Jolani and Syrian Kurds' Agreement with Direct Trump Intervention

The SDF forces must hand over the provinces of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, border crossings, and oil and gas fields to the Syrian army and government.

News ID: 87285

Date: 20 January 2026 - 09:25

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Syrian government announced on Sunday that it had reached a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), taking almost full control of the country. This comes as the Jolani regime disbanded the Kurdish-led militia, which had controlled the northeast for more than a decade, after the Syrian army advanced fully into Kurdish-held areas.

The announcement of the disbandment of the Kurdish-led forces came after tensions between government forces and the SDF reached a peak earlier this month, leading to a major advance by government forces eastward. The SDF also appears to have retreated after initial clashes in a tense frontline area in eastern Aleppo province.

On the other hand, hours after the Jolani government announced the agreement, Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), also confirmed the agreement in a video statement, saying that the group had accepted the agreement, according to which their withdrawal from Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces was to “stop the bloodshed.”

Accordingly, Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced in a speech that “we will explain the terms of the agreement to our people in the coming days.” On the other side of the field, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that after the agreement was announced, it had issued an order to stop fighting on the front lines.

The important issue in this regard is that the new Syrian leaders, since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, have made great efforts to exercise their full authority over the country. Another agreement was reached in March that would have merged the SDF with Damascus, but it did not make any progress, as both sides accused each other of violating the agreement.

But that was not all, and since the full advance of the Syrian army, the Jolani government has taken control of the provinces of Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, and vital areas under the control of the SDF, including oil and gas fields, dams on the Euphrates River, and border crossings.

Meanwhile, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the self-proclaimed Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had signed and was implementing a ceasefire agreement with the SDF. However, the leader of the SDF, who was supposed to meet with the president in Damascus, refused to do so, although his signature is visible on the document.

On the other hand, Ahmed al-Sharaa told reporters that Mazloum Abdi was unable to travel due to bad weather and would arrive in Damascus on Monday. “This is a victory for all Syrians in all areas,” Ahmed al-Sharaa told reporters after signing the agreement in Damascus. “I hope Syria ends its division and moves towards unity and progress.”

But the interesting thing is that both sides involved in this incident are key allies of Washington. US envoy Tom Barrack met with Jolani early Sunday as government forces advanced on Raqqa and across Deir Ezzor province. Mazloum Abdi reportedly joined the meeting by phone.

Before working on the details of implementing the integration, US envoy Tom Barrack praised the agreement, saying it would lead to “renewed dialogue and cooperation towards a united Syria.” He also wrote in a post on X Network: “This agreement and ceasefire mark a pivotal turning point, where former enemies prefer partnership over division.”

The agreement includes the dissolution of the SDF and their integration into the Syrian military and security forces. This is while the group’s senior military and civilian officials will receive high positions in government institutions. In addition, according to the agreement, the SDF must hand over the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, both Arab-majority regions, as well as their border crossings and oil and gas fields to the Syrian army and government.

Of course, to date, there is no specific timetable for when and how the various elements of the agreement will be implemented. However, Jolani told reporters that the clauses and axes of the ceasefire agreement will be implemented gradually with the cessation of hostilities.

Tensions appear to have eased since the fighting in Aleppo earlier this month, especially after Mazloum Abdi announced that his forces would withdraw east of the Euphrates River, and Jolani issued a presidential decree to strengthen the rights of the Kurds in Syria.

Finally, while large military convoys entered Raqqa on Sunday evening, the SDF appears to have retreated. Meanwhile, large crowds of people celebrated in the streets of Raqqa late into the night, waving Syrian flags and setting off fireworks.