Syrian government security forces entered the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Qamishli on Tuesday (3 February), security sources and witnesses said.
The move implements a U.S.-backed deal aimed at bringing Kurdish-run regions back under central government control.
The accord, declared on Friday (30 January), staved off the risk of more conflict between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Reuters journalists said the convoy headed straight to a security zone inside Qamishli for talks with senior Kurdish officials at the de facto political centre of the Kurdish-led administration that took shape during Syria's 14-year civil war.
The internal security forces were handed control of the security buildings of the Kurdish Asayish security forces and would deploy alongside the Asayish to maintain security in the city, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Nur Din al‑Baba in Qamishli.
“Today the Syrian people won ... and we begin a new chapter away from revenge, hate speech and divisions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Ministry vehicles entered the city of Hasakah on Monday (2 February), about 80 km (47 miles) south of Qamishli.
The 30 January accord foresees a phased integration of Kurdish fighters with Damascus forces. The U.S. has hailed the agreement as a milestone towards unity and reconciliation after the war that fractured the country into rebel fiefdoms.
The SDF were once Washington's main Syrian ally, playing a vital part in the fight against Islamic State militants.
But its position took a major hit as U.S. President Donald Trump cultivated relations with al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who has now brought almost all of Syria back under the authority of Damascus.
Many Arab towns and villages in Hasakah province have welcomed the end of SDF control over their areas, saying the Kurdish-led authorities had deprived their communities and marginalised them during their rule.
However, Qamishli was under curfew for a second day on Tuesday, part of measures the Kurdish-led authorities imposed on Hasakah and on Kobani, or Ain al-Arab, along the Turkish border, residents said.
Trouble broke out in several neighbourhoods of Hasakah on Monday between SDF forces and local Arab residents.
The Kurdish-led forces blamed Islamist militants, while Arab residents said the SDF had fired at demonstrators in a clampdown on public celebrations over the end of SDF rule.
Arab grievances about Kurdish-led rule are dismissed by the SDF leadership. The Kurds were an oppressed minority under the Assad family’s 54‑year rule and established de facto autonomy during the civil war in a largely Arab‑populated region.
The SDF, which controlled Syria’s main oil fields and a basket of key commodities during its rule, says it sought to redress injustices by creating a system of governance that represented all ethnic groups and minorities.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destructio...
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuw...
Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to develop its Islamic finance sector, with policymakers, financial experts and industry leaders gathering in Tashke...
U.S. President Donald Trump has informed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that he intends to remove Syria from the United States' list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could pave the way for greater foreign investment and deeper economic engagement with Washington.
Two bombs exploded near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night, but his office said he did not hear the explosions and was on his way to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the time.
At least five people were killed and 16 injured after a bomb exploded at a busy café in central Damascus on Thursday, according to Syrian state media. Authorities said the device had been planted inside the venue, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Syria is open to direct talks with Hezbollah if its national interests require it, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani said during a visit to Lebanon on Thursday (2 July).
The U.S. says it has launched strikes on Iran after alleged attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the action as a response to threats against civilian shipping and a breach of the ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
Typhoon Bavi churned southeast of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, its winds easing overnight to just shy of 200 kph (124 mph), as authorities urged residents to stock up on supplies and brace for what could be the most powerful typhoon since 2024.
NATO leaders are unveiling multi-billion-dollar arms deals in Ankara as President Donald Trump joins the summit, highlighting Europe's increased defence spending amid tensions over Russia and Iran, and following years of U.S. criticism of the alliance.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
This is the last of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
This is the third of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
This is the second of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to develop its Islamic finance sector, with policymakers, financial experts and industry leaders gathering in Tashkent to explore reforms aimed at attracting investment from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Azerbaijan should unlock the full potential of its tourism sector to drive long-term economic growth, diversify its economy and create jobs as reliance on hydrocarbons declines, the World Bank has said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment