Syria's interim government has reached a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate the group into state institutions, the presidency has announced.
The country's President, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham leader Ahmad Al Shara, and the head of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, signed the deal on Monday, agreeing to guarantee the citizenship rights of the Kurdish people in Syria, a ceasefire on all Syrian territories and cementing the rights of all Syrians to representation and participation in the political process.
According to details of the agreement shared by the presidency online, the US-backed SDF and Syrian government have agreed to integrate all civil and military institutions in north-east Syria into the Syrian state by the end of the year, including “border crossings, the airport, and oil and gasfields”.
The deal marks a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government led by the group that deposed former president Bashar Al Assad in December. It will also see the SDF agree to support the government in fighting remnants of Mr Al Assad's regime and any threats to Syria's security and unity.
Mr Abdi said the accord reached with the new leaders in Damascus is a “real opportunity to build a new Syria”.
“We are committed to building a better future that guarantees the rights of all Syrians and fulfils their aspirations for peace and dignity,” he posted on X.
The SDF, founded in 2015 with US support, controls parts of north-east Syria and was crucial in wresting the country from ISIS control in 2019. The militia is made up of mostly Kurdish fighters from the Kurdish Protection Units (YPG), linked to the PKK, a separatist group that Turkey, the EU and the US have designated as a terrorist organisation.
The jailed leader of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, called for the group to disarm in February, a move that at the time Mr Abdi said was “not related to us in Syria”. The PKK declared a ceasefire with Turkey on March 1, ending a decades-long insurgency.
When asked about the guarantees obtained against the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and the integration of the SDF into the army, Farhad Shami, the head of SDF media, said: “It’s a preliminary agreement, and the details will be discussed through specialised committees.”
Monday's deal will allow Kurdish citizens of Syria to teach and use their own language, banned for decades under the Assad regime.
The US responded positively to news of the deal. US President Donald Trump said in December that Syria was “not our fight” and in February said his team would “make a determination” on US presence in the north-east of the country.
“Of course we’ve been pushing for this,” a US official told The National. “This is a big deal. This is great. Honestly this is the best news coming out of Syria since December 8. Let's see if they can really finalise the deal but you see at the end it says this will be done by the end of the year. Hopefully we can get US troops out.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Jawan
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
