As ceasefire deadline looms, pressure on SDF to integrate with Syrian army

"The Syrian army and the SDF agreed to a four-day ceasefire on Tuesday, after Kurdish fighters relinquished swaths of territory to government forces, which also sent reinforcements to a Kurdish stronghold in the northeast. Government troops have seized expanses of northern and eastern territory in the last two weeks from the SDF in a rapid turn of events that has consolidated President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule."

"They brought key oil fields, hydroelectric dams and some facilities holding ISIL (ISIS) fighters and affiliated civilians under government control. The al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa province, which holds thousands of ISIL fighters, is now under the government's control. Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from al-Hol, said the Syrian army had taken hold of the camp housing tens of thousands of suspected ISIL members and that no escapes had been reported."

"There is no truth to what is being circulated regarding the extension of the deadline with the SDF, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted the ministry as saying. The Syrian army and the SDF agreed to a four-day ceasefire on Tuesday, after Kurdish fighters relinquished swaths of territory to government forces, which also sent reinforcements to a Kurdish stronghold in the northeast."

The Syrian foreign ministry denied any agreement to extend the SDF ceasefire deadline. The Syrian army and the SDF agreed to a four-day ceasefire after Kurdish fighters relinquished swaths of territory and government reinforcements arrived at a Kurdish stronghold in the northeast. Government troops seized expanses of northern and eastern territory in the last two weeks, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule. The ceasefire gave the SDF until Saturday night to propose a plan to integrate with Syria's army. Government forces captured key oil fields, hydroelectric dams, facilities holding ISIL fighters and affiliated civilians, al-Aqtan prison, and the al-Hol camp after a brief limbo period on January 20.

Read at www.aljazeera.com