A new agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces is set to reshape power arrangements in northeastern Syria.
The deal includes a nationwide truce, the withdrawal of SDF units to the east of the Euphrates River and the gradual integration of their fighters into Syria’s defence and interior ministries after security vetting.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Syrian state institutions would return to al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, bringing civilian administration, border crossings and key oil and gas fields back under government authority.
Responsibility for prisons and detention camps holding thousands of Islamic State fighters and their families will also be transferred to Damascus, giving the central government full legal and security oversight.
The agreement, signed by al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, further requires the departure of non-Syrian fighters linked to the PKK and promises that all remaining disputes between the two sides will be resolved through dialogue.
In a political shift, Damascus reiterated pledges to recognise Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, including granting Kurdish official language status and declaring the Kurdish New Year a national holiday, the first such recognition since Syria’s independence.
The announcement followed talks in Damascus between al-Sharaa and U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack, who called the agreement a “pivotal inflection point” toward a unified Syria and praised the move toward partnership.
Abdi was unable to attend the meeting due to weather conditions but is expected in Damascus on Monday to discuss implementation steps.
The deal comes after weeks of tension and days of fighting over strategic towns and oil facilities along the Euphrates, as Syrian government forces advanced into areas long controlled by the SDF.
Al-Sharaa said stability and national unity required all armed groups to operate under state authority, adding that the agreement would help restore security and sovereignty across the country.
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