The Syrian government and Kurdish forces declared a ceasefire deal yesterday that sets out a phased integration of Kurdish fighters into the state, averting a potentially bloody battle and drawing US praise for a “historic milestone”.
The sides announced the agreement after government forces under President Ahmed Al Sharaa captured swathes of northern and eastern Syria from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) group this month, forcing the Kurdish forces to retreat into a shrinking enclave in the northeast. The fate of the SDF, which once held a quarter or more of Syria, has been one of the biggest issues looming over the country since Islamist fighters led by Sharaa toppled President Bashar Al Assad 14 months ago.
US envoy Tom Barrack, who has been closely involved in mediation efforts, declared the agreement “a profound and historic milestone in Syria’s journey towards national reconciliation, unity and enduring stability”.
The SDF was once Washington’s main Syrian ally, playing a vital part in the fight against Islamic State. But its position grew weaker as President Donald Trump built close ties with Sharaa, who has now brought almost all of Syria back under the authority of Damascus.
Under the agreement, forces that had amassed on front lines in the north would pull back and Interior Ministry security forces will deploy to the centre of the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli in the northeast, both held by the SDF.
The agreement includes the formation of a military division that will include three SDF brigades, in addition to a brigade for forces in the SDF-held town of Kobani, which will be affiliated to the governorate of Aleppo. Governing bodies set up by the Kurdish-led groups in the northeast are to be merged with state institutions.
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