Concerns in Southern Syria over Renewed Displacement to the North

Russian police escort displaced Syrians from the South to the North. (The Syrian Tweet)
Russian police escort displaced Syrians from the South to the North. (The Syrian Tweet)
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Concerns in Southern Syria over Renewed Displacement to the North

Russian police escort displaced Syrians from the South to the North. (The Syrian Tweet)
Russian police escort displaced Syrians from the South to the North. (The Syrian Tweet)

Opposition activists in southern Syria have expressed concern about the renewal of a “displacement scenario” to the north, following the evacuation of dozens of people upon an agreement between the regime and Russian-backed opposition forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Turkish soldiers continued to prevent 30 families displaced from the village of Umm Batna in the countryside of al-Quneitra, from entering the city of Al-Bab since Thursday evening.

The Observatory reported that the families from al-Quneitra were stranded at the Abu al-Zendin crossing, which is under the control of Turkish forces and their proxy factions, as they were not allowed to enter the countryside of Aleppo.

Meanwhile, a popular demonstration was organized at the Center roundabout in the city of al-Bab, east of Aleppo, denouncing the Turkish forces’ refusal to allow the entry of the families.

Earlier on Friday, activists reported seeing three buses entering Um Batna in preparation for the evacuation of 30 wanted people with their families to the Syrian North. This comes following an agreement between the military security branch and the Russians on one hand, and the Central Commission in Horan and some of the area’s officials.

A member of the Central Negotiating Committee told Asharq Al-Awsat that the committee in Quneitra and Daraa and local officials “had failed to persuade the Russian side to abolish the displacement condition imposed by the Syrian regime’s officers to resolve the situation in the town of Umm Batna and the rural Quneitra regions.”

He added that several negotiation meetings took place over the past few days in the cities of Daraa Al-Mahatta and Sa’sa, with Syrian regime and Russian officers to ease the tension and military escalation against the town of Um Batna and to go back on the evacuation decision, in exchange for a pledge by the families of the wanted individuals to refrain from committing actions against the regime forces in the region.

The official noted that the talks failed due to the regime’s insistence on the evacuation or extradition of wanted persons.



Syria Reaches Deal to Integrate SDF within State Institutions, Presidency Says

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
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Syria Reaches Deal to Integrate SDF within State Institutions, Presidency Says

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)

The Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls much of Syria's oil-rich northeast, has signed a deal agreeing to integrate into Syria's new state institutions, the Syrian presidency said on Monday.

The deal, which included a complete cessation of hostilities, was signed by interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF's commander, Mazloum Abdi.

Under the deal, whose text was posted online by the presidency, all civilian and military institutions in northeast Syria will be integrated within the state, which will thus take over control of borders, airports and oil and gas fields.

The SDF agrees to support the government in combating remnants of deposed president Bashar al-Assad's regime, and any threats to Syria's security and unity.

Since Assad was overthrown by Sharaa's Islamist forces in December, groups backed by Türkiye, one of Sharaa's main supporters, have clashed with the SDF, the main ally in a US coalition against ISIS militants in Syria.

The SDF is spearheaded by the YPG militia, a group that Ankara sees as an extension of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought the Turkish state for 40 years.

Türkiye regards the PKK, YPG and SDF as terrorist groups, and Sharaa's new Damascus administration had been pressing the SDF to merge into newly-minted state security forces.

Abdi had previously expressed a willingness for his forces to be part of the new defense ministry, but said they should join as a bloc rather than individuals, an idea that was rejected by the new government.

The US and Türkiye’s Western allies list the PKK as a terrorist group, but not the YPG or the SDF.