Syrian President and SDF sign integration agreement

The Syrian government has announced a ceasefire has been agreed with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that will involve the withdrawal of the latter’s forces from areas west of the Euphrates River, according to Syrian state media.

Sunday’s deal will also see SDF forces integrate into the Syrian military.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that the agreement will see Syrian state institutions move into three eastern and northern governorates – al-Hasakah, Deir Az Zor, and Raqqa – previously controlled by the SDF.

“We advise our Arab tribes to remain calm and allow for the implementation of the agreement’s terms,” al-Sharaa said.

The agreement establishes ceasefire along the entire frontline and provides for strengthening government institutions in Syria’s eastern and northeastern regions that were previously controlled by the SDF.

Under the agreement, Kurdish fighters and SDF security officers will be admitted to the Syrian defense and interior ministries’ structures "on an individual basis after an obligatory check." They will be awarded military ranks and provided with government privileges. However, Kurdish district will enjoy a special status.

Apart from that, all Kurdish civilian institutions in the al-Hasakah governorate, populated mostly by Kurds, will be incorporated into the Syrian state. The Syrian president will also appoint the governorate’s governor.