SDF leader to head to Damascus to finalize deal with interim authority

Mazloum Abdi, head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Sunday that he will travel to Damascus on Monday to discuss details of the ceasefire and integration agreement signed earlier in the day with Syria's interim authority.

In a televised address carried by the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, Abdi said his forces' withdrawal from Raqqa and Deir al-Zour provinces was taken "to spare blood and prevent the war from turning into a civil war," particularly amid fears of rising civilian casualties.

The SDF sought to contain the escalation after several days of clashes, shelling and rapid shifts in control across areas west of the Euphrates River, Abdi said, adding that the group remains committed to safeguarding the "gains of our people" and preserving the distinct character of Kurdish-majority areas within Syria.

He did not elaborate on the precise mechanisms for implementation but framed the Monday talks as part of an effort to stabilize the situation and avoid further confrontation.

Implementation details – including timelines for withdrawals, security arrangements and the restoration of civil administration – are expected to dominate the upcoming talks in Damascus, as the interim authority seeks to consolidate control and the SDF presses for guarantees related to local governance and rights.

Abdi's remarks came hours after Syria's state news agency SANA reported that the interim authority and the SDF had signed a new agreement aimed at ending hostilities and resolving long-standing security and administrative disputes in northern Syria.

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, 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 following 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" within 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 newly signed 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, pro-Damascus 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 would 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 along current frontlines.