Hours after a four-day truce between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led fighters formally expired on Saturday, Syria’s defense ministry announced that the ceasefire had been extended for an additional 15 days. The extension was presented as a temporary but necessary measure aimed at preventing further escalation at a time when the situation on the ground remains highly volatile.
In an official statement, the defense ministry said the decision to prolong the ceasefire was taken to support an ongoing operation by United States forces. The operation involves the transfer of suspected Islamic State members who had been detained in prisons in northeastern Syria to detention facilities in neighboring Iraq. The ministry indicated that maintaining calm during this process was essential to ensure security and coordination.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also confirmed that the ceasefire had been extended and reiterated its commitment to the agreement. In a statement, the group said its forces remain dedicated to honoring the truce, describing it as a step that helps reduce tensions, protect civilians, and create conditions necessary for longer-term stability in the region.
Despite the ceasefire, the situation over the past three weeks has been marked by heavy fighting between government forces and the SDF. During these clashes, the SDF lost significant portions of territory that it had previously controlled, reflecting a major shift in the balance of power on the ground and increasing pressure on the Kurdish-led force.
Earlier on Saturday, the SDF had appealed to the international community to intervene diplomatically and help prevent any further escalation, warning that renewed hostilities could worsen the humanitarian situation and destabilize the region even further.
The fragile truce came under additional strain as government forces were reported to be sending reinforcements to northeastern Syria around the time the original ceasefire period ended. These movements raised concerns among Kurdish-led forces about the possibility of renewed military confrontation.
The backdrop to the current tensions includes an agreement signed last March between Syria’s interim government and the SDF, under which the Kurdish-led group agreed to hand over territory and eventually integrate its fighters into government forces. However, talks held in early January over the details of this merger failed to achieve a breakthrough, leading to a resumption of fighting between the two sides.
A revised version of the agreement was signed last weekend, followed by the declaration of a four-day ceasefire on Tuesday. Under the updated terms, SDF members are expected to merge into the national army and police forces on an individual basis rather than as a unified bloc, a provision that has been a key point of contention.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the SDF said it had observed continued military buildups and logistical movements by government forces, which it described as clear indicators of an intention to escalate and push the region toward another confrontation. Even so, the group said it would continue to respect the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Syrian state television reported that authorities released 126 boys under the age of 18 from al-Aqtan prison near the northern city of Raqqa, which was taken by government forces on Friday. According to the report, the teenagers were transferred to Raqqa and reunited with their families.
Al-Aqtan prison also houses some of the approximately 9,000 Islamic State members detained in northeastern Syria. While most of these detainees remain in facilities run by the SDF, government forces have so far taken control of two prisons, with the remainder still under SDF administration.
Earlier this week, the US military announced plans to transfer around 7,000 Islamic State detainees from Syria to detention centers in Iraq as part of a broader effort to manage the prison population and reduce security risks. On Wednesday, US officials confirmed that 150 prisoners had already been moved to Iraq, marking the beginning of the transfer process.
