Homecoming For Displaced Kurds? Syria’s Interim Government And Kurdish-Led Forces Sign Historic Ceasefire Deal

In a historic breakthrough, Syria’s interim government signed a ceasefire agreement on 10 March with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast region, reported The Hindu.

The deal includes the merging of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army, consolidating much of the country under the new government’s control.

A Major Shift in Syria’s Power Dynamics

The agreement, signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, marks a significant turning point in Syria’s post-war landscape.

It follows the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group that now leads the government.

Under the deal, to be implemented by year-end, the central government will take control of:

• All border crossings with Iraq and Turkey

• Airports and oil fields in the northeast

• Prisons housing 9,000 suspected Islamic State (IS) members

The agreement also paves the way for hundreds of thousands of displaced Kurds to return home, a crucial step in resolving one of the war’s longstanding humanitarian crises. 

Additionally, thousands of Kurds who were denied Syrian citizenship under Assad’s rule will now be granted nationality.

Earlier on Monday, the interim government declared the conclusion of military operations against pro-Assad insurgents. The recent wave of violence, described as the deadliest since the civil war officially ended, resulted in over 200 deaths.

The agreement promises political inclusion for all Syrians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, in the country’s governance.

Syria’s Long Road to Stability

Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011, has resulted in over 5 lakh deaths and the displacement of millions. While this agreement offers a path toward political and military stabilisation, its success will depend on whether all factions—both within and outside Syria—honor the terms.