United News of Bangladesh

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Friday announced a fresh agreement with Syria’s central government aimed at reinforcing a ceasefire that ended weeks of clashes and setting out a roadmap for integration between the two sides. Under the deal, security forces affiliated with Syria’s Interior Ministry will deploy to the cities of al-Hassakeh and Qamishli in the Kurdish heartland, areas they were previously barred from entering, the SDF said in a statement. The agreement also initiates the process of merging SDF forces with government troops. As part of the integration, a new military formation will be created, comprising three brigades drawn from the SDF. In addition, a separate brigade of SDF fighters will be incorporated within an existing government brigade in Aleppo province. The agreement also provides for the integration of local institutions of the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria and their employees into state institutions. The region has operated as a de facto autonomous zone for several years. The SDF said the deal includes provisions for civil and educational rights for Kurdish people and guarantees the return of displaced residents to their home areas. According to the statement, the agreement seeks to unify Syrian territory and complete the integration process through enhanced cooperation and joint efforts to rebuild the war-torn country. There was no immediate official comment from Damascus, though Syrian state television quoted an unnamed official as confirming the agreement. The SDF lost much of its territory in northeast Syria during a government offensive after heavy fighting erupted in Aleppo on Jan 6, following months of stalled talks over a previous integration arrangement. Since the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Syria’s new leadership has struggled to fully assert control over a country devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war. A deal reached in March to merge the SDF with Damascus failed to gain momentum. The United States, a longtime backer of the SDF in the fight against Islamic State militants, has recently moved closer to Damascus under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. While Washington did not intervene militarily in the latest clashes, it pressed both sides to reach an agreement. A ceasefire brokered last week has largely held, and Friday’s announcement is seen as a step toward consolidating that truce.

Syrian government forces moved into two northern towns on Saturday after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced their withdrawal in an apparent effort to prevent further clashes. State media said two soldiers were killed and several others injured in the latest violence. The town of Deir Hafer changed control following deadly fighting earlier this month between government troops and the US-backed SDF in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. The clashes ended with Kurdish fighters leaving three neighbourhoods taken over by government forces. An Associated Press reporter saw government tanks, armoured vehicles and pickup trucks mounted with heavy machine guns entering Deir Hafer after bulldozers cleared roadblocks. No SDF fighters were seen on the outskirts of the town. The Syrian military said its forces had taken full control of Deir Hafer, seized the nearby Jarrah air base and were clearing mines and explosives. Troops later moved toward the nearby town of Maskana, where another military convoy was seen entering. However, the SDF said Syrian forces violated an agreement by entering Deir Hafer and Maskana before Kurdish fighters had fully withdrawn, warning that the move created a dangerous situation. In contrast, state news agency SANA accused the SDF of breaking the deal by attacking an army patrol near Maskana, killing two soldiers and wounding others. Over the past two days, more than 11,000 people fled Deir Hafer and Maskana using side roads to reach government-held areas after Damascus announced an offensive to retake the towns. Civilians flee ahead of possible Syrian army attack in Aleppo On Friday night, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said his forces would pull out of contested areas in northern Syria and relocate east of the Euphrates River starting Saturday morning. The easing of tensions followed visits by US military officials to Deir Hafer on Friday, where they held talks with SDF leaders. The United States maintains ties with both sides and has called for calm. Abdi was also due to meet US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack in Irbil, northern Iraq, on Saturday. The SDF’s withdrawal came a day after Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued a decree expanding Kurdish rights, recognising Kurdish as a national language alongside Arabic and declaring the Kurdish Newroz festival an official holiday. Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria said the rights of Kurds should be protected through constitutional guarantees rather than temporary decrees, adding that lasting protection must be written into the country’s future constitution.

Intermingled among 3 million civilians under siege in the Syrian government's assault on the last opposition stronghold are tens of thousands of al-Qaida-linked fighters and other militants who came from around the world to take part in the country's civil war.

Syrian troops have made significant advances against the last rebel held enclaves in the country's northwest, state media said on Sunday, consolidating the government's hold over the key Aleppo province.