AL-HASAKAH/QAMISHLI, February 3, 2026 — Syrian government security forces have begun deploying into the northeastern city of Al-Hasakah and are set to enter Qamishli, implementing a recent comprehensive agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The deal aims to end the country’s territorial division and integrate SDF-affiliated security personnel into the state’s Interior Ministry structure.
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The initial deployment on Monday included armored personnel carriers, support vehicles, and communication units. State media reported that local residents welcomed the forces, signaling a relatively peaceful transition of authority. Hasakah’s Internal Security Commander, Marwan al-Ali, confirmed that similar deployments would follow in Qamishli. Under the agreement, the SDF’s Asayish security forces will be integrated into the formal Interior Ministry structure, marking a significant shift in local governance.
Syrian security forces wait outside Hasakah, preparing to enter the Kurdish-majority city following the recent agreement with the SDF. SDF chief Mazloum Abdi has said that the Damascus forces’ entry to Hasakah and Qamishli is simply a “symbolic” move to ensure the implementation… pic.twitter.com/tIY2YR2rN9
— The New Region (@thenewregion) February 2, 2026
The northeastern region of Syria, which includes vast agricultural land and key oil resources, has been outside Damascus’s direct control for over a decade. Restoring sovereignty over Al-Hasakah and Qamishli represents a strategic victory for President Bashar al-Assad’s government and is seen as a step toward consolidating authority after years of civil war.
The agreement also has implications for regional powers. Türkiye, which regards the SDF’s YPG component as an extension of the outlawed PKK, has long demanded the removal and disarmament of these forces from border areas. The formal integration of SDF personnel into the Syrian state could align with Turkish security interests if the YPG is genuinely disbanded as a separate armed entity. Analysts caution, however, that Ankara will closely monitor whether the integration is substantive or largely symbolic, with YPG influence potentially remaining under a new structure.
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Observers say the peaceful deployment and integration process could set a precedent for returning other state institutions to the region while reducing the risk of renewed conflict.