Samir Oso, known as Sipan Hamo, assistant to the Syrian defense minister for eastern region affairs, said the process of integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Defense Ministry began in practice after the January 29 agreement.
Eastern Region Within the Army Structure
Hamo said the Defense Ministry adopted a new military division based on five main regions, northern, western, eastern, southern, and central. He added that the “Eastern Region” includes the governorates of al-Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor.
He said work is underway to consolidate organizational structures in this region, alongside redeployment and the positioning of forces, with the aim of achieving full harmony among different military formations under unified command.
Gradual Integration and Continued Organizational Work
According to Hamo, the integration of the SDF remains in its early stages, despite “organizational and official” progress through the formation of four brigades distributed in Ain al-Arab (Kobani, eastern Aleppo countryside), al-Hasakah, Qamishli, and al-Malikiyah.
He added that work continues on the practical side through training inside military academies, field meetings between commanders, and the exchange of expertise. He stressed that the actual number of SDF fighters exceeds these brigades, requiring discussion of mechanisms to absorb them into additional formations.
He noted that the ministry has not yet determined the final structure of the brigades and divisions, pending the approval of an internal regulatory system that defines powers and deployment mechanisms. He said efforts are moving toward speeding up completion of this organizational framework and linking regional commands to the General Staff.
Other Formations, “The Decision to Integrate Is Theirs”
Regarding the remaining formations that were previously part of the SDF, Hamo said the decision to integrate or not rests with those formations. He said the ministry is opening the door for all factions to join the army, provided they comply with approved standards such as readiness, experience, and discipline.
He stressed that the ultimate goal is to form a unified army “away from factionalism,” with no military formations outside the framework of the official institution.
Talk of an “Afrin Brigade” and the Return Initiative
Hamo denied the existence of any project that violates the agreement regarding the formation of a “Kurdish brigade” in Afrin, northwestern Syria. He explained that the proposal came in the context of facilitating the return of fighters originally from the area to their homes, whether to join military formations in Afrin or return to civilian life.
He said this direction “was welcomed” within the ministry, accusing some parties of misinterpreting it and taking it out of context.
Continued Challenges in the North
On the situation in Afrin, Ras al-Ain (al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria), and Tal Abyad (Raqqa, northern Syria), Hamo acknowledged the existence of “ongoing problems” caused by the lack of full harmony among different formations. He said completing the army’s internal system would address these discrepancies.
He added that building trust between the parties is an essential element at this stage, stressing that the state will take a “serious” position toward any party that does not commit to the integration track.
US Bases, Handover to the Army
On the issue of US bases, Hamo said sites from which US forces have withdrawn are being handed over to the Syrian army. He noted that some will be restored to civilian use, while others will be used for military purposes, such as training centers and deployment points.
Detainees File, “Complications and Delay”
The assistant defense minister acknowledged a delay in addressing the file of detained SDF fighters, despite previous promises to release them before Eid al-Fitr.
He described the current release mechanism as “incorrect,” calling for all detainees to be released at once. He blamed political complications for part of the delay and said the ministry is pressing to accelerate this file.
Borders and Regional Policy
Hamo said Syria is following a policy of “avoiding conflicts” with neighboring countries despite the complexity of the regional scene. He stressed that the army will intervene if there is a direct threat to the country, while maintaining a non-escalatory approach.
Call for Unity and State Building
At the end of his remarks, Hamo called for strengthening partnership among Syrian components. He stressed the need to guarantee the constitutional rights of Kurds within the framework of a “united Syria” and to work toward building a state based on pluralism, away from exclusion or domination.
SDF-controlled areas witnessed field developments in mid-January, after the Syrian army took control of Raqqa governorate and the countrysides of Deir Ezzor and al-Hasakah, while the SDF retreated to the main cities of al-Hasakah governorate, especially al-Hasakah and Qamishli, as well as the subdistrict of Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in eastern Aleppo countryside.
These shifts in control were followed by the signing of an agreement between the two sides at the end of January requiring the integration of SDF military, security, and service institutions into the structures of government ministries, a process that effectively began at the start of February.
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