DAMASCUS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian interim authority and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) signed a new ceasefire and integration agreement on Sunday aimed at ending hostilities and resolving long-standing security and administrative disputes in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.
The deal calls for an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts and the withdrawal of SDF forces to areas east of the Euphrates River in preparation for redeployment.
Under the agreement, the interim authority will assume full administrative and military control over Raqqa and Deir al-Zour provinces, including all civil institutions and public facilities. Existing employees will be retained, and Damascus pledged not to pursue SDF fighters or civil administration personnel. Civil institutions in Hasakah province will also be integrated into state structures.
Damascus will take control of all border crossings and oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria, with its forces responsible for securing the facilities. SDF personnel will be individually incorporated into Damascus' military and security forces after security vetting, receiving official ranks, salaries, and benefits. The agreement also safeguards the administrative and social autonomy of Kurdish-majority areas.
Prisons and camps holding Islamic State detainees and their families, along with the forces guarding them, will be merged into state institutions under the interim authority's control. Senior military, security, and civilian officials may be appointed from lists submitted by SDF leadership to ensure "national partnership" in central state institutions.
A decree by interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa will appoint a governor for Hasakah, and heavy military presence will be removed from Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in Aleppo province. The SDF also committed to expelling all non-Syrian members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from Syrian territory.
The agreement welcomes a Damascus announcement recognizing Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, addressing the legal status of formerly stateless residents, and restoring long-standing property rights. It also calls for efforts to facilitate the safe return of displaced residents to Afrin and Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.
The accord follows days of intense clashes in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour, where pro-Damascus forces advanced into key areas amid unrest and defections from SDF ranks. On Saturday night, government forces secured strategic sites, including the city of Tabqa and Syria's largest dam. Tribal mobilization and clashes in Deir al-Zour prompted emergency measures and temporary closures of public institutions, highlighting the fragility of earlier 2025 integration efforts.
Syrian officials said implementation will begin immediately, describing the agreement as the most comprehensive framework to date for ending parallel governance, consolidating state authority, and stabilizing northeastern Syria. Forces loyal to Damascus announced an immediate cessation of fighting on current frontlines. ■
