The Syrian army reached a roundabout south of Hasakeh early Tuesday after the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG agreed to a deal with Damascus for a cease-fire and withdrawal after days of fighting.
Accompanied by local tribes, troops are some 2.2 kilometers (1.37 miles) away from a major road in Hasakeh, after arriving from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour, which were liberated from the YPG over the weekend.
The army had launched a major operation on Jan. 16 in areas west of the Euphrates River, which were partly controlled by the YPG. The operation later expanded to the east of the river, where the YPG has several strongholds and a so-called autonomous region. As areas under the control of the YPG fell one after another, the terrorist group bowed down and reached the Cease-Fire and Full Integration Agreement with Damascus that includes the complete withdrawal from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour east of the Euphrates, handover of all institutions run by the YPG to Damascus, handover of control of border crossings and energy hubs and integration of YPG members to security forces. The last article of the agreement was the backbone of a March 2025 deal signed between YPG leader Ferhat Abdi Şahin and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, but the YPG has failed to comply with the agreement.
Syrian government sources quoted by Anadolu Agency (AA) on Tuesday said Şahin and al-Sharaa held talks on Monday about the agreement, but discussions on its implementation were "inconclusive." Sources said the YPG was not "flexible," but there would be more meetings in the future. Şahin and al-Sharaa held a meeting for about five hours, and according to Al-Jazeera, the talks have focused on the status of Hasakeh. Al-Jazeera reported that Şahin insisted on keeping control of the city, and al-Sharaa rejected it, warning that operations would be held if the YPG retained control. The same report says Şahin sought a five-day deadline, but the president said they wanted a final answer from the YPG on the control of Hasakeh by Monday midnight.
