Syria govt, Kurdish-led militia reach deal

DAMASCUS — The Syrian interim government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, on Monday reached an agreement on merging all civil and military institutions in the Kurdish-controlled region under state institutions, state news agency SANA reported.

The integration involves those institutions on border crossings, airports, as well as oil and gas fields, SANA reported, adding the agreement was finalized during a meeting earlier in the day between Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF's top commander Mazloum Abdi.

The agreement also includes provisions to guarantee the rights of all Syrians, the official recognition of the Kurdish community as an integral part of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the protection for returning displaced Syrians, SANA reported.