US envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said the primary role of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as the main on-the-ground force fighting the Islamic State (IS) has ended, with the presence of a recognized central government that has joined the international coalition.

In a post on X on Tuesday, 20 January, Barrack said Syria’s situation has “fundamentally changed,” pointing to a Western shift toward the Syrian government and cooperation with the United States in fighting “terrorism,” which he said alters the logic behind Washington’s partnership with the SDF.

Barrack said the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-IS partnership, and that the SDF proved to be the most effective ground partner in defeating the group in 2019. He said the SDF also detained thousands of IS fighters and their family members in prisons and camps such as al-Hol camp and al-Shaddadi Prison in al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria).

He added that, at the time, there was no effective central Syrian state that Washington could cooperate with. The Assad regime, he said, was weak and contested and was not a viable partner against IS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia.

Barrack said the Syrian government is now willing and able to assume security responsibilities, including control over detention facilities holding IS fighters and their camps.

He noted that recent developments show the United States is actively facilitating this transition rather than prolonging a separate SDF role, outlining three points:

1. Intensive engagement with the Syrian government and SDF leadership to secure an integration agreement, signed on 18 January, and to set a clear path for timely and peaceful implementation.
2. The agreement includes integrating SDF fighters into the Syrian army as individuals, which Barrack described as one of the most controversial issues, as well as handing over key infrastructure, including oil fields, dams, and border crossings, and relinquishing control of prisons and camps holding IS fighters and their families to Damascus.
3. The United States has no interest in a long-term military presence, he said, adding that Washington prioritizes defeating IS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and strengthening national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism.

“A historic opportunity for Kurds”

Barrack described the current moment as the greatest opportunity available to Kurds in Syria, in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

He said al-Sharaa has offered “a path” toward integration within a unified Syrian state, with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation that Kurds were long denied under the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad. Barrack added that many Kurds suffered from statelessness, restrictions on language, and systematic discrimination.

While risks remain, including a fragile ceasefire, clashes, concerns about hardliners, or some parties seeking to reopen past grievances, Barrack said the United States is pushing for guarantees of Kurdish rights and continued cooperation against IS.

He said the US focus in Syria is on securing prison facilities that hold IS detainees, currently guarded by the SDF, and facilitating talks between the SDF and the government to enable peaceful integration and Kurdish political inclusion within what he described as full Syrian citizenship.

IS detainee escapes

Barrack’s remarks come amid tensions and military operations between the Syrian army and the SDF in eastern Syria, most notably in al-Hasakah.

During these operations, the SDF left the protection of detention facilities and camps holding IS fighters and their families in al-Hasakah and Raqqa governorates (northeastern Syria), most notably al-Shaddadi Prison and al-Hol camp.

The Syrian army’s Operations Command said the SDF abandoned guarding al-Hol camp and released those held inside it.

For its part, the SDF said fierce clashes took place with the Syrian army around the camp, which it said hosts thousands linked to IS.

In the same context, the government took control of al-Aqtan Prison in Raqqa after a siege and military clashes between the army and the SDF.