Hasakah: Syrian government security forces have begun moving into the Kurdish run city of Hasakah in northeast Syria, following a new ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Witnesses said convoys of Interior Ministry vehicles entered the city on Monday and headed toward government buildings. The deployment is part of a deal reached last week to stop weeks of fighting between government troops and the Kurdish led forces.
Under the agreement, some Syrian state forces are allowed to return to key cities in the northeast, while Kurdish fighters are expected to be gradually integrated into national security structures. The deal is also meant to restore government administration in areas that had been under Kurdish control for years.
Officials in Damascus said the move was aimed at restoring order and preventing further violence. Kurdish authorities said they accepted the arrangement to avoid a wider war and to protect civilians.
The ceasefire was announced on January 30 after heavy clashes in several towns and villages. Both sides had accused each other of breaking earlier truces, and the fighting displaced thousands of people. Aid agencies reported shortages of food and medicine during the unrest.
Hasakah is one of the largest cities in northeast Syria and has long been divided between government and Kurdish control. The latest deployment marks one of the clearest signs yet that the central government is trying to reassert authority in the region.
The Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces had been the main partner of the United States in the fight against Islamic State. In recent weeks, however, their position weakened after losing territory to government troops, pushing both sides toward negotiations.
Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high. Local residents said they were cautious as security forces entered the city, fearing the truce could collapse if talks fail over power sharing and control of security.
For now, both sides say they are committed to keeping the ceasefire in place and continuing discussions on how Kurdish areas will be integrated into the Syrian state.