Syrian Democratic Forces
Alliance in the Syrian Civil War
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| February 6 2025 | Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the SDF killed 65 civilians, including one child and two women, with sniper fire in Aleppo over two months. |
| 2024 | Syrian Kurdish opposition politician Amin Aisa al Ali was detained by SDF forces, tortured, and died in custody. His body was later returned to his family. |
| 2024 | SDF was reported to have caused the deaths of 287 women and unlawfully imprisoned 983 women. Additionally, 61 teachers were imprisoned for not following the curriculum and 550 teachers were expelled for refusing to join the army. |
| December 2024 | Following the fall of the Assad regime, Kurdish-controlled Manbij reached a ceasefire agreement through US mediation, with SDF fighters continuing 'resistance' in the city. |
| November 20 2024 | Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the SDF was responsible for the deaths of 274 children, forcibly removed or disappeared 859 children, attacked 48 schools/kindergartens, and 12 health institutions. |
| August 7 2024 | A Syrian Arab tribal coalition backed by Iran and the Syrian government launched an offensive against SDF positions in Deir ez-Zor countryside, briefly capturing villages on the eastern side of the Euphrates river before being pushed back. |
| April 24 2024 | Amnesty International reported large-scale human rights violations, documenting over 56,000 people held indefinitely in at least 27 detention facilities, including 30,000 children and 14,500 women, with allegations of torture, forced disappearances, and inhumane conditions. |
| August 27 2023 | SDF arrested Ahmad Al Khubail (Abu Khawla), head of its Deir al Zor Council, which sparked widespread unrest among Arab tribal clans, resulting in deaths of civilians and fighters. |
| 2020 | United Nations reported SDF as the largest faction in the Syrian civil war for recruiting child soldiers, with 283 child soldiers identified. |
| 2019 | A Wilson Center study confirmed the SDF's demographic shift, revealing through a survey of 391 fighters that 68.7% were Arabs, 17.2% Kurds, 12.5% Christians, 0.9% Yezidis, and 0.6% Turkmens. |
| October 9 2019 | Turkey initiated bombardment of SDF territory, launching 'Operation Peace Spring'. The offensive was accompanied by US troop withdrawal from the Syrian-Turkish border, resulting in widespread international condemnation, with only Azerbaijan and some Central Asian countries supporting the invasion. |
| October 7 2019 | President Trump announced U.S. troop withdrawal from areas cooperating with the SDF near the Turkish border, raising concerns about potential ISIL resurgence. |
| July 6 2019 | The MFS and Khabour Guards announced the formation of the Syriac-Assyrian Military Council to unify Assyrian-Syriac military organizations in the Khabour region, aligned with the political ideals of the Syriac Union Party and Syrian Democratic Council. |
| June 2019 | Ten military councils were formed by the Syrian Democratic Forces during the months of June and July. |
| June 29 2019 | Abdi, as SDF representative, signed the United Nations action plan to prevent the enlistment of child soldiers. |
| May 9 2019 | SDF troops allegedly opened fire on protesters in the village of Al-Shheell, killing one person. |
| April 24 2019 | The Armenian Martyr Nubar Ozanyan Brigade was officially founded in the Marziya Church in Tell Goran, coinciding with the 104th Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. |
| March 23 2019 | The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the seizure of the last ISIL territory in Syria after capturing the Syrian city of Baghuz, marking a significant military victory against the Islamic State. |
| 2018 | Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were forced out of Afrin following a Turkish invasion into northwest Syria. |
| September 24 2018 | The Assyrian Democratic Party announced the creation of a united military leadership called the 'Ashur Forces', combining Nattoreh and the Khabour Guards. |
| August 1 2018 | The SDF formed its first Special Forces Regiment. |
| July 2018 | The SDF established its first Sapper (engineering/combat support) unit. |
