Politics Agreement between Kurds and government in Syria
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the transitional government in Syria have agreed on a comprehensive ceasefire agreement.
30.01.2026, 13:39
SDA
Both sides confirmed that a roadmap for the full integration of the SDF into the Syrian state has been laid down.
In recent weeks, troops of the transitional government and the SDF have been fighting each other in the north and north-east of the country. The contested area was previously under Kurdish self-administration. Following the fall of the Assad government, the new leadership in Damascus under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa wants to bring all areas of the country, which has been fragmented by civil war, under state control.
An agreement to integrate the Kurdish-administered areas has been in place since March last year. However, the two sides were unable to agree on concrete steps for implementation. Above all, the Kurds feared a loss of power and rights.
After negotiations on the March agreement proved unsuccessful, government troops finally advanced militarily into the Kurdish areas at the beginning of the year. A ceasefire has been in place for a few days now. This paved the way for renewed negotiations and the agreement that has now been reached.
Controversial points resolved
According to the SDF, the core of the new agreement is a gradual integration process at military and administrative level. The state news agency Sana also reported on the agreement. According to the agreement, all fighting is to cease. Concrete steps towards integration have been defined.
The integration of Kurdish forces into the Syrian army has long been a point of contention between the two sides and a key factor in the recent military clashes. According to Sana and the SDF, this point and other contentious factors have been resolved. For example, SDF fighters are now to be integrated individually into the army and police. The SDF had previously wanted to be integrated as a unified bloc.
USA: "historic milestone"
US special envoy Tom Barrack praised the agreement on X as a "historic milestone on Syria's path to national reconciliation, unity and lasting stability". The step builds on previous agreements. High-ranking SDF representatives should therefore have the opportunity to get involved at the highest level.
