The Syrian government on Friday announced a new agreement with the PKK/YPG terrorist group to stabilize a cease-fire that ended weeks of clashes and to lay out the steps toward integration between the two sides, Syrian state television reported.
According to Syrian state television, citing government sources, the agreement outlines a cease-fire between Syrian government forces and YPG elements, along with the phased integration of their military and administrative bodies.
As part of the deal, the sides agreed on "the withdrawal of military forces from contact lines and the deployment of security forces affiliated with the Syrian Interior Ministry into the city centers of Hassakeh and Qamishli, with the aim of reinforcing stability."
The agreement also stipulates "the launch of an integration process for security forces in the region, the formation of a military division incorporating three brigades affiliated with the YPG, and the establishment of a brigade linked to Ain al-Arab forces within a division subordinate to Aleppo province."
In addition, the deal includes the merger of the so-called autonomous administration institutions in areas under YPG occupation with Syrian state institutions, while maintaining the employment status of civilian staff.
The parties further agreed on regulating the civil and educational rights of Syria's Kurdish community and ensuring the return of displaced people to their home areas.
The agreement aims to preserve Syria's territorial unity, enforce the rule of law and strengthen cooperation among relevant parties to achieve full integration in the region, as well as to unify efforts for the country's reconstruction, according to the report.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday said Türkiye was reviewing the new agreement.
"We are closely examining the integration agreement; genuine integration is in Syria's interest, and the parties are already aware of its conditions," Fidan told reporters in Istanbul at a press conference with his Iranian counterpart.
The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group, which has waged a decadeslong campaign that killed over 40,000 people in Türkiye, Syria and Iraq. The YPG is allied with the U.S. under the pretext of fighting Daesh remnants in the region and controls oil-rich cities in the northeast.
The Syrian army launched an operation against the YPG on Jan. 16 in areas west of the Euphrates River. The operation later expanded east of the river with the participation of tribal forces, leading to most of the territories previously occupied by the group coming under government control.
A previous cease-fire and integration deal reached on Jan. 18 between Damascus and the YPG included provisions for the group's complete withdrawal from the eastern provinces of Raqqa and Deir el-Zour, the transfer of public institutions in Hassakeh to state authority, the placement of all border crossings and energy resources under central government control, and the individual integration of YPG elements into security forces.
Clashes resumed on Jan. 19 after the YPG refused to comply with the agreement. The Syrian government announced on Jan. 20 that it had declared a cease-fire and granted the group four days to proceed with integration.
Syria's new leaders, since toppling former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, have been working to assert their full authority over the country torn by nearly 14 years of civil war.
An agreement was reached with the YPG on March 10, 2025, that called for equal rights for the Kurdish component and the integration of civil and military institutions into the state. The group failed to abide by it, insisting on decentralized rule and its self-styled autonomy in the northeast. Damascus has since issued a special decree guaranteeing the cultural, linguistic and civil rights of Kurdish Syrians.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has moved closer to Damascus under President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The U.S. did not intervene militarily in this month's fighting but pushed the two sides to make a deal.
Friday's announcement appears to be a step toward solidifying the cease-fire.
U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, in a statement posted on X, called the new agreement a "profound and historic milestone in Syria's journey toward national reconciliation, unity and enduring stability."
The envoy, also the U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye, said the agreement reflects what he described as a shared commitment to preserving Syria's territorial integrity and advancing inclusive governance, while opening the door to broader political participation.
Barrack also highlighted recent measures by Damascus concerning the Kurdish community, including steps related to citizenship restoration, language recognition and legal protections, describing them as efforts to address long-standing grievances.
According to Barrack, these developments could help restore trust, strengthen state institutions, and create conditions conducive to reconstruction and long-term stability.
