa said, “Fighting is not something shameful if it is done for noble goals — especially when defending your land and your people against injustice. I fought in many wars, but I never caused the death of an innocent person.”

He continued, “When someone participates in combat, they must have a strong moral foundation. The region has long been affected by Western and American policies, but today many Americans agree that some of those policies were mistakes that led to unnecessary wars.”

Al-Sharaa underlined that his primary goal in visiting Washington was to “build a relationship between Syria and the United States” after decades of hostility. “We found that we share many common interests — in security and economics — that can form the basis of a future partnership,” he said.

“Stability in Syria affects the entire region,” al-Sharaa explained. “Economic stability is linked to the lifting of sanctions and to development. We have had these discussions for months and have achieved good results, but we still await the final decision.”

Discussing the fight against ISIS, al-Sharaa said, “We have been in a difficult war against the organization for ten years without foreign coordination. Syria today is capable of shouldering this responsibility.” He warned that maintaining divided zones of control or non-state military structures “creates the best environment for ISIS to reemerge.”

“The best solution,” he declared, “is for U.S. forces in Syria to supervise the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces into the government’s army. The responsibility for protecting Syrian territory must lie with the state.”

The streets of Damascus were filled with cautious optimism on Tuesday, as citizens reflected on what they saw as a long-overdue shift toward the West that could help rebuild their country’s devastated economy.

On Monday, President Trump had received Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House — a first for any Syrian head of state since independence in 1946. The event marked a symbolic milestone for the former jihadist leader once pursued by Washington with a $10 million bounty.

“God willing, this visit will be a new beginning for Syria and an opening to the world after years of isolation,” said Boushra Abdel Bari, a law student in Damascus to AFP. “We hope this visit will facilitate the reconstruction of Syria with the United States and the rest of the world.”

As al-Sharaa’s visit unfolded, the U.S. State Department announced a pause in Caesar Act sanctions, pending their potential permanent lifting by Congress. The law, which had imposed sweeping restrictions on investment and financial transactions in Syria, was originally designed to ensure accountability for abuses under the Assad regime and had effectively cut Syria off from the global banking system.

Historically, Syria aligned first with the Soviet Union and later with Russia, which had been Assad’s key ally throughout more than thirteen years of civil war. But since Assad’s ouster in December 2024, interim President al-Sharaa has sought new diplomatic openings toward the West and Gulf nations, while maintaining a cautious relationship with Moscow.

For many in Damascus, this reorientation represents a long-awaited correction. “Russia brought us nothing but ruin and destruction,” Abdel Bari said to AFP.

Omar Nassar, a 36-year-old printer, agreed, calling Syria’s move toward the Western camp “a necessary change.” He said, “Syria paid the price for aligning itself with the socialist bloc in the past. We were isolated from our Arab and international environment. Now, after this visit, we are optimistic. We expect positive repercussions in both the economic and diplomatic spheres.”

Saddam Hajjar, a coffee vendor in the capital, expressed hope that “Syria will be part of the new Middle East.” He added, “The Syrian people deserve a better life after making so many sacrifices.”

Layal Kaddour, a 25-year-old NGO worker, described al-Sharaa’s trip as “a bold political move that broke years of isolation.” She said, “The possible repercussions are an easing of sanctions and the opening of economic opportunities,” while also expressing concern that Syria might now face “international pressure that could influence independent political decision-making,” a reference to potential U.S. efforts to push for peace with Israel.

The remarks from both the Interim President al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi point to a significant convergence between Damascus and the Kurdish-led administration on the future of Syria’s armed forces and governance. Their calls for accelerated integration under U.S. supervision represent an emerging consensus on the need for a single national defense institution and a managed transition toward stability.

For many Syrians, the developments signal a new chapter — one in which dialogue replaces division, reconstruction replaces war, and cooperation replaces isolation. The parallel commitments voiced in Washington and northeast Syria (Western Kurdistan) may yet prove to be the foundation of a new Syrian state, unified in purpose and open to the world after more than a decade of conflict.