Syria extended its ceasefire with Kurdish-led SDF for 15 days to support ISIS prisoner transfers amid ongoing clashes.

The ceasefire between the Syrian military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been extended for an additional 15 days, officials announced late Saturday, January 24, just hours after an initial four-day truce had expired.

According to a statement from Syria’s Defense Ministry, the measure is intended to support a U.S.-led operation to transfer Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners from detention facilities formerly under SDF control.

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Washington had announced a plan to transfer up to 7,000 detainees to Iraq following the escape of more than 100 individuals from a facility in Hasakah province earlier this week.

For its part, the SDF stated that the deal “contributes to de-escalation, the protection of civilians, and the creation of the necessary conditions for stability.”

Over the past two weeks, the Syrian military pushed the SDF out of Aleppo and seized significant territory in northern and eastern Syria. These advances placed key oil fields, hydroelectric dams, and several ISIS detention facilities -including al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa province- under government control.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly linked to Al-Qaeda, came to power after orchestrating a coup d’état against President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. He signed an integration deal with the SDF in March 2025, but the plan stalled due to disagreements over implementation, leading to recent violent clashes.

SDF media chief Farhad Shami has accused the Syrian army of violating the ceasefire and perpetrating war crimes against the civilian population.

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