Syria’s Kurdish armed group, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), has agreed to disband and integrate into the Syrian army under a new deal with President Ahmed al-Shara’s government. The agreement follows the withdrawal of U.S. support and the earlier dissolution of Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The accord marks the end of the Kurds’ long-running armed struggle in northeastern Syria and signals a consolidation of central authority in Damascus.

The development has raised security concerns in neighboring Iraq, which shares a 600-kilometer border with Syria. As Syria reasserts control over its Kurdish regions, Iraq faces growing security, political, and legal challenges along its western frontier. The transfer of thousands of Islamic State (IS) detainees from Syria to Iraq has further complicated Baghdad’s internal security landscape. Iraqi officials have strengthened border defenses and called for international cooperation to manage the influx of foreign detainees.

Analysts view the YPG-Damascus deal as a turning point in regional geopolitics, compelling Iraq to reassess its counterterrorism and border strategies while deepening coordination with Syria to maintain stability.

The Islamic State (IS) on Saturday called on its members to fight against the government of Ahmed al-Shara in Syria. The appeal came through an audio message from IS spokesperson Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari, marking his first public statement in nearly two years. In the pre-recorded message released online, al-Ansari urged IS fighters to prioritize combat against the new Syrian administration, its secular government, and the National Army.

Al-Ansari’s previous message was released in January 2024, when he had called for attacks in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Gaza. The current Syrian interim government took power in December 2024 after the ouster of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad. Ahmed al-Shara, who previously had ties with al-Qaeda, has since sought to project a more moderate image.

The report also noted that Syrian forces recently advanced against Kurdish fighters, raising questions about the fate of IS detainees held in Kurdish-controlled areas. Amid this uncertainty, the United States transferred more than 5,700 IS prisoners from Syria to Iraqi prisons.

The United States carried out airstrikes on more than 30 Islamic State (IS) bases in Syria between February 3 and February 12, according to a statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The strikes targeted IS infrastructure, weapons depots, and communication facilities. CENTCOM said the operations were conducted in response to a December attack by IS that killed two US soldiers and their interpreter. Drones and other advanced weapons were used in the missions.

The December attack had claimed the lives of two Iowa National Guard reservists and injured three members of Syria’s security forces. Following the incident, CENTCOM launched a series of retaliatory operations under “Operation Hawkeye Strike.” In January, CENTCOM forces also killed Bilal Hasan al-Jamis, an al-Qaeda-linked figure. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that those who attack or conspire against US citizens or troops would find no safe haven.

CENTCOM reported that from late January to mid-February, five additional strikes targeted IS weapons and communication centers. Over the past two months, US forces have hit more than 100 IS sites, killing or capturing at least 50 IS fighters.

The United States has withdrawn its remaining military units from the strategically important Al-Tanf base in Syria, located near the Iraq and Jordan borders. Following the withdrawal, the Syrian Arab Army took control of the base in coordination with the American side, according to a statement from Syria’s defense ministry. The ministry said the area has been secured and that military units have begun deployment along the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border, with border guards to follow.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the withdrawal, describing it as orderly and part of agreed conditions. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that US forces remain ready to respond to any emerging ISIL threats while supporting partner-led efforts to prevent the resurgence of terrorist networks. The Pentagon had announced in April 2025 that troops deployed in Syria since 2019 would be withdrawn, fulfilling that plan now.

The Al-Tanf base was established in 2014 as a key hub for the global coalition against ISIL during Syria’s civil war. The withdrawal comes months after Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, formerly a rebel leader, joined the anti-ISIL coalition, with the Trump administration expressing support for his government.

Syria has signed several multi‑billion‑dollar investment agreements with Saudi Arabia aimed at rebuilding its war‑torn economy after 14 years of civil conflict. The deals, announced on Saturday by Syrian Investment Authority chief Talal al‑Hilali, cover aviation, energy, housing and telecommunications. Projects include constructing a new international airport in Aleppo, launching a low‑cost airline named Flynas Syria, and implementing a major telecom initiative called SilkLink to strengthen regional connectivity.

Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al‑Falih said the newly launched Elaf Fund will invest about US$2 billion to develop two airports in Aleppo, while Syria’s ICT Minister Abdul‑Salam Haykal confirmed a US$1 billion telecom investment to lay thousands of kilometers of fiber‑optic cables linking Asia and Europe. The Syrian Energy Ministry also signed a separate deal with Saudi firm ACWA Power for water and energy projects. Analysts view the agreements as politically significant following Bashar al‑Assad’s ouster in December 2024 and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.

International reactions have been largely positive, though some analysts caution that many previous investment pledges in Syria have yet to become binding contracts.

Syria and Saudi Arabia have signed a multibillion-dollar investment package covering aviation, energy, real estate, and telecommunications as Damascus’s new leadership moves to rebuild after a 14-year civil war. Syrian Investment Authority chief Talal al-Hilali announced the agreements, which include developing a new international airport in Aleppo, launching a low-cost Syrian-Saudi airline, and creating a telecommunications project called SilkLink to position Syria as a regional hub. Saudi Arabia’s Elaf fund will invest $2 billion to develop two airports in Aleppo, while nearly $1 billion will go into telecommunications infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia has been a key supporter of Syria’s new government, which took power after toppling Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The deals mark the largest investment since the United States lifted sanctions on Syria in December. The Ministry of Energy also signed a water agreement with Saudi firm ACWA Power, and Flynas partnered with the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority to establish “Flynas Syria,” expected to begin operations in late 2026.

US envoy Tom Barrack praised the agreements as a boost for reconstruction, while analyst Benjamin Feve cautioned that the deals may carry more political than immediate economic weight.

A landmine explosion in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province has killed a 10-year-old boy and left his two younger brothers permanently disabled. The incident occurred in Khan Shaykhun when the children discovered a buried object resembling a toy, which detonated as they tried to unearth it. Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, rescued the injured and took them to a hospital 15 kilometers away, but the eldest boy, Mohammad, later died.

The family had returned home months earlier after spending five years in a displacement camp near the Turkish border, believing the area was safe following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. However, landmines and unexploded ordnance remain widespread across Syria, killing or maiming civilians almost daily. The International NGO Safety Organization (INSO) reported that more than 1,600 people, including children, have been killed or injured by mines since Assad’s fall.

Humanity & Inclusion estimates around 300,000 active explosive devices still scattered across Syria, making Idlib one of the country’s most contaminated regions.

Syrian President Ahmed Al Shara held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday to discuss regional developments and efforts to strengthen stability, according to an official statement cited by Syria’s state news agency SANA. Al Shara emphasized support for Syria’s political process and the importance of reinforcing stability across the country.

The discussion also covered the recent comprehensive agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Macron expressed support for the deal and stressed the need to implement it in a way that preserves Syria’s unity and sovereignty. He reaffirmed France’s commitment to coordinating efforts to help Syria and its people move toward stability, justice, and reconstruction.

The latest agreement, announced Friday in Damascus, includes an immediate ceasefire, withdrawal of forces from conflict zones, and deployment of interior ministry security units in key northeastern cities. It aims to unify Syria’s territory, restore state authority, and advance institutional integration following earlier ceasefire violations and renewed military operations.

After successful negotiations with Syria’s new government, President Donald Trump reversed long-standing US policy toward the country by lifting several sanctions and ending Washington’s cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The move left the SDF without protection and effectively ended hopes for Kurdish autonomy in northeastern Syria under American backing. Following the shift, Syrian government forces captured large territories from SDF control on January 20, prompting the group to renew a ceasefire with Damascus that includes integrating SDF fighters into the national army.

The policy change marks a major geopolitical turn in Syria’s prolonged civil conflict, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Arabia reportedly playing key roles. The SDF, once a key US partner in the fight against the Islamic State, now faces isolation as Washington aligns with Damascus in the anti-IS coalition. US envoy Tom Barrack stated that the SDF’s original mission had effectively ended, angering Kurdish leaders who had relied on earlier US assurances.

Analysts suggest the withdrawal of US support signals the end of over a decade of Kurdish self-rule in Syria’s northeast, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharar’s control over the country’s largest territory since the war began in 2012.

Five civilians were killed in a landmine explosion in northern Syria near the Tishrin and Kara Kozak dams, according to a statement released by Syrian authorities on Tuesday. The victims were reportedly returning to their village when the explosion occurred. Officials said the mines had been planted by the YPG group before withdrawing from the area.

