Syria Gives Kurds Four Days to Accept Integration as US Signals End of Support

Post by : Saif Nasser

Syria has entered a critical moment as the government gives Kurdish-led forces just four days to agree to integrate into the central state. This move comes as the United States signals that its long-standing support for these forces is coming to an end. Together, these developments mark one of the biggest changes in Syria since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad more than a year ago.

On Tuesday, the Syrian government announced a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces, also known as the SDF. The ceasefire will last four days. During this time, the SDF must agree on a plan to join Syria’s national institutions. If no agreement is reached, the government warned that state forces could enter areas still controlled by the SDF in the northeast.

The SDF is led mainly by Kurdish fighters and has been a key US partner for years in the fight against the Islamic State group. With American air support, the SDF once controlled large parts of northeastern Syria. However, the situation has changed quickly in recent weeks. Syrian government forces have advanced into several areas, and the SDF has pulled back to regions with large Kurdish populations.

The United States has played an important role in this shift. A senior US envoy said that the original reason for supporting the SDF has mostly ended. He described the offer of integration into the Syrian state as the best chance the Kurds have to secure citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation. He also said the US has no long-term plan to stay in Syria.

President Donald Trump appeared to support Syria’s new leadership, praising President Ahmed al-Sharaa for his efforts. Trump said he had spoken with Sharaa about prisons in northeastern Syria that hold captured Islamic State fighters. He added that while the US is stepping back, it is still trying to protect the Kurdish population.

The Syrian government said the four-day ceasefire would begin Tuesday evening. During this time, it asked the SDF to present a plan for integration in Hasakah province. As part of this process, the SDF was also asked to name a candidate for a senior role in the defense ministry in Damascus. The government promised it would not enter the cities of Hasakah or Qamishli during the ceasefire period.

Northeastern Syria is a sensitive area. It is home to both Kurds and Arabs and borders Turkey and Iraq. Turkey has long opposed the main Kurdish group within the SDF, seeing it as linked to a militant group inside Turkey. This has made the region a point of tension not just for Syria, but also for its neighbors and international powers.

Another major concern is the presence of Islamic State detainees. Thousands of fighters and civilians linked to the group are held in prisons and camps guarded by the SDF. As the SDF withdrew from some areas, dozens of detainees escaped, though many were later recaptured by Syrian forces. The Syrian government says it is ready to take over responsibility for these facilities.

Fighting between the SDF and the government grew earlier this month after talks broke down over the future of SDF fighters and territory. While the SDF has agreed to withdraw from some Arab-majority regions, it still controls key cities with mixed populations.

This moment places the Kurdish forces in a difficult position. Accepting integration could mean losing military independence but gaining legal and political rights within Syria. Rejecting it could lead to further conflict at a time when US backing is fading.

As the four-day deadline approaches, the choices made by both sides will shape the future of northeastern Syria. The outcome will affect not only Kurds and Arabs living there, but also regional stability and the fight against extremist groups.