Autonomous push: Kurds will join the Syrian army by March 2

The integration of the Kurdish armed groups into the structures of the Syrian state should be completed by March 2, the Kurdish administration told Izvestia. The parties are gradually implementing an agreement on the transfer of control over the northeast of the country and the inclusion of the "Forces of Democratic Syria" (SDF) in the government forces, which will be a key test for the transition period. According to the agreement, four brigades will be formed from the Kurds under the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic. The restoration of control over the northeastern territories of the country, including areas rich in oil and gas, allows the central authorities to put an end to the long-standing confrontation.

Damascus returns oil fields

The Syrian authorities and the Kurds have begun the final phase of the implementation of the agreement signed on November 27, 2025. It involves the inclusion of Kurdish formations (different detachments were united in the SDF) in the government forces and law enforcement agencies in the northeast of the country.

The Kurdish administration told Izvestia that the implementation of the agreements should be completed on March 2. The practical implementation of the agreement began this month. On February 3, government forces entered Qamishli, as well as a number of other areas of the northeast of the country that were previously under the control of the Kurdish SDF coalition. In the following days, the Syrian internal security forces continued to deploy to the SDF presence zones.

— The agreement with Damascus entered into force on February 2, marking the transition from an armed struggle to a political one after many years of conflict. The document is aimed at ending the bloodshed, preventing new wars and protecting our people from the threat of annihilation. The Kurds fought against ISIS (ISIL, an organization recognized as a terrorist and banned in Russia) not to be sidelined again, but to partner in building Syria," Ilham Ahmed, head of the Department of External Relations of the autonomous administration of northeastern Syria, told Izvestia.

The implementation of the agreement is divided into four stages and is designed for about a month. Initially, the main focus is on security and military presence issues.

Further, the administrative transfer of state institutions in Hasakah and Kobani is envisaged, followed by control over border crossings, the airport and key infrastructure facilities. The final stage involves launching the process of military, security and civilian integration of Kurdish structures into the system of Syrian state institutions.

As part of the military settlement, the parties agreed to include the SDF in the structure of the Syrian army by forming four brigades, all of which will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense of the SAR.

At the same time, it provides for the withdrawal of government troops and SDF forces from the contact lines, as well as a ban on the deployment of heavy weapons in cities. The Kurdish internal security forces will be under the control of structures associated with Damascus for the transitional period, after which they will be withdrawn from the cities.

Russia has expressed support for Syria during the transition period. During talks with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa on January 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated him on the fact that the process of restoring the country's territorial integrity is gaining momentum.

On February 2, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced its readiness to assist the Syrian people and the country's leadership, including in solving economic problems that remain among the most acute in post-conflict reconstruction. On February 4, Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Army General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in Damascus for talks on strengthening military cooperation between the two countries.

A bargaining chip: the Syrian authorities and the Kurdish forces have reached an agreement

Damascus gained control of oil and gas fields in the country

The Kurdish problem in Syria

The Kurdish issue is one of the most complex elements of the Syrian political landscape. This Iranian—speaking people, the country's largest ethnic minority living compactly in the northeast, has faced discrimination for decades. Before the conflict began in 2011, hundreds of thousands of Kurds did not have Syrian citizenship, and the unemployment rate in these areas reached critical levels. It was only against the background of mass protests that Damascus granted citizenship to a significant part of the Kurdish population in 2011.

After the start of the active phase of the war and the offensive of the IS group, the Kurdish formations became one of the key participants in the fight against terrorism. The military successes of the SDF, with the support of the United States, allowed the Kurds to establish control over vast territories, including areas with the country's largest oil fields. At the same time, the Kurdish administration has stated that it does not seek secession from Syria, insisting on broad autonomy and guarantees of the rights of its people.

Now these territories are gradually returning to the control of the central authorities. The outcome of the integration process, which is due to end in early March, will largely determine not only the future of the Kurdish regions, but also the parameters of a political settlement in Syria as a whole.

— The return of control over oil fields allows Damascus to restore revenue streams from hydrocarbon exports. This can be a stabilizing factor for the budget, although in the short term the effect is limited due to the need for infrastructure repairs and logistical problems. In the long term, this provides a strategic advantage and production growth potential," Syrian expert Mohammed Nadir Al-Amri told Izvestia.

At the same time, the risk of a new escalation of the conflict between the Kurds and the central authorities remains. The March 2025 agreement aimed at uniting the SDF with Syrian institutions had not been implemented by the end of the year, leading to new clashes in Aleppo and the northeast.

Although the January agreement includes the transfer of control over oil fields, border posts and administrative structures, mutual distrust remains strong: Kurdish leaders fear loss of autonomy and persecution.

Regional factors, including pressure from Turkey, may provoke violations of the truce. Ankara believes that the SDF has no future in the Syrian political system, as they have been linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.

Delaying or disrupting negotiations on the details of integration, as was the case earlier, could provoke a new conflict, negating efforts to restore the unity of Syria.