Syria’s interim government has made a significant move by signing a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that oversees the oil-rich northeast of the country. This agreement, which includes a ceasefire and plans to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army, aims to consolidate government control over most of the nation.
The deal was signed on March 10, 2025, in Damascus by interim president Ahmad al Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed SDF. This agreement comes at a time when Syria is still recovering from nearly 14 years of civil war and violence. Recent clashes have resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people, highlighting the ongoing instability in the region.
Under the new agreement, all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, along with airports and oil fields in the northeast, will fall under the central government’s authority by the end of the year. Additionally, prisons holding around 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group will also be transferred to government control. The deal promises to grant Syria’s Kurds their constitutional rights, including the right to use and teach their language, which had been banned for decades. It also pledges to allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Kurds to return to their homes.
The agreement seeks to include all Syrians in the political process, regardless of their ethnicity or religion. However, the situation remains tense, as the government struggles to maintain authority and reach political settlements with various minority groups, especially the Druze in the south.
This latest development follows a surge of violence linked to supporters of former President Bashar al Assad. The interim government announced the end of a military operation against these insurgents, which had escalated into the worst fighting since the civil war ended. The defense ministry has stated that security forces will continue to search for remaining insurgents and sleeper cells.
While the interim president has condemned retaliatory attacks against Alawite civilians, he emphasized that these incidents are isolated. A committee has been formed to investigate the treatment of prisoners and other abuses reported during the recent violence.
As Syria’s new government works to stabilize the country, the impact of this deal could be profound, potentially paving the way for a more unified and peaceful nation.