Syria’s government has secured a landmark agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which oversees the northeastern region of the country.

This arrangement will integrate the SDF into the national army, marking the first instance of Syrian government control over northeastern Syria since the region's Kurdish authority gained autonomy in 2012 amid the ongoing civil war.

Scheduled for implementation by the end of the year, the deal stipulates that all public institutions in northeastern Syria, including borders, airports, and oilfields, will come under Syrian government administration.

Additionally, the agreement recognizes Kurdish rights, which have historically been suppressed under the Assad regime, where the use of the Kurdish language in schools was prohibited and Kurdish cultural holidays were banned.

The text of the agreement specifically allows for the participation of all Syrians in the country’s new political framework, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

This nationwide initiative is viewed as a critical advancement for transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who initiated negotiations with the SDF to consolidate government authority across Syria.

The agreement resolves uncertainties surrounding the SDF's position following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on December 8. Prior to this deal, Turkish-backed rebel groups, now incorporated into the Syrian army, engaged in frequent skirmishes with the SDF since the fall of the Assad regime.

The announcement of the agreement was met with celebratory responses, as crowds gathered in Raqqa and Damascus to express their support.

This development coincides with a recent declaration from the Syrian defense ministry marking the conclusion of military operations against loyalist forces on the Syrian coast.

Such operations were prompted by coordinated assaults on government forces by troops loyal to the ousted Assad regime, which led to intense fighting resulting in over 1,000 fatalities, including at least 745 civilians.

Reports from the Syrian Network for Human Rights detail that loyalists killed 211 civilians and 172 security personnel, while government forces accounted for 396 civilian deaths amid the conflict.

Following these violent events, Al-Sharaa has vowed accountability for those responsible for civilian casualties or abuses of power, emphasizing that anyone who contributes to the bloodshed will face justice.

The potential impact of recent atrocities on the handover of military authority from the SDF to the Syrian state remains uncertain, as the Kurdish population in Syria approaches the agreement with caution, given the historical context of oppression experienced under the Assad government.

In addition to addressing Kurdish autonomy, the Syrian government faces challenges with the Druze community in the south, which has maintained a degree of autonomy under the country’s new leadership.

Israeli officials have signaled potential military action should the central government threaten Druze residents, while Druze leaders have categorically opposed any Israeli intervention in Syria.

In a related development, the Israeli air force reportedly conducted strikes on military sites in Daraa, southern Syria, shortly after the agreement’s signing, according to state-affiliated media sources.