Kurdish-led SDF agrees to integrate with Syrian government forces

A Kurdish-led militia confederation which controls north-eastern Syria has agreed a woody to integrate each subject and civilian institutions into the Syrian state, the country's presidency says.

The statement says the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) volition cease hostilities and manus implicit power of the region's borderline posts, airport, and captious lipid and state fields.

It besides recognises the Kurdish number arsenic "an integral portion of the Syrian state" and guarantees "the rights of each Syrians to practice and information successful the governmental process".

SDF commandant Mazloum Abdi called the deal, which helium signed alongside interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a "real accidental to physique a caller Syria".

"We are committed to gathering a amended aboriginal that guarantees the rights of each Syrians and fulfils their aspirations for bid and dignity," helium wrote connected X connected Monday night.

The woody represents a large measurement towards Sharaa's extremity to unite the fractured state aft his Sunni Islamist radical led the rebel violative that overthrew president Bashar al-Assad successful December.

The size of that situation has been made wide by the caller unit successful occidental Syria, wherever attacks connected information forces by Assad loyalists triggered reprisals successful which much than 1,000 civilians were reportedly killed, astir of them members of Assad's number Alawite sect.

The woody could besides de-escalate the SDF's struggle with neighbouring Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian erstwhile rebel factions allied to the government, which are trying to propulsion the confederation retired of areas adjacent the border.

The SDF, which has tens of thousands of well-armed and well-trained fighters, was not aligned with either Assad's authorities oregon the absorption during the country's 13-year civilian war.

It presently controls much than 46,000 sq km (18,000 sq miles) of territory successful the north-east, wherever it defeated the Islamic State (IS) radical successful 2019 with the assistance of a US-led coalition.

The SDF plays a large relation successful the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), which governs the portion besides known to Kurds arsenic Rojava.

About 10,000 IS fighters are being detained successful SDF-run prisons dispersed crossed the portion and astir 46,000 different radical linked to IS, mostly women and children, are held successful respective camps.

Since the autumn of Assad, the SDF has warned that attacks from Turkish-backed factions are forcing it to divert fighters distant from guarding the prisons and paving the mode for an IS resurgence.

The Turkish authorities views the biggest militia successful the SDF, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), arsenic a violent organisation. It says it the YPG is an hold of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) radical that waged an insurgency successful Turkey for decades but whose imprisoned person precocious declared a ceasefire.

There was nary contiguous remark from Turkey successful effect to Monday's agreement.

Between 25 and 35 cardinal Kurds inhabit a mountainous portion straddling the borders of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Armenia. They marque up the fourth-largest taste radical successful the Middle East, but they person ne'er obtained a imperishable federation state.

Syria's Kurds, which marque up astir marque up astir 10% of the population, were suppressed and denied basal rights during the Assad family's rule.