Marwan al-Ali, newly-appointed head of Syrian internal security in Hasaka (center), posing alongside his deputy - Siamand Afrin, a senior commander of Kurdish internal security forces (third from right) - to take photos after entering Hasaka city, Syria, on February 2, 2025. Photo: Screengrab / Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syrian security forces entered the Kurdish city of Hasaka on Monday to implement a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with newly-appointed security officials stressing that the deployment is temporary and aimed at ensuring stability as part of an integration process with Damascus.
Around 100 members of Syria’s internal security forces crossed into the city as part of the deal, which was announced last week and came into force on Monday following weeks of intense fighting between the SDF and Damascus-affiliated factions.
The agreement, which was shared by both the SDF and Syrian state media, outlines steps toward a permanent ceasefire and the gradual integration of the SDF’s military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state, while maintaining local security arrangements in Kurdish areas.
“We are here to implement the agreement and ensure security and safety for the people,” Marwan al-Ali, the newly-appointed head of Syrian internal security in Hasaka, told Rudaw.
As part of the arrangement, Siamand Afrin, a senior commander of the Kurdish internal security forces (Asayish) affiliated with the SDF, was appointed deputy head of security in Hasaka. Afrin said the presence of Syrian forces in the city would be limited.
“They have come to stay for a while, and afterward they will leave,” Afrin said.
A similar deployment is expected on Tuesday, when approximately 100 Syrian security personnel are set to enter the nearby Kurdish city of Qamishli, also in Hasaka province.
Beyond security deployments, the agreement provides for the formation of a new military division comprising three brigades drawn from SDF forces, as well as a separate brigade for fighters from the Kurdish city of Kobane, which will fall under a division affiliated with Syria’s Aleppo province.
The deal also stipulates that the Autonomous Administration in northeast Syria will be integrated into Syrian state institutions, though SDF leaders have said local administrations and internal security will continue to be run by residents of the region.
The agreement follows a major offensive launched earlier this month by the Syrian Arab Army and Damascus-affiliated forces, which led to the SDF withdrawing from several areas, including parts of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and areas near the predominantly Kurdish province of Hasaka. The fighting displaced tens of thousands of civilians, most of them Kurds, according to United Nations estimates.
SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi has said the agreement prioritizes a ceasefire and aims to prevent further violence, while assuring residents that Syrian government forces will not enter Kurdish towns or villages in a combat role and that internal protection will remain in local hands.
Viviyan Fatah contributed to this report from Hasaka, Syria.
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