Syria’s President al-Sharaa to meet SDF leader Abdi after ceasefire deal 

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet Mazloum Abdi, the head of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to consolidate a ceasefire after days of battles that saw the army and government-allied tribal forces sweep across the north of the country from Aleppo to Raqqa.

The meeting on Monday, postponed from Sunday due to bad weather, follows a dramatic escalation that saw Syrian government forces retake large swathes of territory in the northeast, forcing the SDF to accept a truce and a wide-ranging agreement that brings Kurdish civilian and military authorities under central state control.

On Sunday, Abdi, also known as Mazloum Kobani, announced his acceptance of the ceasefire declared and signed on camera by al-Sharaa, stating in a televised address that the conflict had been imposed on the SDF and planned by several parties. He said he would outline the terms of the agreement after returning from Damascus.

Abdi said the SDF’s withdrawal from Deir Az Zor and Raqqa to Hasakah was aimed at preventing further bloodshed and averting civil war.

He acknowledged that the SDF suffered heavy losses, but said it would defend what he described as its gains.

SDF commander and senior People’s Protection Units figure Sipan Hamo told Reuters that the group was not seeking separation from Syria and called for guarantees from the United States and other international actors. He denied receiving support from Iran or Russia but said he hoped Israel would intervene in favour of Syria’s Kurds.

The Syrian presidency said the ceasefire guarantees the integration of SDF fighters into state institutions and the deployment of government authorities to Raqqa, Deir Az Zor and Hasakah.

Al-Sharaa said the deal provides for the full integration of the SDF into the army and called on tribal forces to allow its implementation.

Asked by Al Jazeera about the timeline for implementation and the fate of a March agreement last year, al-Sharaa said the current deal reflects the spirit of that accord.

On Sunday, al-Sharaa met US envoy Tom Barrack in Damascus. Barrack later said the agreement marked a turning point, writing on X that it paves the way for renewed dialogue and cooperation towards a unified Syria.

The US, which maintains forces in hundreds in northern Syria, is especially focused on combating any resurgence of ISIL (ISIS) in the area, following a deadly attack on US soldiers and civilian contractors in Palmyra in December.

The US carried out a new round of “large-scale” attacks last week against ISIL in Syria following the ambush that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

The Syrian Ministry of Defence announced a ceasefire on all fronts, saying it would allow safe corridors for civilians to return home and enable state institutions to resume their work.

The agreement follows a two-day Syrian military operation that reclaimed key areas in the east and northeast after earlier understandings with the SDF collapsed.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also discussed the latest developments in Syria with al-Sharaa during a phone call and said Ankara would continue to support Damascus.

Erdogan told al-Sharaa that “the complete elimination of terrorism from Syrian territory is necessary for both Syria and the entire region”, according to the Turkish presidency. Turkiye has long opposed the SDF, considering it an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it considers a “terrorist” group.