Fragile Peace: Inside the Syria-SDF Ceasefire
Huda Abukar, BA Politics and International Relations
On January 18th, a US-brokered ceasefire was announced by the Syrian President, Ahmad al-Shaara, with calls to halt hostilities after consistent escalating clashes between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF).
Since the end of World War I, issues have persisted within the Middle East as Kurds were promised a unified Kurdistan. This has not been integrated; the British and French Mandate created borders leaving the Kurdish people fragmented across Syria, Turkey, and Iraq. This post-mandate map laid the foundations for today’s contested Kurdish regions, shaping how Kurdish actors would later emerge in the Syrian uprising and war.
During the Syrian civil war, Kurdish fighters organised into the SDF and partnered with the US against ISIS while confronting Turkish-backed forces. They secured the Northeast of Syria, controlling provinces with key oil and agricultural assets. The SDF still remained vulnerable as the US interest began shifting.
Kurds within Syria have been advocating for national recognition as a distinct and collective group with the right to have the political status within the existing political order. In March 2025, there was an agreement to integrate the SDF into Syrian government armed forces. However, this was unsuccessful. The current ceasefire is the newest effort to break this deadlock over Kurdish autonomy and the SDF’s position in Syria’s security architecture.
The new 14-point agreement sets out the terms of the latest ceasefire between Damascus and the SDF. This agreement centralises leadership to the Syrian government. Since the announcement of the ceasefire, the Syrian government has made significant territorial gains. They have secured the oil rich territories—Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, and Hasakah— meaning they have increasing government control in the Northeast of Syria. This ceasefire has weakened Kurdish autonomy in Northeastern Syria, leaving Kurdish communities more vulnerable to other armed actors.
Al-Shaara proclaimed the national recognition of Kurdish people. The issued Presidential Decree No.13 recognised Kurdish as a national language and restored citizenship to Kurdish people. This overturned the 1962 census in the province of Hasakah which had previously stripped many Kurds of Syrian nationality. The new measures extend citizenship to both stateless Kurds and those affected in Hasakah.
One week into the ceasefire (at the time of writing), many Syrian-Kurds have grown frustrated with the SDF and their pushback to Al-Shaara’s deal. The push for this ceasefire and growing calls for the SDF to assimilate into state structures has led to increased tension. This ceasefire is regarded as, for many, a turning point in Syria-Kurdish relations. Regional and international states are watching closely to see whether the arrangement stabilises the Northeast or merely freezes tensions in Syria.
