As ceasefire deadline looms, pressure on SDF to integrate with Syrian army

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by News Agencies,Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 24, 2026 at 03:20 PM

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As a ceasefire deadline approached on January 24, 2026, pressure mounted on the Kurdish-led SDF to integrate its fighters into the Syrian army. The Syrian Foreign Ministry denied reports of an extension to the ceasefire agreement, which was reached earlier in the week. The Syrian army and the SDF agreed to a four-day ceasefire on Tuesday, after Kurdish fighters relinquished territory to government forces in northeast Syria. In recent weeks, government troops have seized territory from the SDF, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s rule and gaining control of key oil fields, hydroelectric dams, and facilities holding ISIL fighters. The al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, holding thousands of ISIL fighters, is now under government control, as is the al-Hol camp housing suspected ISIL members.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Bernard Smith 30% Al Jazeera 30% United States 30% Israel 40% Lebanon 40% Raqqa ×250% Ahmed al-Sharaa ×260% Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ×470% Syrian Arab Army ×580% Syrian Democratic Forces ×790% Syria ×795%

Keywords

ceasefire 100% syrian democratic forces 90% sdf integration 80% syrian army 80% syria 70% territory 60% isil fighters 50% government forces 50% deadline extension 40%