Syrian govt, Kurdish forces announce integration deal

DAMASCUS - The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led group the Syrian Democratic Forces said on Friday they had agreed to a comprehensive ceasefire and a phased integration of military and administrative bodies into the Syrian state under a broad deal.

Under the agreement, forces that had amassed on front lines in the country's north would pull back and Interior Ministry security forces will deploy to the centres of the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli in the northeast, both currently held by the SDF. Local security forces will be merged.

The sides announced the deal after Syrian government forces under President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured swathes of northern and eastern Syria from the SDF this month, forcing the Kurdish forces to retreat into a shrinking enclave.

The agreement includes the formation of a military division that will include three SDF brigades, in addition to the formation of a brigade for forces in the SDF-held town of Kobani, also known as Ain al-Arab, which will be affiliated to the governorate of Aleppo.

"The agreement aims to unify Syrian territory and achieve full integration in the region by strengthening cooperation between the concerned parties and unifying efforts to rebuild the country," according to the deal as announced by the SDF.

A senior Syrian government official told Reuters the deal was final and had been reached late on Thursday night, and that implementation was to begin immediately.