Syria announces ceasefire with Kurdish-led SDF as government says it has near-total control

The Syrian government announced a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday, saying it had taken almost full control of the country and dismantled the Kurdish-led forces that had controlled the north-east for more than a decade. SDF leader Mazloum Abdi confirmed the deal in a video statement, saying the group had accepted the agreement, which stipulates their withdrawal from Raqqa and Deir el-Zour provinces “to stop the bloodshed”.

Syria’s defence ministry said it ordered the fighting to halt on the front lines after the announcement. State news agency Sana showed president Ahmad al-Sharaa signing and holding the agreement. Abdi was not seen, though his signature appeared on the document; al-Sharaa said Abdi could not travel because of bad weather and would visit Damascus on Monday.

“It’s a victory for all Syrians of all backgrounds,” al-Sharaa told journalists. The agreement, as described by Syrian officials, would dismantle the SDF and see its forces join Syria’s military and security services, with senior military and civilian officials given high-ranking positions.

It requires the SDF to cede Raqqa and Deir el-Zour — areas that include oil and gas fields, river dams along the Euphrates, and border crossings — while Hassakah is expected to return its civilian administration to Damascus and hand over Kurdish-run prisons and camps. There was no clear timeline on when and how the different elements of the agreement will take effect.

Key Topics

World, Syrian Government, Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, Ahmad Al-sharaa, Raqqa