Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said the ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government was reached under US sponsorship, and that his forces would use the truce period to make practical progress on the January 18 agreement.

In an interview with Ronahi TV, a channel close to the SDF, on Sunday, January 25, Abdi said dialogue with Damascus is ongoing and that other details will be discussed. He added that once the ceasefire period expires, both sides will move toward serious steps for integration.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced a 15 day extension of the ceasefire between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), starting on January 24, after the end of the four day deadline.

A state of “cautious calm” is prevailing on the front lines of al-Hasakah Governorate (northeastern Syria) as the ceasefire extension begins, amid continued military reinforcements on one side and worsening humanitarian and service needs in areas under newly established government control on the other.

Abdi said the SDF proposed names for the posts of assistant defense minister and al-Hasakah governor, adding that there is no agreed list yet.

He considered that all parties want political solutions away from militarization, and described the results so far as positive. He said channels of dialogue and negotiations with the Syrian government remain open under international sponsorship.

However, Abdi said that until a political solution is reached, the SDF will continue to resist and protect its areas.

Regarding the Syrian army’s takeover of al-Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates (eastern Syria), Abdi said the SDF’s withdrawal was intended to spare bloodshed and avoid escalation.

“We asked the Damascus government not to enter Kobani (Ayn al-Arab, northern Aleppo countryside), and they agreed, and we hope they will abide by this,” Abdi said, pointing to what he described as many violations against Kurds in al-Raqqa, al-Tabqa (western Raqqa countryside), and other areas after government forces took control.

He stressed that all those responsible for violations would be held accountable through legal channels, and called for avoiding racism or sectarianism.

Abdi said “there are international efforts to de escalate, and their success depends on Damascus and its implementation of our demands,” adding that the United States, across its political and military institutions, is participating in the negotiations, along with French President Emmanuel Macron.

He also spoke about external Kurdish support, saying, “We have support from Kurdish leaders in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Turkey at this sensitive stage.”

Agreement terms

Transitional Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced on January 18 that a ceasefire agreement had been reached between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

According to the Syrian presidency, the agreement included the following points:

1. A comprehensive and immediate ceasefire on all fronts and contact lines between government forces and the SDF, and the withdrawal of all SDF military formations to the area east of the Euphrates as a preliminary step toward redeployment.
2. The immediate handover of Deir Ezzor and al-Raqqa governorates, administratively and militarily, to the Syrian government in full, including all civilian institutions and facilities.
3. The issuance of immediate decisions to confirm current employees within the relevant state ministries, and the government’s commitment not to target SDF fighters, employees, or the civil administration in the two governorates.
4. The integration of all civilian institutions in al-Hasakah Governorate into Syrian state institutions and administrative structures.
5. The Syrian government’s takeover of all border crossings and oil and gas fields in the area, and securing them with regular forces to ensure resources return to the state.
6. The integration of all SDF military and security personnel into the structures of the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior on an individual basis after the necessary security vetting, granting them military ranks and financial and logistical entitlements in accordance with regulations, while protecting the particularity of Kurdish areas.
7. The SDF leadership’s commitment not to incorporate remnants of the former regime into its ranks, and to provide lists of former regime officers present in northeastern Syria.
8. The issuance of a presidential decree appointing a nominee to serve as governor of al-Hasakah, as a guarantee of political participation and local representation.
9. The removal of heavy military presence from Ayn al-Arab/Kobani, the formation of a security force from the city’s residents, and the retention of a local police force that is administratively affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Interior.
10. The integration of the administration responsible for ISIS detainees and camps, as well as the forces guarding these facilities, with the Syrian government, so the government assumes full legal and security responsibility.
11. The adoption of a list of nominated leaders submitted by the SDF leadership to occupy senior military, security, and civilian posts within the central state structure to ensure national partnership.
12. Welcoming Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which provides for recognizing Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, addressing legal and civil issues for those unregistered in the civil registry, and restoring accumulated property rights from previous decades.
13. The SDF’s commitment to expel all non Syrian leaders and members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from Syrian territory to ensure sovereignty and neighborhood stability.
14. The Syrian state’s commitment to continue combating terrorism (ISIS) as an active member of the international coalition, with joint coordination with the United States in this regard to ensure the security and stability of the region.
15. Working toward understandings regarding the safe and dignified return of residents of Afrin (northwestern Aleppo countryside) and Sheikh Maqsood (a Kurdish neighborhood in Aleppo) to their areas.