{"id":2542505,"date":"2026-01-18T18:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T23:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kurdish-sdf-forces-agree-to-ceasefire-with-syrian-government\/"},"modified":"2026-01-18T18:25:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T23:25:11","slug":"kurdish-sdf-forces-agree-to-ceasefire-with-syrian-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kurdish-sdf-forces-agree-to-ceasefire-with-syrian-government\/","title":{"rendered":"Kurdish SDF forces agree to ceasefire with Syrian government"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkurdish-sdf-forces-agree-to-ceasefire-with-syrian-government%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2542505&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Kurdish SDF forces agreed too a ceasefire with the Syrian government after a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hezbollah-leader-israeli-violation-of-holy-sites-in-jerusalem-will-lead-to-regional-war\/\" title=\"Hezbollah Leader: Israeli Violation of Holy Sites in Jerusalem Will Lead to \u2018Regional War\u2019\">major offensive<\/a> left them facing collapse,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservatives-rejoice-after-supreme-court-strikes-down-oshas-vaccine-mandate-a-win-for-the-constitution\/\" title=\"Conservatives Rejoice After Supreme Court Strikes Down OSHA&#039;s Vaccine Mandate: &#039;A Win for the Constitution&#039;\">effectively amounting<\/a> to their capitulation to Damascus. Under a 14-point deal, the Kurds must hand over oil and gas fields, border crossings, thousands of ISIS prisoners, and give up control of two of three provinces while ceding most administrative authority in the remaining province. Unlike an earlier, unimplemented March 2025 pact that called for SDF militias to be integrated, the new terms require the militias to be dissolved and for fighters to join the Syrian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/seven-days-in-january-all-living-former-secretaries-of-defense-warn-trump-over-election-fight\/\" title=\"Seven Days in January? All Living Former Secretaries of Defense Warn Trump Over Election Fight\">armed forces<\/a> individually. Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani signaled cooperation, with Barzani praising a presidential decree guaranteeing Kurdish rights; U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack welcomed the agreement and offered U.S. assistance in implementation. damascus celebrated the outcome as a step toward centralizing state control, while Kurdish reactions were muted after the loss of territory and the near bloodless fall of Raqqa, where symbols of Kurdish rule were toppled.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Kurdish SDF forces agree to ceasefire with Syrian government after offensive<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2470735\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kurds\/\">Kurdish<\/a> Syrian Democratic Forces effectively capitulated to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/syria\/\">Syrian<\/a> government after suffering crushing losses from a major offensive.<\/p>\n<p>Weeks of on-and-off fighting culminated in a major offensive by government forces against long-held Kurdish areas, where they were joined by disgruntled Arab tribesmen. As SDF forces increasingly faced a full collapse, Kurdish leaders agreed to a ceasefire, the terms of which amounted to a complete capitulation to Damascus.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4423434\/cruz-american-history-acquiring-lands-defending-trump-greenland-effort\/\">Cruz cites America&#8217;s &#8216;history of acquiring new lands&#8217; in defending Trump&#8217;s Greenland push<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4423464\/europe-united-behind-greenland-readies-response-trump-threat\/\">Europe stands &#8216;united&#8217; behind Greenland as it readies response to Trump tariff threat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4423272\/iran-all-out-war-ayatollah-trump-regime-change\/\">Iran vows &#8216;all-out war&#8217; if ayatollah targeted after Trump threatens regime change<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents wave a Syrian flag atop a toppled statue of a female Kurdish fighter, with one holding a statue&rsquo;s replica AK-47 that was part of the statue, after the takeover of the town by Syrian government forces from U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Tabqa, eastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ghaith Alsayed)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;This looks like the end of the S.D.F.,&rdquo; Lara Nelson, the policy director at Etana Syria, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/18\/world\/middleeast\/syria-kurds-ceasefire.html\">told<\/a> the <em>New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The stipulations of Damascus&rsquo;s 14-point agreement laid out significantly worse terms than the March 2025 agreement, which was signed but never implemented. Kurdish forces must completely turn over oil and gas fields to the government, all border crossings, and their thousands of ISIS prisoners. The SDF will turn over full control of two of their three provinces, much of which were lost in recent fighting, and cede most administrative control of their last province.<\/p>\n<p>In a major blow, instead of the previous agreement where SDF militias would be integrated into the Syrian armed forces, they must now be dissolved, and instead, individual fighters will join the armed forces.<\/p>\n<p>Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa spoke with Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani, during which the latter adopted a conciliatory tone. He praised a presidential decree issued by Sharaa in 2026 that guarantees the rights of the Kurdish minority.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack praised the agreement, thanking Syrian and Kurdish leaders for &ldquo;their constructive efforts in reaching today&rsquo;s ceasefire agreement, paving the way for renewed dialogue and cooperation toward a unified Syria.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Two great Syrian leaders, driven by the shared vision of liberating their country and people from tyranny, have now come together to forge a brighter future for all Syrians. This agreement and ceasefire represent a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division,&rdquo; he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/USAMBTurkiye\/status\/2012925459093233947?s=20\">posted<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n<p>He said the U.S. was ready to help implement the agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Damascus was celebratory, with the defeat of the Kurds marking an end to the biggest thorn in the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-warns-that-all-options-are-on-the-table-if-israel-launches-offensives-against-lebanon-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Iran warns that \u2018all options are on the table\u2019 if Israel launches offensives against Lebanon ... Washington Examiner\">regime&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s goal of a centralized state.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Syria affirms that the unity and cohesion of the Syrian people, in all their diversity, is the solid foundation for any lasting stability,&rdquo; Syria&rsquo;s foreign ministry said in a statement reported by state media outlet SANA.<\/p>\n<p>While the Kurdish response was largely muted, the agreement marked a huge blow to the minority group, which had hitched itself to the U.S. over a decade ago in an effort to finally establish its own state or autonomous zone. Left-wing Kurdish militias had carved out their own de facto state during the civil war that began in 2011, establishing a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >largely neutral position vis-a-vis<\/a> the Assad government vs rebel forces. The U.S. was heavily reliant on its ground forces during the fight against ISIS, and Kurdish forces were the ones who stormed and captured the ISIS capital, Raqqa.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4411915\/us-syrian-allies-kurds-government-aleppo\/\">US STRUGGLES TO REIN IN SYRIAN ALLIES AS KURDS AND GOVERNMENT COME TO BLOWS IN ALEPPO<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a final humiliation for the Kurds, the former caliphate capital, the battle for which had claimed hundreds of Kurdish lives, fell almost without a fight as tribal forces defected to join the Syrian government. A statue of a female Kurdish fighter that had been raised in the city after its capture was toppled and danced on by locals.<\/p>\n<p>While the Kurds were the U.S.&rsquo;s longtime ally in Syria, the Trump administration threw its weight behind the new government of Sharaa in an effort to quickly rebuild the war-torn state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kurds, Syrian govt agree ceasefire after offensive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2542506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26018511899741.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[13427,51907,71346,7887,70426],"class_list":["post-2542505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-ceasefire","tag-kurdish-forces","tag-sdf","tag-syria","tag-syrian-government"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26018511899741.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2542505"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2542509,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542505\/revisions\/2542509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2542506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2542505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2542505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2542505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}