Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters stand guard in Hasakah, northeastern Syria, Wednesday, August 26, 2026 (AP Photo)
More than 100 members of the security forces and 20 military vehicles affiliated with the Syrian government entered the center of northeastern Hasakah late on Sept. 1, as Damascus continues efforts to integrate security and military structures under an agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The forces, affiliated with the Interior Ministry’s internal security units, entered the city in dozens of vehicles and were deployed at several points to help ensure security. Some personnel were stationed in front of the governorate building in the city center.
The deployment was accompanied by chants, while local residents welcomed the reinforcements waving Syrian flags, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The arrival of the forces coincided with a visit by a specialized government delegation overseeing procedures to incorporate internal security personnel into the government’s military police.
The personnel had previously been affiliated with the SDF and work is continuing to complete their integration into state structures.
The development follows an announcement by SDF leader Mazloum Abdi on Aug. 25 that the group would cease to exist as an independent force once the process of integrating its forces into the Syrian army is completed.
Under the January agreement reached between Damascus and the SDF, the latter is to be incorporated into Syria’s state defense institutions.
The deal also calls for the transfer of oil and gas fields, border crossings and airports to the Syrian government, while civilian and military institutions in northeastern Syria are to be integrated into the state administration.
The agreement further includes provisions on Kurdish-language education in schools in the region and recognizes the Kurdish community as an indigenous component of Syrian society, with the state guaranteeing its citizenship and constitutional rights.
