ALBAWABA- Syrian Interior Ministry security forces entered the northeastern city of Qamishli on February 3, 2026, under a newly agreed ceasefire and integration framework with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), marking a significant shift in control arrangements in Al-Hasakah Governorate.
State media reported that a convoy of security personnel began deploying to assume duties at state institutions, including civil registry offices and Qamishli airport, as authorities imposed a curfew from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The deployment proceeded without reported incidents and in coordination with SDF units.
The move follows a U.S.-brokered agreement announced on January 30 that ended weeks of clashes triggered by a Syrian government offensive in the northeast. Under the deal, SDF forces are to be gradually integrated into Syrian state structures, including the formation of a new military division comprising three SDF brigades and a Kobani-based brigade linked administratively to Aleppo Governorate.
Damascus is set to regain control of key assets, including oil fields, border crossings, and Qamishli airport, within ten days, while the SDF retains limited administrative autonomy in predominantly Kurdish areas. The agreement also bars Syrian army units from entering city centers and villages.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the arrangement safeguards Kurdish rights, including education and local administration, while reaffirming Syria’s territorial unity.
The SDF has controlled much of northeast Syria since 2014 with U.S. backing in the fight against ISIS, a status that has long been contested by Damascus. A renewed government push in January 2026 reclaimed several Arab-majority areas, accelerating negotiations to prevent broader escalation.
The pact also addresses SDF demands for political representation, including senior administrative roles in Al-Hasakah, and includes provisions to remove PKK-linked elements and coordinate the management of ISIS detainees. Similar handovers of state institutions took place in Hasakah city on February 2.
The deployment signals a cautious step toward stabilizing Syria’s fragmented northeast, though challenges to full integration remain. The developments are being closely watched by Turkey, which views the SDF as linked to the PKK and has repeatedly raised security concerns along its southern border.
