BEIRUT, January 30. /TASS/. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syria’s transitional government have signed an agreement stipulating that Kurdish self-governing institutions will become part of the Syrian state apparatus and that the Kurdish fighters will join the Syrian army, the SDF said in a statement published on the coalition's official press service website.
"The agreement provides for the integration of self-governing institutions into Syrian state structures, as well as the regulation of the status of civil servants," the document said. According to the statement, as part of the integration agreement, a deal was reached on respect for the civil rights of the Kurdish people, their right to education, and the return of displaced persons to their areas of residence.
The document emphasized that the agreement "aims to unite Syrian territory and achieve full integration by strengthening cooperation between the relevant parties and combining efforts to rebuild" Syria.
At the same time, the parties reached a ceasefire and agreed to merge their armies.
"A ceasefire agreement has been reached between the Syrian government and the SDF as part of a comprehensive deal that provides for the phased integration of the armed forces and administrative [apparatus] of both sides," the document noted. According to the statement, the agreement also provides for "the withdrawal of armed forces from the lines of contact," the introduction of units subordinate to the Syrian Interior Ministry into the central districts of the cities of Al Hasakah and Qamishli (in the northeast of the country), and the integration of the parties' security forces in this area.
On January 18, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa approved a ceasefire agreement with the SDF. The document stipulated that the provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa in the northeast of the country would come under the full control of the country’s transitional government. In addition, the Syrian army was tasked with ensuring the security of all border crossings and oil and gas fields in the region. On January 20, the Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire in the northeast due to the need to finalize the details of the new agreement with the Kurdish coalition. After this period expired, the ministry extended the ceasefire for another 15 days, until February 8.