Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as a Presidential adviser, state media said on Friday (August 28, 2026), days after Abdi announced the dissolution of his Kurdish forces under an integration deal with Damascus.
The Education Ministry also published a decision authorising Kurdish-language instruction in public and private schools. Last week, Mr. On Tuesday (August 25), he announced the SDF’s dissolution, part of a deal he made with Sharaa in January to integrate the Kurds’ forces and civilian administration into the state.
“Mustafa Khalil Abdi is appointed as adviser to the presidency of the republic,” announced the decree, signed by Sharaa and published by state news agency SANA . U.S. special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Tuesday (August 25) that “this is what real integration looks like… former counterparts with differing points of view crafting a diplomatic solution to strengthen the sovereign nation of Syria”. Abdi announced that the integration of the Kurdish administration with the Syrian state was complete, adding: “Our struggle will continue to cement our people’s rights in the constitution.”
Barrack added, without indicating what role Mr. Abdi would have. Mr.
“Securing substantive roles for our valued partners”, including Mr. Abdi within the government “, pays due respect to their leadership, the sacrifices of our Kurdish partners, and the constructive contribution they have made to regional stability”, Mr. Abdi said on Tuesday (August 25) that the SDF’s dissolution followed “the completion of the process of integrating our forces into the brigades of the Syrian army”.
