Syria agrees ceasefire with Kurdish-led forces after two weeks of clashes

0
182
Syrian Army personnel celebrated as government forces entered the northern city of Raqqa on Sunday.Credit...Karam Almasri/Reuters

By Jessica Inman UPI

The Syrian government and the Kurdish militia have reached a cease-fire agreement.

The news came as the government seized the Euphrates Dam and a military base. They previously asserted control of Aleppo.

The deal will see the government gain control of Raqqa and Deir al Zour, while the Syrian Democratic Forces will continue to helm Hasakah, though the provincial governor will be selected by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the New York Times reported.

“The challenging work of finalizing the details of a comprehensive integration agreement begins now, and the United States stands firmly behind this process at every stage,” said Thomas J. Barrack Jr., the U.S. special envoy to Syria, per the outlet.

The deal will also see militia members individually integrated into Syrian’s ministries of defense and interior.

The SDF will also cede responsibility for Islamic State prisoners and their families.

Damascus also reiterated pledges to recognise Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, including giving Kurdish official language status and marking the Kurdish new year as a national holiday – the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria’s independence from France in 1946.

[do_widget_area inner_adsbar]

Leave a reply