US forces in eastern Syria continue to work closely with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Free Army (SFA). However, the agreement between SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa to integrate eastern Syria into the country’s new governing institutions could affect the US role in Syria and the broader anti-Islamic State campaign.

A day before Syrian leader Ahmad Al Shara signed a deal with a Kurdish warlord to end hostilities in the resource-rich eastern part of the country this week, he was facing a political disaster. Forces led by his Hayat Tahrir Al Sham group were overrunning parts of the Alawite heartland,

After Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement with Ahmad al-Sharaa let the Syrian Democratic Forces join the Syrian army, political reactions were swift and divided. Some observers translate this move as a Kurdish concession to the demands of both Turkey and the Syrian government.