US welcomes Kurds and Syria's transitional authorities agreement

WASHINGTON,— The United States has welcomed an agreement between Kurdish-led forces and Syria’s interim authorities to integrate the institutions of the autonomous Kurdish region into the country’s national institutions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday.

The deal, reached between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus, will bring Kurdish-administered areas under central government control. The Syrian presidency announced the deal on Monday.

“The United States welcomes the decision by Syrian authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces to unify governance across Syria,” Rubio said in a statement.

“We continue to support a political transition that ensures inclusive and stable governance. We remain concerned about recent violence targeting minority communities and will monitor developments closely.”

Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has sought to consolidate control following the December ouster of Bashar al-Assad, who ruled for over 13 years. The latest agreement is part of efforts to dismantle independent armed groups and reestablish state authority across the country.

Under the deal, military and civilian institutions overseen by the Kurdish-led administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) will be incorporated into the state. Border crossings, an airport, and vital oil and gas resources in the region will also transition to Damascus’ management.

The agreement comes as Syria grapples with renewed instability, particularly after recent attacks on the Alawite minority in the western part of the country. Al-Sharaa has warned that such violence threatens national unity efforts.

The United States has long supported the SDF as a key partner in the fight against the Islamic State, despite opposition from Turkey, which considers the group linked to insurgents within its borders.

(With files from Reuters | AFP | State.gov)