Syrian army enters Kurdish city of Hasakah as ceasefire takes hold | Syria’s War News
Syrian Army Deploys to Hasakah Amid Ceasefire Agreement
Published on February 3, 2026
The Syrian army has begun deploying forces to the northeastern city of Hasakah, previously held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as part of a ceasefire agreement supported by the United States. A convoy of military trucks entered Hasakah on Monday, a few hours after the SDF imposed a curfew. This move follows last Friday’s announcement of a newly brokered deal between the Syrian government and the SDF.
The purpose of the agreement is to enforce a ceasefire that has brought an end to weeks of conflict during which the SDF lost significant territory in northeastern Syria. Key components of the agreement include the incorporation of SDF fighters into Syria’s national army and police forces, as well as the integration of civilian institutions controlled by the SDF into the central government framework.
While government forces are expected to refrain from entering predominantly Kurdish areas, small security units from the Interior Ministry will assume control of state institutions in Hasakah and the nearby city of Qamishli. These institutions include civil registries, passport offices, and the local airport. Kurdish police will maintain security in both cities until they eventually merge with the Interior Ministry.
The entry of Syrian government forces into Hasakah was executed without incident and according to plan.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a warning to Kurdish forces, viewing the SDF as an extension of a Kurdish-led insurgency in Turkey. In a televised address, Erdogan stated, “With the latest agreements, a new page has now been opened before the Syrian people. Whoever attempts to sabotage this will be crushed under it.”
The Friday agreement also outlines the formation of a military division comprising three SDF brigades, along with an additional brigade from Kobane, which will operate under state oversight in the Aleppo governorate. The deal further stipulates that governing bodies in SDF-held areas will be integrated with state institutions.
On Monday, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that Interior Ministry forces began their deployment in rural areas surrounding Kobane. Since the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad 14 months ago, efforts by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to unify the divided nation under a central authority have been challenged by violent confrontations with the SDF and other groups.
