The Syrian authorities has introduced a right away ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on all fronts after almost two weeks of lethal preventing.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated on Sunday that the Syrian Military will take management of three jap and northeastern provinces – Raqqa, Deir Az Zor and Hasakah – from the SDF as a part of the deal.
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The SDF will probably be built-in into Syria’s defence and inside ministries as a part of a broader 14-point settlement.
Al-Sharaa’s announcement adopted a gathering with the US particular envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, in Damascus.
Al Jazeera’s Ayman Oghanna, reporting from Damascus, stated the ceasefire may be seen as a victory for Damascus and its ally Turkiye.
“The largest situation going through the federal government, and the explanation for these clashes, was a failure to combine Kurdish-led SDF peacefully into Syrian state establishments,” he stated.
“Turkiye sees the SDF because the Syrian department of the PKK, an organisation that Turkiye has been at conflict with since 1984, and now, as a part of the ceasefire settlement, it says that the SDF will expel PKK components from outdoors of Syria’s borders,” he added, referring to the Kurdistan Staff’ Occasion (PKK) that seeks higher autonomy and rights for Kurds inside Turkiye.
Preventing erupted between the military and SDF forces in Aleppo on January 6 after talks aimed toward integrating the Kurdish-led fighters into Syria’s nationwide military had stalled. The 2 sides additionally clashed final month earlier than a deadline for the SDF to put down its heavy weapons and hand management of areas in Aleppo to the nationwide military.
So, will the ceasefire final, and the way will the mixing of the SDF be applied?
What’s the newest from Syria’s northeast?
The ceasefire settlement got here after the Syrian Military gained territory towards SDF forces in Raqqa province in a lightning offensive.
Forces of Syria’s Ministry of Inside have begun coming into the northeastern metropolis of Raqqa to arrange for an organised deployment throughout all neighbourhoods.
Raqqa, an Arab majority metropolis, erupted in celebrations because the information got here of its management going into the palms of presidency forces. Raqqa additionally has among the nation’s largest oil and fuel fields.
Town has been beneath SDF management for almost a decade since ISIL (ISIS) fighters have been pushed out in 2017.
Preventing additionally passed off in different components of the nation, together with in Deir Az Zor, additionally dwelling to some main oil and fuel fields.
Ghassan Al-Sayyed Ahmed, appointed by Damascus to supervise the governorate, advised Al Jazeera that Deir Az Zor has “put an finish to the period of the SDF and its practices, and there may be overwhelming pleasure among the many residents”.
He claimed that “the province witnessed a preferred rebellion because of the SDF’s practices”, and that “the SDF retreated to Hasakah province inside 12 hours”.
“We [the Syrian government authorities] took management of all of the governorate’s amenities this afternoon,” he stated.
Earlier on Sunday, the Syrian Military took management of Tabqa, about 40km (24 miles) west of Raqqa. It additionally captured the Euphrates Dam, the biggest within the nation and adjoining to the strategic metropolis, in addition to the Freedom Dam, previously often known as the Baath Dam.
On Saturday, the SDF withdrew from Deir Hafer and a few surrounding villages in Aleppo governorate which might be dwelling to predominantly Arab populations, after which Syrian forces moved in, triggering celebrations. Deir Hafer is about 50km (30 miles) east of Aleppo metropolis.
“It occurred with the least quantity of losses,” Hussein al-Khalaf, a resident of Deir Hafer, advised Reuters. “There’s been sufficient blood on this nation, Syria. We’ve sacrificed and misplaced sufficient. Persons are uninterested in it.”
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, affiliated with the SDF, on Saturday accused the Syrian authorities of violating a withdrawal settlement, saying it “attacked our forces on a number of fronts since yesterday morning”. The SDF additionally warned that the assaults on Raqqa would possibly threaten safety as the town hosts hundreds of ISIL detainees.
The US-backed SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, was shaped in 2015, almost 4 years after the armed rebellion towards former President Bashar al-Assad started. Al-Assad remained in energy till he was ousted in December 2024 by Syrian opposition fighters led by al-Sharaa, who’s now the interim president.
Al-Sharaa’s authorities has pledged to reunify Syria after 14 years of conflict. On Friday, al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a “nationwide language” and granting the minority group official recognition.
What was the March settlement between the Syrian military and SDF?
On March 10, al-Sharaa reached an settlement with SDF chief Mazloum Abdi.
The settlement emphasised the unity of Syria and stipulated that “all civil and army establishments in northeastern Syria” be merged “into the administration of the Syrian state, together with border crossings, the airport and oil and fuel fields”.
The settlement additionally included an affirmation that the Kurdish persons are integral to Syria and have a proper to citizenship, in addition to assured constitutional rights.
After a breakdown of this deal, heavy preventing between the SDF and the Syrian Military resumed within the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo metropolis final month. A US-brokered ceasefire took impact on January 10.
The SDF’s secular Kurdish management is linked to the Turkish-based PKK. Though the PKK introduced in Could that it could lay down its arms and disband, it’s nonetheless listed as a “terrorist” group by Turkiye, the European Union and the US.
Regardless of this, the US backed the SDF as a result of it was an efficient companion towards ISIL, which the SDF and a US-led coalition defeated in northeastern Syria by 2019.
How has the US reacted?
The US has praised the ceasefire settlement. In a press release, Barrack, the US particular envoy, recommended the Syrian authorities and the SDF for “constructive efforts in reaching immediately’s ceasefire settlement, paving the best way for renewed dialogue and cooperation towards a unified Syria”.
“This settlement and ceasefire represents a pivotal inflection level, the place former adversaries embrace partnership over division,” he added
Earlier, Washington urged the Syrian Military to cease advancing into Kurdish-held territory.
What has al-Sharaa stated?
“As we communicate, we’re working in direction of establishing a complete ceasefire,” al-Sharaa stated on Sunday.
“Now, a ceasefire will probably be noticed, [and] after that, we are going to begin progressively implementing the settlement,” he stated.
As a part of his efforts to unite Syria, al-Sharaa on Friday issued a decree formally recognising Kurdish as a “nationwide language” alongside Arabic, permitting it to be taught at school, and restoring citizenship to all Kurdish Syrians. The brand new settlement welcomed the presidential decree.
The decree for the primary time grants Kurdish Syrians rights, together with the popularity of their Kurdish id as a part of Syria’s nationwide material.
It additionally abolishes measures relationship again to a 1962 census in Hasakah province that stripped many Kurds of Syrian nationality and grants citizenship to all affected residents, together with these beforehand registered as stateless.
The decree declares Newroz, the Kurdish New 12 months competition, a paid nationwide vacation. It bans ethnic or linguistic discrimination, requires state establishments to undertake inclusive nationwide messaging and units penalties for incitement to ethnic strife.
The Kurdish administration in Syria’s north and northeast stated the decree was “a primary step, nevertheless, it doesn’t fulfill the aspirations and hopes of the Syrian folks”.
It added that “rights will not be protected by momentary decrees, however… by way of everlasting constitutions that categorical the desire of the folks and all parts” of a society.
