Syria, YPG/SDF Announce Nationwide Ceasefire

Ceasefire After Territorial Reversal

The Syrian government and the U.S.-backed YPG/SDF reached an immediate ceasefire on all fronts on January 18, 2026. The agreement follows several days of fighting as Syrian army units advanced into Kurdish-held areas of northeastern Syria, culminating in the army’s takeover of the eastern province of Deir al-Zor after a YPG/SDF withdrawal.

The ceasefire marks a sharp shift from battlefield dynamics to negotiated consolidation. Military control changes preceded the announcement, with Syrian forces asserting full authority over Deir al-Zor on January 18, 2026. Reuters photographs from the same day showed armored units entering the province, underscoring the immediacy of the transition from combat to agreement.

“Integration, Not Autonomy”

Central to the deal is the full integration of civilian institutions in YPG/SDF-held areas into the Syrian state. Under the terms released by state media, YPG/SDF fighters are to join the Syrian Ministry of Defense as individuals rather than as intact units or brigades, subject to security vetting. The provision includes guarantees for Kurdish areas but removes the YPG/SDF’s parallel military structure.

The agreement also mandates the transfer of control over all oil fields previously held by the YPG/SDF to the Syrian government, a move that consolidates state authority over energy resources after years of fragmented control. Syrian authorities are also set to assume responsibility for prisons and camps holding members of ISIS and their families, a task previously managed by the YPG/SDF with international backing.

Security Control and Local Administration

Several clauses focus on internal security and governance. Heavy weapons are to be removed from Ayn al-Arab, with a local security force formed under the Ministry of Interior. A presidential decree will appoint a governor for Hasakah, formalizing Damascus’s administrative presence in the northeast.

The SDF committed to expelling PKK elements operating outside Syria, while the Syrian state reaffirmed its role in combating ISIS. The agreement also provides for approval of SDF-nominated candidates into state institutions and outlines efforts to facilitate the return of displaced residents to Afrin and Sheikh Maqsoud. In total, state media listed 10 provisions, framing the deal as comprehensive rather than provisional.