JABLEH, Syria (AP) — On Monday, Syria’s interim government reached a significant agreement with the Kurdish-led authority in the northeast. This deal includes a ceasefire and the integration of the main U.S.-backed Kurdish forces into the Syrian army.
This agreement marks a pivotal moment for Syria, bringing more areas under the control of the central government, which is led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. This group was instrumental in the removal of President Bashar Assad in December.
The signing involved interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. By the end of the year, this deal will enable the government to take control of border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, airports, and oil fields in the northeast. Additionally, prisons housing around 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State will also come under government oversight.
Under this agreement, Syria’s Kurdish population will be granted important rights, including the opportunity to use and teach their language, which had been banned for many years. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds displaced by the ongoing civil war will be allowed to return to their homes. Furthermore, many Kurds who have been denied nationality will gain citizenship.
The deal also emphasizes that all Syrians, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, will have a voice in the political process.
Syria’s new leadership faces challenges in establishing authority across the nation and negotiating with various minority groups, especially the Druze community in southern Syria.
Earlier on the same day, the government announced the end of a military operation targeting Assad loyalists. This operation involved intense clashes, especially after an unforeseen attack by gunmen from the Alawite community on police near Latakia led to widespread violence along the coast. The Alawite community, predominantly Shia Muslims, has historical ties to the Assad family.
“To those remnants of the past regime, our message is clear,” stated Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Hassan Abdel-Ghani. “If you come back, you will find strong resistance.” He noted that security forces are committed to tracking down remaining elements of the insurgency.
Even as government actions mostly contained the situation, reports emerged of retaliatory attacks against the broader Alawite community. This region, primarily Alawite, has seen security forces reinforced to restore order, with access to the coastal highway reopening.
Residents are gradually returning home. However, incidents of violence have raised concerns. One local man, Imad Baytar, reported that his father was killed while traveling through a checkpoint, which he attributed to supporters of Assad.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported over 1,130 deaths in the recent clashes, including around 830 civilians, though these figures remain unverified by independent sources.
In response to the violence, al-Sharaa described the retaliatory attacks against civilians as isolated incidents and promised investigations into these actions.
Such events have troubled Western nations, who are now being urged to reconsider sanctions against Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the necessity of accountability for those responsible for recent atrocities and affirmed U.S. support for Syria’s diverse religious and ethnic communities.
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