In spintronics applications, ultrafast spin dynamics have to be controlled at femtosecond (fs) timescales via fs-laser radiation. At such ultrafast timescales, the effect of the Gilbert damping factor α on ultrafast demagnetization time M should be considered. In previous explorations for the relationship between these two parameters, it was found that the theoretical calculations based on the local spin-flip scattering model do not agree with the experimental results. Here, we find that in Fe81Ga19(FeGa)/Ir20Mn80(IrMn) bilayers, the unconventional IrMn thickness dependence of α results from the competition between spin currents pumped from the ferromagnetic (FM) FeGa layer to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) IrMn layer and those pumped from the AFM layer to the FM layer. More importantly, we establish a proportional relationship between the change of the ultrafast demagnetization rate and the enhancement of Gilbert damping induced by the spin currents via interfacial spin chemical potential s . Our work builds a bridge to connect the ultrafast demagnetization time and Gilbert damping in ultrafast photo-induced spin currents dominated systems, which not only explains the disagreement between experimental and theoretical results in the relation of with α, but provides further insight into ultrafast spin dynamics as well. PACS numbers: 75.78.Jp, 75.40.Gb, 76.50.+g, 78.47.+p *To whom all correspondence should be addressed. zhcheng@iphy.ac.cn , is one of the most challenging problems in laser-induced ultrafast spin dynamics. The Gilbert damping factor, α , is of the utmost importance for high frequency switching of spintronic devices. Since both M and α require a transfer of angular momentum from the electronic system to the lattice, the unification of these two seemingly unrelated parameters can facilitate the exploration of the microscopic mechanism of laser-induced ultrafast spin dynamics. An inversely proportional relationship between M and α was predicted by theoretical calculations based on the local phonon-mediated Elliott-Yafet scattering mechanism [3-5] as well as the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch (LLB) model [6]. However, the relationship between M and α has been debated for over one decade [7]. Until now, all experimental results have shown that M increases with α [8-12]. Apart from the local spin-flip scattering mechanism [13], we proposed that the non-local spin currents should be taken into account to coordinate the contradiction in the relationship between and α. Previous work suggested that the superdiffusive spin current contributed to ultrafast demagnetization [14], whilst the Gilbert damping could also be enhanced via non-local spin currents in ferromagnetic (FM)/nonmagnetic (NM) [15] and FM/antiferromagnetic (AFM) heterostructures [16]. Femtosecond laser