A Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands on a pickup truck, with a road leading toward the front line visible in the background, ahead of the end of a four-day truce with the Syrian government in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.(AP)
The Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces on Jan. 30 announced a new agreement intended to stabilize a ceasefire that ended weeks of fighting and to lay out the steps toward integration between the two sides.
Under the agreement, security forces affiliated with the Syrian Interior Ministry would go into the SDF-controlled cities of Hasakeh and Qamishli in the country’s northeast.
The process of integrating SDF and government forces would begin.
This would include the formation of a new military brigade comprising three brigades from the SDF, in addition to the formation of a brigade of SDF fighters within a government brigade in Aleppo province.
Local institutions in the SDF-led government of northeast Syria — which has operated as a de facto autonomous zone for years — and their employees would be integrated into state institutions.
The agreement also includes “civil and educational rights for the Kurdish people and guaranteeing the return of the displaced to their areas,” the statement said.
“The agreement aims to unify the Syrian territories and achieve the full integration process in the region by enhancing cooperation between the concerned parties and unifying efforts to rebuild the country,” it said.
The SDF lost most of its territory in northeast Syria to a government offensive after intense clashes erupted in the northern city of Aleppo on Jan. 6, following months of failed negotiations to implement an integration deal.
The first agreement was reached in March 2025 that would merge the SDF with Damascus, but it didn’t gain traction.
U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack welcomed on Jan. 30 the deal.
In a post on X, Barrack said the deal was a "historic milestone" that "reflects a shared commitment to inclusion, mutual respect and the collective dignity of all Syrian communities.”
The U.S., which had long been the main backer of the SDF as the group fought against the ISIL terrorist organization, has moved closer to Damascus under President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The U.S. did not intervene militarily in this month's fighting but pushed the two sides to make a deal.
A truce was reached last week between the two sides and has been largely holding. The Jan. 30 announcement appears to be a step toward solidifying the ceasefire.
