The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially held the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) responsible for violating a recently brokered ceasefire agreement in the country’s northeast.
In a statement released via the state news agency SANA on Friday, January 23, 2026, a ministry source asserted that the escalating tensions east of the Euphrates are the direct result of "de facto policies" pursued by the SDF outside the framework of the Syrian state. The ministry reaffirmed the government's "full right" to protect national sovereignty and security.
Ceasefire Under Pressure The current friction follows the collapse of a previous agreement reached in March 2025 and the subsequent signing of a new truce on January 18, 2026. Damascus claims the latest agreement was intended to prevent further bloodshed and stabilize the region after military advancements by the Syrian Army.
According to the ministry source:
The agreement mandates that the SDF surrender all heavy and medium weaponry to the Syrian state.
Damascus insists that the integration of the SDF into state institutions is a "sovereign internal matter."
All options—political, security, and military—remain on the table if the ceasefire fails to hold.
Counter-Claims from the SDF Simultaneously, the SDF Media Center issued its own statement accusing Damascus-aligned factions of continuing attacks on residential areas in Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) and the Al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa.
The SDF reported that:
Over 22 violations occurred on Wednesday alone, involving artillery shelling and heavy weaponry.
Shelling near Al-Aqtan prison, which holds ISIS detainees, poses a significant risk to regional and international security.
Damascus is allegedly employing "collective punishment" by cutting water and electricity to Kobani and Raqqa during harsh winter conditions.
Strategic Gains for the Syrian Army This diplomatic clash comes after a week of intense military activity in which the Syrian Army reportedly regained control over vast territories, including key oil fields previously held by the SDF for over a decade. Syrian forces have advanced to the outskirts of Hasakah and Qamishli, currently observing a temporary four-day truce to allow for negotiations on the total surrender of border regions to government administration.
As both sides appeal to international guarantors, the stability of Northeast Syria remains precarious, with the future of Kurdish-led autonomous administration hanging in the balance.
Follow the latest news on Google News
