Syria Declares Ceasefire With Kurdish-Led Forces

The Syrian government has announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), ending nearly two weeks of clashes and opening the door to the group’s reintegration into state and military institutions.

The ceasefire is part of a broader 14-point agreement aimed at restoring Damascus’s authority across much of the country. Under the deal, the SDF will be incorporated into national structures, effectively bringing large areas of northern and eastern Syria back under central government control.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa said the agreement would allow state institutions to reassert control over the key governorates of al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa. He described the move as a critical step toward reunifying the country after years of fragmentation.

The announcement followed talks in Damascus with the US special envoy to Syria, who welcomed the deal as progress toward a unified Syrian state. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, a signatory to the agreement, was unable to attend due to weather-related travel disruptions and is expected to visit Damascus on Monday.

The SDF emerged during Syria’s civil war as a powerful force in the northeast, backed by the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group. With US support, it expelled the militant group from large areas and went on to administer both Kurdish- and Arab-majority regions.

Under the new agreement, Syrian authorities will assume control of civilian institutions, border crossings and vital oil and gas fields previously managed by the Kurdish-led administration. SDF military and security personnel will be integrated into the defence and interior ministries following a vetting process.

Damascus will also take responsibility for prisons and detention camps holding tens of thousands of foreign Islamic State fighters and their families. The government reaffirmed its commitment to recognise Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, including granting Kurdish official language status and recognising the Kurdish New Year as a national holiday.

The agreement confirms Syria’s continued participation in the US-led coalition against Islamic State and follows renewed fighting that saw government forces move into Raqqa and nearby oil facilities after an SDF withdrawal.

President al-Sharaa said it was no longer acceptable for armed groups to control vast territory and key national resources, stressing that the ceasefire marked a turning point toward restoring full state sovereignty.