The statement accused the YPG of preventing civilians from reaching government-controlled zones by laying landmines on roads, endangering thousands of lives. The Aleppo Media Directorate also reported that the group had blocked humanitarian aid deliveries and restricted access to several villages, including Al-Jada, Al-Qubba, and Tal Ahmar.

In response, the Aleppo Response Central Committee, in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, has sent food, medical supplies, and essential relief to the Ain al-Arab area.

The Syrian military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have extended their ceasefire for another 15 days, according to a statement issued late Saturday by Syria’s Ministry of Defense. The new period began at 11 p.m. local time, with the stated goal of assisting the United States in transferring ISIL detainees from SDF-controlled detention centers to Iraq.

The SDF confirmed the extension, saying the agreement would help reduce tensions, protect civilians, and create conditions for stability. Reporting from Damascus, Al Jazeera’s Ayman Ogana noted that the announcement brought relief among the public. The ceasefire follows a broader effort by the Syrian government to integrate the SDF into state institutions.

After the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, current President Ahmed al-Shara signed an agreement with the SDF in March of the previous year to formalize that integration process.

The United States is reportedly considering withdrawing all its troops from Syria, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Thursday. Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the report said the Syrian government has launched a major offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s north. If the SDF collapses, officials indicated that there would be no further need for U.S. troops to remain in Syria. Currently, between 800 and 1,000 American soldiers are deployed there, and ongoing clashes between the SDF and Syrian forces have increased risks for U.S. personnel.

The offensive is part of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharar’s effort to disarm militias formed during the 14-year civil war and integrate their fighters into the national army. Officials also noted that cooperation with the Syrian military would be problematic, as some of its members are sympathetic to jihadists and have been accused of atrocities against Kurdish and Druze minorities.

The SDF, once a key force against Islamic State militants, is viewed by both Ankara and Washington as a terrorist organization linked to the PKK, according to the report.

Rifaat al-Assad, the exiled uncle of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, has died in the United Arab Emirates at the age of 88, according to media reports citing Reuters. He was the brother of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad. Rifaat became infamous for leading forces that crushed an Islamist uprising in the central Syrian city of Hama in 1982, an operation that involved airstrikes and shelling and reportedly killed around 37,000 people. The brutality of that campaign earned him the nickname “Butcher of Hama.”

Following the Hama crackdown, Rifaat attempted a failed coup against his brother Hafez, which forced him into exile. He spent many years in France, where he faced charges of embezzling Syrian state funds. In 2020, a French court sentenced him to four years in prison and ordered the confiscation of his assets. After the verdict was upheld in 2022, Rifaat returned to Syria.

In December 2024, after Bashar al-Assad was deposed, Rifaat fled Syria again, traveling through Lebanon to Dubai, where he later died.

Seven civilians were killed in a drone attack carried out by the YPG militant group in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province, according to TRT World. The strike targeted a horse farm in the Al-Nashwa neighborhood, injuring several others, including women and children. The incident occurred as the Syrian government announced a ceasefire agreement with the YPG.

The YPG is identified as the Syrian branch of the PKK, which Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union classify as a terrorist organization. Prior to the ceasefire, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had declared a four-day truce with the Syrian government after consolidating their positions in the region. The ceasefire took effect at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Syrian army.

The Syrian military further stated that, as part of efforts to integrate Kurdish forces into the state structure, the SDF was asked to nominate a candidate to serve as assistant defense minister in Damascus.

About 200 Islamic State (IS) detainees escaped from a prison in Syria’s eastern Hasakah province on Monday amid confusion during a control handover between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government. The incident occurred at the Al-Shaddadi prison, and both U.S. officials and regional sources confirmed the escape.

The escape followed a unification agreement signed on Sunday under which the SDF agreed to withdraw from two Arab-majority provinces it had long controlled. As part of the deal, responsibility for prisons holding IS detainees was to be transferred from the SDF to the Syrian government. Damascus accused the SDF of deliberately delaying the handover, while Syrian leader Ahmed al-Shara voiced dissatisfaction with Kurdish autonomy and hinted at dissolving the SDF leadership.

According to U.S. officials, Washington had been working with the SDF to relocate the most dangerous foreign IS prisoners to more secure facilities before the ceasefire. Following the escape, Syrian forces imposed a curfew in Al-Shaddadi and launched a large-scale operation to capture the fugitives.