Shafaq News– Damascus

Syria’s transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on Sunday signed a new agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), ending recent clashes and paving the way for the group’s integration into state institutions.

According to a statement from the President’s media office, the agreement allows SDF members to join the Syrian Ministry of Defense individually after security checks, while maintaining the autonomy of Kurdish-majority areas.

The government will also take full control of oil fields, appoint a new governor in Hasakah, and bring all civil institutions in the province under state administration. The heavy military presence in Ain Al-Arab (Kobani) will be withdrawn and replaced by a civilian force drawn from local residents.

Meanwhile, a source told Shafaq News that the SDF is preparing a significant announcement on the ongoing negotiations over the ceasefire and full integration into Syrian institutions, adding, “Damascus has proposed implementing the March 10 Agreement framework and offered Kurdish parties several senior roles in key ministries, including Defense, Interior, and Foreign Affairs.” Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and the United States are expected to act as guarantors of the agreement, the source confirmed.

The United States welcomed the deal, describing the ceasefire as a pivotal moment in which former adversaries are embracing partnership over division. On X, US President Special Envoy Tom Barrack noted that Washington looks forward to the “seamless” integration of the SDF into Syrian government institutions, hailing the group’s role as a “historic partner in the fight against ISIS.”

Sunday’s accord builds on a March 2025 framework under which the Syrian government and the SDF agreed to integrate SDF civilian and military institutions into state structures and return central authority over border crossings, an airport, and major oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria.

Earlier meetings held in January 2026 had failed to resolve disputes over military integration and governance, including the structure of any merger with the Syrian army and whether a decentralized security and administrative model would be maintained.

Syrian officials have repeatedly accused the SDF of lacking the political will to move forward, a claim the Kurdish leadership has consistently rejected.

Read more: March 10 Syria–SDF Pact tested as unwritten timeline nears end-2025