Syria gov't security forces enter Kurdish Hasaka city under deal

HASAKA,— Syrian government security forces entered Hasaka city in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) on Monday under a new integration agreement with Kurdish authorities, AFP reported.

The move follows a deal reached last week to gradually merge Kurdish military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state framework.

The agreement, finalized on Friday, came after weeks of territorial concessions by Kurdish forces to advancing government Islamist troops amid months of tensions and sporadic clashes.

It marks a significant step in the government’s effort to extend its authority across the country, affecting areas where the Kurds have maintained de facto autonomy since the fight against the Islamic State group (IS/ISIS) group during Syria’s civil war.

A convoy of government vehicles passed a Kurdish checkpoint on its way into Hasaka, where armed Kurdish personnel observed the movement.

Marwan al-Ali, recently appointed as head of internal security for Hasaka province, instructed state forces to operate “according to the established plans and fully comply with laws and regulations,” according to AFP.

Kurdish security forces remained stationed inside Hasaka as government personnel entered. The streets were largely empty, and shops stayed closed because of a curfew that is in effect until 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT).

General Mazloum Abdi, head of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told AFP the integration would begin Monday, with both sides withdrawing from frontline positions in some northeastern areas and the Kurdish town of Kobane in the north.

He added that only a “small internal security force” would operate in areas of Hasaka and Qamishlo, while “no military units will enter any Kurdish city or town.” Authorities plan to impose a curfew in Qamishlo on Tuesday.

The Friday agreement is intended to unify Syrian territory, including Kurdish regions, while maintaining a ceasefire and facilitating the “gradual integration” of Kurdish forces and administrative institutions.

Some Kurdish demands appear to have been included, such as forming brigades composed of SDF fighters.

Officials in Aleppo province met with Kurdish forces in Kobane on Sunday to discuss security arrangements and plans for government personnel to enter the town.

Kobane, located more than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Hasaka near the Turkish border, has long been seen as a symbol of Kurdish victories against IS.

The United States, which led a coalition supporting Kurdish forces against IS, has recently moved closer to Syria’s new Islamist authorities, indicating that its partnership with the Kurds has largely concluded.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mustafa said the integration deal will also include the transfer of control over oil fields, Qamishlo airport, and border crossings to the government within ten days.

With Syrian Islamist government forces expanding into Kurdish areas, only the Druze Sweida province will remain largely outside state control. Syrian government fighters killed hundreds of Druze civilians during the attack in 2025.

Sectarian violence affected the south last year, while Syria’s coastal Alawite region also saw attacks, as Syrian government militias killed over 1,500 of Alawite civilians. according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Islamist authorities who took power after ousting Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 have pledged to protect minorities.

(With files from AFP)