Syria and Kurdish-Led SDF Agree to Ceasefire and Integration Deal

The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached a comprehensive agreement involving an immediate ceasefire and the integration of SDF forces into Syria's military and state institutions.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that the deal allows Syrian state institutions to reassert control over the eastern and northern governorates of al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, and Raqqa.

The agreement stipulates that SDF military and security personnel will be integrated into Syria's defense and interior ministries following vetting. Additionally, the Syrian government will assume responsibility for prisons and detention camps holding tens of thousands of foreign Islamic State fighters and their families.

The deal also includes the transfer of control over civilian institutions, border crossings, and oil and gas fields from the SDF to the Syrian government.

U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, praised the agreement as a step toward a "unified Syria."

This development follows nearly two weeks of fighting between government forces and the SDF, particularly in eastern Aleppo province, and marks a significant step toward restoring national unity in Syria.