The Syrian government announced a ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday, ending days of heavy fighting. Damascus now has near-complete control of the country after systematically dismantling the SDF, which will be integrated into the Syrian army.
The deal, which was mediated by US Special Envoy Tom Barrack, ends two weeks of intense clashes and sets out a broad plan to bring SDF-held areas and forces back under state control. Although Bashar al-Assad was removed from power in December 2024 and replaced by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, talks on merging the US-backed SDF into the new national army failed throughout last year. Tensions rose earlier this month, leading to fighting in Aleppo and a rapid military offensive by government forces.
Over recent weeks, the Syrian army made major gains. It captured the strategic city of Tabqa, the Euphrates Dam, Syria’s largest, and key oil and gas fields in Raqqa and Deir Az Zor. The SDF said the conflict had been forced upon it by outside planning and chose to withdraw from Arab-majority areas to avoid a wider war.
For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East
The 14-point agreement marks a major shift in Syria’s balance of power. The central government will regain full control of Raqqa, Deir Az Zor and Hasakah, including civilian institutions and border crossings. The SDF will hand over oil and gas fields that funded its autonomous administration. In return, the group can nominate civilian and military figures for roles in the central government. The governor of Hasakah, which has a large Kurdish population, will be appointed by consensus. Some reports indicate that SDF commander Mazloum Abdi could be offered the position of Hasakah governor.
SDF fighters will no longer operate as separate units. Instead, they will be screened and absorbed as individuals into the ministries of defence and interior. The SDF has also agreed to remove all non-Syrian members linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, meeting a key demand from Turkey.
Damascus will take control of prisons and camps holding tens of thousands of foreign Islamic State fighters and their families. Syrian officials said the transfer would be handled carefully to avoid new security risks.
The government has also made major concessions. President al-Sharaa issued a historic decree recognising Kurdish rights for the first time since Syria gained independence in 1946. Kurdish is now recognised as a national language alongside Arabic and can be taught in schools. The Kurdish New Year, Newroz, will become a national holiday. Stateless Kurds who lost their citizenship after a disputed 1962 census will have it restored. Kurdish leaders welcomed these moves but said the rights must be protected in a permanent constitution, not just by decree.
International reaction has been mixed. The United States, balancing its past support for the SDF with its backing of the new Syrian leadership, called the agreement a “pivotal moment” for a unified Syria. Barrack praised both sides for choosing cooperation over division.
Kurds, however, feel betrayed by the US as it did not step in to stop the Syrian onslaught. Although many of them concede that integration could be the only way forward, the fear of discrimination prevails.
On the other hand, the peace deal is a major political and military victory for the Syrian government. It restores control over Syria’s agricultural heartland and key energy resources, both vital for rebuilding the country. President al-Sharaa said the agreement was essential to restore state authority, arguing that a united Syria must control its own borders and resources. The deal effectively ends the de facto division of the country that emerged during the civil war.
