QAMISHLI, Syria — The Syrian interim government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a new agreement on Friday after days of intense diplomatic traffic that included US President Donald Trump calling Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa for the second time in nine days, amid the prospect of an all-out conflict.

In identical announcements, Damascus and the SDF said they had reached a ceasefire “under a comprehensive agreement, with an understanding on a phased integration process for the military and administrative forces between the two sides” and with their forces withdrawing from points of contact along front lines.

Although lacking in detail, the new accord marks a breakthrough for the Kurds, with Damascus agreeing to the formation of a military division comprised of three brigades from the SDF. Additionally, the SDF will retain a separate brigade for the border town of Kobani, which has been under siege by Syrian government forces for more than a week. In turn, security forces attached to the Interior Ministry will enter the Kurdish-controlled cities of al-Hasakah and Qamishli. There is no mention of decentralization in the agreement, which is what the SDF had been pressing for above all.

While short on detail, the announcement was greeted with relief by Kurds in Syria, who had lived in fear of an all-out onslaught by Syrian government forces backed by Damascus’ leading ally, Ankara. The agreement marks a win for both sides, although Damascus has inevitably — due to the dramatic regional changes and the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 — emerged on top. Led by a group of former jihadis, Syria today is Washington’s newest ally in the Middle East. The SDF has outlived its purpose as the Pentagon’s ally against the Islamic State.