ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria’s Defense Ministry on Saturday announced a 15-day ceasefire extension between the Syrian Arab Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) amid deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in the northeast.
The ministry said the ceasefire would come into effect at 11 pm local time, three hours after the original ceasefire expired.
The news came amid reports that the Syrian Arab Army and SDF were mobilizing troops and engaging in tense standoffs in northeast Syria on Saturday. The Defense Ministry said the extension would support the US military to “evacuate ISIS detainees from SDF prisons to Iraq.”
The SDF in a statement confirmed the agreement which was reached “through international mediation,” saying that “dialogue with Damascus continues.” The Kurdish-led force affirmed its “commitment to the agreement.”
The SDF and the Syrian government have engaged in intensive US-mediated negotiations to integrate the autonomously-run SDF and Kurdish-majority areas into the central government during the four-day ceasefire, which Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced Tuesday.
Since mid-January, the SDF have clashed with Syrian government forces and allied armed groups as they seized SDF-held areas, including former ISIS strongholds such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour, and advanced on the Kurdish stronghold of Hasaka.
The situation in northeastern Syria remains tense, with the Syrian military announcing plans for civilian evacuations shortly after the ceasefire expired, an indication they were preparing to resume military operations against the SDF. Syrian officials have repeatedly said they are willing to use military pressure to bring Kurdish leaders to the negotiating table.
In an interview with the Syrian news channel Al-Ikhbariya on Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Command accused the SDF of bringing in reinforcements from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from the Qandil Mountains to Hasaka province. The SDF denies claims by Syria and its ally, Turkey, that the PKK - which is outlawed in Turkey - is involved in fighting.
The SDF earlier Saturday said the Syrian military was “continuing systematic military build-ups and escalations” in northeastern Syria and in the Kurdish-held border city of Kobane. Damascus-allied armed groups have cut off access to the city, triggering a humanitarian crisis amid freezing temperatures that killed four children, the Kurdish Red Crescent told Rudaw Saturday.
Syria’s foreign ministry on Thursday accused the SDF of violating the ceasefire agreement, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, and warned “limited” military operations could be used “to protect civilians and end the chaos.”
The ministry said the ceasefire would come into effect at 11 pm local time, three hours after the original ceasefire expired.
The news came amid reports that the Syrian Arab Army and SDF were mobilizing troops and engaging in tense standoffs in northeast Syria on Saturday. The Defense Ministry said the extension would support the US military to “evacuate ISIS detainees from SDF prisons to Iraq.”
The SDF in a statement confirmed the agreement which was reached “through international mediation,” saying that “dialogue with Damascus continues.” The Kurdish-led force affirmed its “commitment to the agreement.”
The SDF and the Syrian government have engaged in intensive US-mediated negotiations to integrate the autonomously-run SDF and Kurdish-majority areas into the central government during the four-day ceasefire, which Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced Tuesday.
Since mid-January, the SDF have clashed with Syrian government forces and allied armed groups as they seized SDF-held areas, including former ISIS strongholds such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour, and advanced on the Kurdish stronghold of Hasaka.
The situation in northeastern Syria remains tense, with the Syrian military announcing plans for civilian evacuations shortly after the ceasefire expired, an indication they were preparing to resume military operations against the SDF. Syrian officials have repeatedly said they are willing to use military pressure to bring Kurdish leaders to the negotiating table.
In an interview with the Syrian news channel Al-Ikhbariya on Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Command accused the SDF of bringing in reinforcements from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from the Qandil Mountains to Hasaka province. The SDF denies claims by Syria and its ally, Turkey, that the PKK - which is outlawed in Turkey - is involved in fighting.
The SDF earlier Saturday said the Syrian military was “continuing systematic military build-ups and escalations” in northeastern Syria and in the Kurdish-held border city of Kobane. Damascus-allied armed groups have cut off access to the city, triggering a humanitarian crisis amid freezing temperatures that killed four children, the Kurdish Red Crescent told Rudaw Saturday.
Syria’s foreign ministry on Thursday accused the SDF of violating the ceasefire agreement, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, and warned “limited” military operations could be used “to protect civilians and end the chaos.”
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