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

The Syrian government has announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), ending nearly two weeks of fighting and paving the way for the reintegration of the group into Syria's military and state institutions.

Syrian state media said the ceasefire is part of a broader 14-point agreement that will see the SDF integrated into national structures, effectively restoring Damascus's control over most of the country.

Speaking in Damascus, President Ahmed al-Sharaa said the deal would allow Syrian state institutions to reassert authority over three key eastern and northern governorates al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa.

The announcement followed a meeting between al-Sharaa and the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, who welcomed the agreement as a step toward a "unified Syria."

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi was expected to attend the meeting but was unable to travel due to weather conditions. His visit has been postponed until Monday, al-Sharaa said.

Kurdish-led forces established an autonomous administration during Syria's civil war nearly a decade ago, with strong backing from the United States, which armed and trained the SDF as its main local partner in the fight against the Islamic State group.

With US military support, the SDF drove Islamic State from much of northeastern Syria and later governed both Kurdish- and Arab-majority areas.

Under the new agreement, signed by al-Sharaa and Abdi, Syrian authorities will take control of civilian institutions, border crossings, and oil and gas fields that formed the backbone of Kurdish self-rule.

SDF military and security personnel will be integrated into Syria's defence and interior ministries after a vetting process, while Damascus will assume responsibility for prisons and detention camps holding tens of thousands of foreign Islamic State fighters and their families.

The government also reaffirmed its pledge to recognise Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, including granting Kurdish official language status and recognising the Kurdish New Year as a national holiday — the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria gained independence from France in 1946.

The agreement also confirms Syria's continued participation in the US-led coalition against Islamic State.

The deal follows months of stalled negotiations after a previous integration attempt failed and comes after Syrian government forces moved into Raqqa and nearby oil facilities following an SDF withdrawal earlier on Sunday.

Al-Sharaa said last week it was unacceptable for a militia to control a quarter of the country and hold its main oil and commodity resources.

With inputs from BBC