The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached a broad deal to end two weeks of heavy fighting.
Under the deal, Kurdish civilians and fighters will come under the government control, with the SDF forces withdrawing from two Arab-majority provinces.
Syria-SDF Deal
On Sunday, the Syrian government announced a 14-point Ceasefire and Full Integration Agreement, signed by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, which ended days of clashes in Kurdish-held areas in northeastern Syria.
The agreement will allow Syrian state institutions to reassert control over three eastern and northern governorates, al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, according to Syrian President Al-Sharaa.
The deal followed a meeting between Al-Sharaa and the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, in Damascus. Barrack praised the agreement as a “pivotal inflection point” and a step toward a “unified Syria.” However, he pointed to challenging work ahead to finalize details of a comprehensive integration deal.
Agreement Terms
The 14-point agreement, published by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts and contact lines between the Syrian government forces and SDF, in addition to the withdrawal of all SDF military formations to the east of the Euphrates River.
Moreover, the deal mandates the immediate military and administrative handover of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa to the Syrian government and the full absorption of al-Hasakah’s civil institutions into state structures.
The Syrian government also takes control of all border crossings and the region’s oil and gas fields, as well as prisons and camps holding Islamic State fighters and affiliated civilians.
Under the deal, the SDF military and security personnel fully integrate into the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior on an individual basis, after security vetting, in exchange for official ranks and state benefits.
Importantly, the SDF commits to the removal of all non-Syrian Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leaders and members outside the borders of Syria to ensure sovereignty and regional stability.
The agreement also reiterated the government’s pledge to recognize Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, including giving Kurdish official language status and marking the Kurdish new year as a national holiday.
SDF Response
SDF Commander Abdi could not attend Sunday meeting between Al-Sharaa and Barrack due to weather conditions, so his visit to Damascus was postponed to Monday, according to BBC.
Abdi confirmed the meeting in a televised address, saying he would share more details about the agreement after his meeting with Al-Sharaa.
Furthermore, he reaffirmed commitment to protecting the “achievements” of the Kurdish region in the northeast. “This war was imposed on us. We wanted to prevent it, but unfortunately, because it was planned by many forces, it was imposed on us,” Abdi said, as quoted by Kurdish media.
Tensions flared between the Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s government and Kurdish-led forces over the implementation of the March 10th agreement, which required the SDF to merge with the new Syrian army by the end of 2025.
However, negotiations repeatedly stalled over the mechanisms of integration as Damascus demanded the total dissolution of the group into the national ranks, while the SDF sought to join as a cohesive bloc, leading to heavy clashes between both sides in Aleppo and the Euphrates region.
Regional Reactions
Saudi Arabia welcomed the ceasefire and integration agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF, praising the US efforts to reach the deal.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed the Kingdom’s hope that this agreement would help in reinforcing security, building state institutions, and applying the law to meet the Syrian people’s aspiration for prosperity.
Saudi Arabia also reiterated its full support for the Syrian government’s efforts to promote civil peace and preserve Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Similarly, Türkiye expressed hope that the agreement “will promptly and effectively advance efforts aimed at establishing stability and security in Syria on the basis of the country’s territorial integrity and unity.”
Jordan also welcomed the Syria-SDF agreement as a critical step toward strengthening Syria’s unity, stability, and security.
Additionally, Qatar considered the agreement an “important step toward strengthening civil peace, enhancing security and stability, and building a state based on institutions and the rule of law.”
It also affirmed that “Syria’s stability and prosperity require the state’s exclusive control of weapons within a single national army representing all components of the Syrian people, in a manner that ensures the preservation of the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”