| June 2018 | The Brigade For The Liberation of Idlib and Afrin, and the Idlib Revolutionaries Brigade were established. |
| June 25 2018 | SDF and RISF completely defeated Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa, capturing all of their fighters and weapons in Raqqa, after which the curfew was ended. |
| June 24 2018 | SDF and Raqqa Internal Security Forces besieged Thuwar al-Raqqa's headquarters and arrested between 90 and 200 of its members. |
| June 23 2018 | A curfew was implemented in Raqqa city and governorate due to tensions between Arab tribes and the SDF. |
| February 12 2018 | The U.S. Department of Defense released a budget blueprint allocating $300 million for the SDF and $250 million for border security. |
| January 20 2018 | Kino Gabriel was appointed as the spokesman for both the Syriac Military Council and the Syrian Democratic Forces. |
| January 13 2018 | The US-led Coalition announced plans to train the Syrian Border Security Force (BSF), with the goal of reaching 30,000 fighters, half of whom would be current SDF members. |
| 2017 | United States Department of Defense reported that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had transitioned to having an Arab majority composition. |
| 2017 | U.S. Special Operations Command Commander Raymond Thomas prompted the YPG to change their name and incorporate the word 'democratic', leading to the official name Syrian Democratic Forces, addressing Turkey's concerns about YPG's ties to the PKK. |
| December 20 2017 | Hussam Awak announced his resignation from the SDF on Facebook without providing a reason. |
| November 27 2017 | The Martyr Adnan Abu Amjad Regiment, consisting of 250 fighters, was established and joined the Manbij Military Council. |
| November 15 2017 | Talal Silo defected or surrendered to the Turkish Army, with the circumstances of his departure from the SDF being disputed. |
| September 28 2017 | Yasser al-Dahla, commander of the Gathering of al-Baggara Youth, was arrested by SDF military police during the Deir ez-Zor offensive, with allegations of lack of military discipline. |
| September 12 2017 | A joint report revealed the Pentagon had delivered up to $2.2 billion worth of weapons to the Syrian Democratic Forces. |
| September 10 2017 | Dozens of militiamen from the pro-government Forces of the Fighters of the Tribes joined the SDF after being previously overrun by ISIL and seeking refuge in SDF-held areas. |
| September 4 2017 | A faction of the Northern Brigade, a Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army unit, defected to the SDF. |
| August 26 2017 | YPG raided the headquarters of the Raqqa Hawks Brigade and captured Fayyad al-Ghanim, who led one of the group's factions. Al-Ghanim was accused of coordinating with Syrian government forces and later escaped to regime-held areas. |
| August 25 2017 | 800 fighters left the Elite Forces and were integrated into the SDF and its Deir ez-Zor Military Council, citing corruption. The fighters consisted of 7 units of al-Baggara and al-Shaitat tribal fighters. |
| August 15 2017 | The Revolutionary Forces were formed as part of the SDF in northern Aleppo, with the intent to fight the Turkish occupation of northern Syria. |
| July 10 2017 | An all-female Arab SDF group called the Martyr Amara Arab Women's Battalion was established in Deir ez-Zor, consisting of 35 fighters from various cities. |
| June 8 2017 | Between 60 and 70 Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army fighters, including several Sultan Murad Division commanders, defected to the Syrian Army and the SDF during internal infighting. |
| May 17 2017 | The Raqqa Internal Security Forces were established. |
| May 9 2017 | The Pentagon announced that President Trump approved directly providing heavy armaments to the YPG ahead of the planned Raqqa offensive. |
| May 4 2017 | The International Anti-Fascist Battalion was renamed to the YPG International Battalion and became part of the YPG. |
| April 10 2017 | Two new YPG/YPJ regiments, named Martyr Gabar Regiment and Dêrik and Martyr Zana Regiment, were established in the Jazira Region. |
| April 8 2017 | The Jazeera Knights Brigade was established. |
| March 17 2017 | Five Northern Sun Battalion fighters accused of torturing an ISIL militant were arrested following the incident on March 15. |
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