US CENTCOM Commander General Kurilla praises partnership with SDF in fight against terrorism

WASHINGTON, D.C. — US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael Kurilla expressed pride in the enduring partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), describing the group as a cornerstone of regional security and a guarantor of a stable future for all Syrians.

Marking twelve years of what he referred to as a “friendship” between the United States and the SDF, Kurilla hailed the group as the frontline defense against terrorism in comments to the US House Armed Services Committee. He emphasized that the SDF remains Washington’s most reliable partner in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), as well as a key ally to the broader international coalition.

The SDF, with support from US-led coalition forces, played a decisive role in the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria in the spring of 2019. Since then, the force has continued to lead security operations targeting ISIS sleeper cells that seek to destabilize the region.