Syrian Army deploys into northeast under landmark SDF integration deal

The Syrian Arab Army has begun a major deployment across the strategic Jazira region to secure territory as part of a new ceasefire and political integration agreement with the Kurdish-led SDF. This marks a significant step in reasserting Damascus's control over the northeast.

The Syrian Arab Army has initiated a significant military deployment into northeastern Syria, moving to secure key areas under the terms of a newly implemented ceasefire and political integration pact. According to a statement from the army's Operations Command carried by Alikhbariya TV on Monday, units have begun fanning out across the Jazira region, a vast and resource-rich area that has been largely outside central government control for over a decade.

Securing strategic infrastructure and territory

Initial reports from Syrian state media indicate that government forces have already secured control of several critical locations. These include the strategically important Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River, located south of Manbij, as well as areas in the northern Raqqa countryside and the western Hasakah countryside. This deployment represents the tangible, on-the-ground implementation of the agreement announced just days prior, translating a political document into a military reality aimed at restoring state authority.

The context of the ceasefire and integration agreement

This military movement follows the formal announcement on Sunday by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa of a comprehensive ceasefire and a plan for the full integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions. The deal, which also received backing from the United States and regional powers like Jordan and Qatar, mandates an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of SDF military formations to areas east of the Euphrates River as a preparatory step for their eventual absorption into the national army and civil administration.

Implications for regional stability and Türkiye's security

The successful deployment and implementation of this agreement carry profound implications, particularly for Türkiye. Ankara has long viewed the SDF's dominant faction, the People's Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of the PKK terrorist organization and a direct threat to its national security. The disbandment of the YPG as an independent armed force and the restoration of Syrian government control over the border region would directly address a primary security concern for Türkiye. However, the permanence of this shift depends entirely on the faithful and complete execution of the integration terms, a process that will be closely monitored in Ankara as a test of whether its core security demands are being definitively met.