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Syria extends ceasefire with SDF by 15 more days

Syrian defence ministry says extension aims to help transfer of ISIL prisoners from facilities previously held by SDF.

A ceasefire between Syria’s military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been extended by 15 more days, officials said, hours after the four-day truce expired.

Syria’s defence ministry said late on Saturday that the extension, which began at 11pm local time (20:00 GMT), aims to support a United States operation to transfer ISIL (ISIS) prisoners from detention facilities previously controlled by the SDF.

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The SDF confirmed the extension, stressing in a statement that the deal “contributes to de-escalation, the protection of civilians, and the creation of the necessary conditions for stability”.

The announcement spurred relief in Syria, which has been on edge since fighting broke out between the Syrian military and the SDF earlier this month amid a dispute over the Kurdish-led force’s integration into the national army.

The military has pushed out the SDF from the city of Aleppo and seized swathes of northern and eastern territory from the force in the past two weeks.

It was closing in ​on the last SDF strongholds when President Ahmed al-Sharaa abruptly announced a ceasefire, giving the SDF until Saturday night ‍to lay down arms and come up with a plan to integrate with Syria’s army – or to resume fighting.

The extension of that ceasefire on Saturday gives the SDF more time to integrate into the army.