Politics Syrian president postpones visit to Germany
The Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has postponed his visit to Germany planned for Monday and Tuesday. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for the German government to the German Press Agency. The reason was the domestic political situation in Syria.
18.01.2026, 20:01
SDA
Al-Sharaa was actually due to meet Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), several federal ministers and business representatives on Tuesday. The main topics were to include the repatriation of Syrian refugees and the reconstruction of the Arab country after almost 14 years of civil war.
Demonstrations against the visit to Germany
Merz had already invited al-Sharaa to Germany in November. The visit was criticized by the Kurdish and Alawite communities in Germany, who accuse the Syrian government of violently oppressing ethnic and religious minorities. Several demonstrations against the visit were planned for Monday and Tuesday.
In the Arab country, long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by the Islamist militia HTS led by al-Sharaa at the end of 2024. Al-Sharaa was appointed interim president in January last year and has since steered the country towards an opening and rapprochement with the West.
Damascus: ceasefire between government and Kurdish militias
Violence had increased again in Syria in recent days and there had been new military confrontations. On Sunday, the government of interim President al-Sharaa then agreed a ceasefire with the Kurdish-led militias in the north, according to its own account. An "immediate and comprehensive ceasefire" applies "on all fronts" between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the government troops, the state agency Sana quoted from the agreement. There was initially no confirmation or reaction from the SDF.
The US special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, welcomed the ceasefire and spoke of a "decisive turning point in which former adversaries chose cooperation over division". The SDF are an important ally of the USA in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in the country. Barrack acted as a mediator in the negotiations. Kurdish media also reported on the agreement.
The conflict between Damascus and the SDF had previously escalated. Government troops have taken control of strategically important areas in northern and eastern Syria in recent days. Fighting also broke out as the SDF withdrew from several areas.
Despite the ceasefire announced by Damascus, the conflict with the Kurds in north-eastern Syria is likely to continue to occupy al-Sharaa intensively. Even after the two sides reached an agreement in March 2025, there were problems with implementation and unresolved issues that ultimately erupted into renewed violence.
It is unclear when and how comprehensively the details of the agreement will be implemented and whether there could also be resistance here, for example from fighters in the ranks of the SDF, who see the promises made to Damascus as a defeat. The conflict is characterized by accusations from both sides and mutual mistrust, which remains even after the ceasefire.
