The Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic announced on Tuesday, 20 January, that it had reached a new understanding with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the future of al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria).
According to a statement published by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the agreement grants the SDF four days for consultations to develop a detailed plan for how the areas will be integrated in practice.
If an agreement is reached, government forces will not enter the city centers of Hasakah and Qamishli (northeastern Syria, near the Turkish border), and will remain on their outskirts. They also will not enter predominantly Kurdish villages, except for local security forces made up of residents of the area, according to the statement.
The Presidency said SDF commander Mazloum Abdi will put forward a candidate for the post of deputy defense minister, propose a candidate for governor of al-Hasakah, submit names for representation in the People’s Assembly, and provide a list of individuals to be hired within Syrian state institutions.
Both sides also agreed to integrate all SDF military and security forces into the Ministries of Defense and Interior, with discussions continuing on the detailed mechanism of integration. Civil institutions will also be integrated into the structure of the Syrian government.
The Presidency pledged to implement Decree No. 13 on Kurdish linguistic and cultural rights and citizenship rights, describing this as a joint commitment to building a unified and strong Syria based on national partnership and guaranteeing rights for all its components. According to the statement, implementation begins at 8:00 a.m.
For its part, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced a ceasefire starting today and lasting four days, in line with the understandings with the SDF and in order to ensure the success of what it described as national efforts.
SDF says it will adhere to ceasefire
In response, the SDF announced its commitment to the ceasefire, saying it will not initiate any military action, on the condition that its forces are not subjected to any future attacks.
In a statement issued after the government’s announcement, the SDF said it is open to political tracks, negotiated solutions, and dialogue, and expressed readiness to move forward with implementing the 18 January agreement in a way that serves de-escalation and stability. The SDF statement did not address the rest of the points listed by the government.
Abdi had previously said his forces withdrew to Kurdish areas to protect them, describing them as a red line, and praising the resistance of residents and fighters in confronting the attacks.
In remarks to the SDF-affiliated Hawar News Agency, Abdi said his forces were repelling what he described as brutal attacks against Kurdish civilians across “Rojava.” He called on the International Coalition to intervene and protect detention facilities holding Islamic State members and their families, and urged the Syrian government to halt its attacks and return to the dialogue table.
After the al-Sharaa, Abdi meeting
A meeting was held on Monday, 19 January, between Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, but it did not produce a positive outcome, according to Fawza Youssef, a co-chair of the presidential council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and an SDF negotiator.
According to information obtained by Enab Baladi from sources familiar with the negotiations, the meeting lasted about four hours. Al-Sharaa offered Abdi a government post, along with nominating a name for the position of al-Hasakah governor, on the condition that the SDF break away from the umbrella of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Abdi requested that al-Hasakah remain under the SDF’s civil and military leadership, but the Syrian president rejected this, conditioning the entry of Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense personnel to finalize any agreement. Abdi also asked al-Sharaa for a five-day consultation period with SDF leaders, but al-Sharaa rejected that request as well.
After the meeting, both the Syrian government and the SDF mobilized their forces in preparation for confrontation.
Today, the government expanded its control at the expense of the SDF in al-Hasakah Governorate, taking over the Tishreen oil field east of the governorate and the al-Maliba regiment in the south, according to an Enab Baladi correspondent, who added that an unidentified drone destroyed an SDF rocket launcher inside the city.
The government had already consolidated control over all of Deir Ezzor Governorate (eastern Syria), on both the western and eastern banks of the Euphrates River, as well as Raqqa (northern Syria) and large parts of its countryside.
Al-Sharaa-Abdi Meeting Fails, Army and SDF Mobilize
Damascus, SDF agree to ceasefire as talks move toward final deal Enab Baladi.
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