Syria and Kurdish-Led Forces Agree to Historic Nationwide Ceasefire

The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire, marking a major step toward reunifying the country.

The deal follows two weeks of intense clashes and signals the dismantling of the decade-long Kurdish autonomous administration in the northeast.

Speaking in Damascus on Sunday, January 18, President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed the 14-point agreement. The pact allows state institutions to reassert control over the governorates of al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, and Raqqa, including strategic oil and gas fields and border crossings.

Military Integration: SDF personnel will be integrated into the Syrian Defense and Interior Ministries following a vetting process. Administrative Takeover: Damascus will assume control of civilian institutions and essential resources, including the country's largest oil fields. Isis Detention: The Syrian state will now manage prisons and camps holding thousands of foreign Islamic State (Isis) fighters and their families. Kurdish Rights: In a historic first, Kurdish has been granted official language status, and Newroz (Kurdish New Year) is now a national holiday.

The announcement followed a high-level meeting between President al-Sharaa and U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack. Barrack praised the deal as a "pivotal inflection point" for a unified Syria. While SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi was unable to attend the signing in person due to severe weather, his signature was on the document, and he is expected in Damascus on Monday for further talks.

This agreement marks the most significant shift in Syrian territorial control since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, effectively ending the de facto partition of the country.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Golani) assumed the presidency of a transitional administration. This January 2026 agreement formally integrates the U.S.-backed SDF into the new Syrian national framework.