The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Friday, while urging the return of displaced populations and access to aid in Northeastern Syria.

Paulo Pinheiro, the chair of the Commission of Inquiry, stated, “We welcome efforts to bring stability to the region and now hope for a complete end to hostilities and a sustainable resolution, including to the humanitarian crisis, with needs for stable food supply, water, and electricity being met.”

The commission reiterated the urgent need for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and safe civilian passage. It warned that cold winter conditions, compounded by shortages of electricity, water, food, and heating, could prove catastrophic for vulnerable populations. Such risks have already materialized, with reports of infants dying from cold in displacement camps in nearby Idlib and reportedly in Ain al-Arab.

The agreement includes an immediate ceasefire, with the withdrawal of military forces from the contact lines. Security forces under the Ministry of Interior will replace military units within the city centers of Hasakah and Qamishli.

According to an SDF statement, the agreement provides for the formation of a military division comprising three SDF brigades, in addition to a brigade from the Kobani (Ain al-Arab) forces under a division affiliated with Aleppo province. Administratively, the Autonomous Administration institutions will integrate into the Syrian state institutions, while maintaining the status of the current civilian employees. The agreement also addresses the civil and educational rights of the Kurdish community and guarantees the return of displaced persons to their areas.

“The agreement aims to unify Syrian territory and achieve the process of full integration in the region by strengthening cooperation between the parties concerned and uniting efforts to rebuild the country, ​​” the SDF emphasized in the statement.

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, the SDF controlled most of Syria’s resource-rich northeast, encompassing roughly a quarter of the country’s territory. An initial framework agreement signed on March 10, 2025, outlined the SDF’s integration into the new Syrian Armed Forces. However, disputes persisted over whether SDF fighters would integrate individually or retain unit cohesion.

A report by the UN Syria Commission of Inquiry in August 2025 documented widespread violence in coastal and western central Syria—primarily targeting Alawite communities—that escalated into massacres in early March 2025. These acts included murder, torture, inhumane treatment of the dead, widespread looting, and the burning of homes, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.