Syria’s Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a comprehensive integration agreement with the interim government headquartered in Damascus, according to an SDF statement released Friday. This accord follows weeks of escalating military pressure from government forces seeking to consolidate control over the north, succeeding a recent ceasefire.
The core of the agreement mandates a phased integration of SDF military units into the national army, with government forces deploying to key cities like Hasakah and Qamishli, Syrian state TV confirmed. The deal also stipulates the merging of local security forces and the formation of a new military division incorporating three existing SDF brigades.
This resolution materially advances the political objectives of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose administration has struggled to secure the incorporation of Kurdish political and military entities since taking power fourteen months ago. Government forces had seized substantial territory in the northeast over the preceding three weeks, pressuring the SDF’s position in their enclave.
Governing institutions previously established by Kurdish groups in the northeast are also slated for merger with corresponding state institutions under the terms of the pact. The ultimate fate of the SDF, which once controlled over a quarter of Syrian territory, has been a central geopolitical issue since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
A previous integration agreement struck in March 2025 failed to achieve substantive implementation before its year-end deadline, which directly preceded the recent government military advances. While both sides traded accusations of ceasefire violations, the SDF ultimately found itself militarily unable to sustain its independent control, according to regional analysts.
International reaction has been cautiously supportive of the diplomatic breakthrough, with the United States envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, terming the development a “historic milestone.” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the deal, urging swift implementation to ensure the peaceful integration of northeast Syria and the rights of Syrian Kurds.
The agreement solidifies the geopolitical standing of President al-Sharaa, who recently reinforced Syria’s commitment to territorial integrity during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Washington reportedly now views al-Sharaa as its principal partner in Syria, signaling a shift in US regional strategy following its prior backing of the SDF against ISIL.
