Syrian state forces enter al-Hasakeh under SDF ceasefire deal

A small contingent of Syrian security forces attached to the interior ministry entered the northeastern city of al-Hasakeh on Monday under a new agreement between the Damascus government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) , officials said. The move, part of an effort to stabilize a fragile ceasefire that ended weeks of intense fighting, came as the city was placed under curfew ahead of the deployment.

The SDF announced the agreement on Friday, saying it sets out a phased plan to integrate elements of its forces into Syrian state structures and to bring civilian institutions in SDF-controlled areas under central government administration. The deal envisages the gradual integration of SDF personnel into the Syrian army and police , the formation of new military brigades from SDF units, and the incorporation of additional brigades into existing army divisions. It also calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons from frontline areas and the regularization of civil servants under Damascus authority.

Under the terms of the agreement, government military forces will not enter Kurdish-majority neighborhoods , but small contingents of interior ministry security personnel will be stationed in city centres in Hasakeh and Qamishli. Their role is to secure state-affiliated institutions, including civil registries, passport offices, and airports, and to restart operations at these facilities. The text also includes provisions to integrate local administrative institutions, regularize Kurdish civil and educational rights, and envisage steps toward the return of displaced persons to their areas.

The deal follows weeks of clashes that saw government forces recapture much of the northeast from the SDF, marking a turning point in the long conflict over Kurdish autonomy in the region. Kurdish aspirations for a self-ruled region known as Rojava have effectively been ended by the agreement, which reintegrates northeastern territory into the Syrian state and centralizes control over key infrastructure such as oil fields, border crossings, and airports.

In Baghdad on Monday, Iraq’s federal judiciary said it had begun investigative procedures for 1,387 alleged members of the Islamic State (IS) group who were recently transferred from Syrian detention facilities as part of a US-led operation. The detainees are among roughly 7,000 suspected IS militants expected to be relocated to Iraq for prosecution. Judges specializing in counterterrorism are conducting the proceedings under the supervision of the president of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council.

The transfer and trial process is part of broader regional efforts to hold suspected IS militants accountable and prevent further security threats, analysts say. The Iraqi judiciary has established a National Center for International Judicial Cooperation to support documentation of cases and expedite legal proceedings in accordance with Iraqi law.