The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia has agreed to cede control of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa provinces to the Syrian government, state media has reported, after the army made rapid advances into the two eastern provinces.
In another major concession, the SDF will also merge with the country’s new military, but not as a single unit, according to the text of the agreement published by Syrian state news agency Sana.
The deal puts in place an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts and contact lines”, following two days of rapid advances by government forces into eastern areas held by the SDF.
It requires SDF forces to withdraw further east “as a first step in a redeployment”. This would make the north-eastern province of Hasakah the last area of Syria where the group has a significant presence, aside from the pocket of Ain Al Arab, or Kobani, in Aleppo province.
Sana said the deal stipulates “the merger of all the military and security personnel of SDF into the ministries of interior and defence on an individual basis after they undergo the necessary vetting”, but did not mention disbanding of the group altogether.
The deal was announced after a meeting between US special envoy Tom Barrack and Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara in Damascus. The US had supported the SDF's territorial acquisitions before rebels toppled Syria's former leader Bashar Al Assad in December 2024.
The SDF was Washington's main ally in fighting ISIS in Syria during the civil war but its political fortunes have diminished under the new government established by the former rebels.
The government under Mr Al Shara has sought to bring the entire country under the control of Damascus and has been slowly retaking SDF-held areas over the past year.
Mr Barrack said the United States “commends the Syrian government and the [SDF] for their constructive efforts in reaching today’s ceasefire agreement, paving the way for renewed dialogue and co-operation towards a unified Syria.”
He described SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Mr Al Shara as “two great Syrian leaders, driven by the shared vision of liberating their country and people from tyranny”.
“This agreement and ceasefire represent a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division,” Mr Barrack said in a post on X.
“The challenging work of finalising the details of a comprehensive integration agreement begins now, and the United States stands firmly behind this process.”
