Ceasefire agreed in Syria as Kurdish forces fold into state control
The deal follows months of failed negotiations to integrate Kurdish forces into the state, during which President Ahmed al-Sharaa said it was unacceptable for the SDF to control a quarter of the country and hold its main oil and commodities resources.However, on Sunday, al-Sharaa announced the ceasefire after a meeting with the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, in Damascus.Barrack praised the agreement as a step toward a "unified Syria."SDF commander Mazloum Abdi was also expected to attend, but was unable to travel due to weather conditions, al-Sharaa said.He will now meet the president on Monday instead.Syrian government forces had moved into Raqqa and nearby oil facilities earlier on Sunday, following an SDF withdrawal.The SDF had received a strong backing from the United States during Syria's civil war almost a decade ago, when its troops were trained and armed in the fight against the Islamic State group (ISIS). The Kurdish-led forces were able to clear ISIS from much of northeastern Syria and went on to govern both Kurdish- and Arab-majority areas.Both sides have now agreed for Syrian authorities will take over civilian institutions, border crossings and oil and gas fields which are currently under Kurdish self-rule.Damascus will also assume responsibility for prisons and detention camps holding tens of thousands of foreign Isis fighters and their families.SDF military and security personnel will be integrated into Syria's defence and interior ministries following vetting.Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights will be recognised by Damascus, including giving Kurdish official language status and marking the Kurdish new year as a national holiday.This will be the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria gained independence from France in 1946.The agreement also reaffirms Syria's participation in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State.
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