Reuters reported that Syrian, Kurdish, and American officials are racing against time to show progress, even if limited, on the March 10 agreement before the end of the year.
The agency quoted several Syrian, Kurdish, and Western sources, involved in or briefed on the talks, as saying that negotiations had accelerated in recent days despite mounting frustration over delays, and that the Syrian government had sent a proposal to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreeing to incorporate its forces into the Syrian army as brigades and divisions.
Al Arabiya channel quoted a security source in the Syrian Democratic Forces as saying that the SDF had received a written proposal from the Syrian government, the first such document since the SDF signed the March 10 agreement with the Syrian government.
The “Autonomous Administration Negotiation Committee”, formed by SDF commander Mazloum Abdi after the agreement, confirmed that the proposal had been received from the Syrian government.
The mandate of this committee is limited to integrating the SDF into the Syrian army and discussing mechanisms for implementing the remaining provisions of the agreement.
The SDF official told Al Arabiya that the SDF negotiating delegation would travel to Damascus “soon”, without giving an exact date for the expected meeting with Damascus.
He added that the written Damascus proposal included approval to incorporate the SDF into the Syrian army as brigades and divisions, describing it as a “practical translation” of a promise made by President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Abdi when they met in Damascus last October, when the Syrian president at the time agreed “orally” to incorporate the SDF into the Syrian army as a single bloc.
According to five sources who spoke to Reuters, the proposal signals Damascus’ readiness to allow the SDF to reorganize around 50,000 fighters into three main divisions and smaller brigades, on condition that it relinquish parts of its chain of command and open its areas of control to other Syrian army units.
One SDF official told Reuters, “We are closer to an agreement than ever before.”
A second Western official said that any announcement that might be issued in the coming days would be aimed partly at “saving face”, extending the deadline, and preserving stability in a country that remains fragile one year after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad.
Most sources said that any likely formula would fall short of fully integrating the SDF into the army and other state institutions by the end of the year, as stipulated in the March 10 agreement.
The sources added that the United States, which backs Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa and is calling on the international community to support the Syrian government, has played the role of mediator by shuttling messages between the SDF and Damascus, facilitating the talks, and pressing for a deal.
A Syrian official said that the deadline set for the end of the year is “fixed”, and that an extension would be considered only if the SDF takes “irreversible steps”.
Abdel Karim Omar, the Autonomous Administration’s representative in Damascus, said the proposal, which has not been officially announced, contains “logistical and administrative details that could spark disputes and lead to delays.”
By contrast, a senior Syrian official told Reuters that the proposal “is flexible in a way that facilitates reaching an agreement that implements the March agreement.”
What is the March 10 agreement?
On 10 March, the Syrian president in the transitional phase, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached an agreement providing for the integration of the SDF into Syrian state institutions.
They agreed to guarantee all Syrians the right to representation and participation in the political process and in all state institutions based on merit, regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.
Under the agreement’s provisions, the Kurdish community is recognized as an integral component of the Syrian state, and the state guarantees its right to citizenship and its constitutional rights.
The agreement also stipulates a ceasefire across all Syrian territory, and the integration of civilian and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the Syrian state’s administration, including border crossings and oil and gas fields.
Al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi agreed to ensure the return of all displaced Syrians to their towns and villages and to guarantee their protection by the Syrian state, as well as to support the Syrian state in its efforts to combat remnants of Assad loyalists and all threats to its security and unity.