Syria agrees ceasefire with Kurdish-led forces after two weeks of clashesGetty ImagesPresident Ahmed al-Sharaa said the deal would allow Syrian state institutions to reassert control over most areasThe Syrian government has announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), taking almost full control of the country, according to Syrian state media. The ceasefire ends nearly two weeks of fighting and forms part of a broader 14-point agreement that will see the SDF integrated into Syria's military and state institutions. Speaking in Damascus, President Ahmed al-Sharaa said the deal would allow Syrian state institutions to reassert control over three eastern and northern governorates - al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa. The announcement followed a meeting between al-Sharaa and the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, in Damascus. Barrack praised the agreement as a step toward a "unified Syria."SDF commander Mazloum Abdi was expected to attend the meeting but was unable to travel due to weather conditions, with his visit postponed until Monday, al-Sharaa said. Kurdish-led forces established their autonomous administration during Syria's civil war, almost a decade ago, with strong backing from the United States, which armed and trained the SDF as its main local partner in the fight against the Islamic State group (Isis).
