DAMASCUS: Syria’s government and Kurdish forces reached a comprehensive deal on Friday to gradually integrate the Kurds’ military and civilian institutions into the state, a step Washington described as a “historic milestone”.

The agreement aims to unify Syrian territory following the late 2024 ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. It formalises a process in which the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have recently ceded vast areas of Arab-majority land to the new government.

The SDF had held that territory for years after seizing it in fierce battles against the Islamic State group during a campaign backed by a US-led coalition.

The text of the new deal, released by both sides, said it “seeks to unify Syrian territory and achieve the full integration” of the Kurdish-majority region. It maintains an ongoing ceasefire and outlines the “gradual integration” of Kurdish forces and administrative institutions.

State media quoted a government source as saying that under the deal, “the state will assume control over all civilian and governmental institutions, as well as (border) crossings.”

In a video conference on Friday, Kurdish politician and key negotiator Elham Ahmad said the new deal enforces a “permanent ceasefire.” She noted that the US and France were guarantors of the deal, though talks were ongoing regarding the details of the integration process.

The agreement appears to include at least some Kurdish demands, specifically the establishment of SDF brigades in Kurdish-majority areas. It lays out the integration of three SDF brigades into the Syrian army in Hasakeh, with another brigade created for the pocket of Kobane, about 200 kilometres away.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2026