On Tuesday, January 27, at 10:00 a.m. ET, the Atlantic Council will convene experts to examine the implications of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) recent integration agreement with Syria’s interim government for governance, security, and regional stability in northeast Syria.

On January 19, 2026, the SDF agreed to cede military, administrative, and territorial control across much of the northeast following battlefield setbacks and mounting pressure from Damascus. Syrian and US officials have framed the agreement as a step toward national unity and state consolidation, while Kurdish actors and protesters have characterized it as a coerced surrender that risks renewed repression and centralization.

This virtual panel will assess whether the agreement offers a viable framework for reintegration or signals deeper challenges ahead for Kurdish self-governance, US engagement, and post-conflict stability in Syria.

This event will be streamed live on Atlantic Council TV, YouTube, Facebook, and X.

Please complete the form below to register for this event.

Opening remarks

Victoria Taylor
Director, Iraq Initiative, Middle East Programs
Atlantic Council

Speakers

Ibrahim Al-Assil
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project, Middle East Programs
Atlantic Council

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş
Director, The Turkey Project
Brookings

Shayan Talabany
Senior Analyst, Geopolitics
Tony Blair Institute

Devorah Margolin
Blumenstein-Rosenbloom Senior Fellow
Washington Institute

Moderated by

Arwa Damon
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project
Atlantic Council

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