March 12 (UPI) — Syria’s interim government said it has reached a landmark agreement to integrate Kurdish-led forces into state institutions as it continues to try to unify the country following years of civil war.
The agreement was signed Monday in Damascus by interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Mazloum Abdi.
A copy of the agreement was published on the Syrian government’s Telegram account. It states they agree to ensure the rights of all Syrians to “representation and participation in the political process … regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds,” while proclaiming “the Kurdish community is an integral part of the Syrian state, and the Syrian state guarantees its right to citizenship and all constitutional rights.”
It also says they agree to a nationwide cease-fire, to integrate all civil and military institutions, support the nation’s fight against remnants of the former dictator government and guarantee the return of all displaced Syrians, among a handful of other agreements.
Abdi described the agreement as “a real opportunity” to build a new Syria that includes all of its diversity.
“We are working together to ensure a transitional phase that reflects our people’s aspirations for justice and stability,” he said in a statement. “We are committed to building a better future that guarantees the rights of all Syrians and fulfills their aspirations for peace and dignity.”
The forces of al-Sharaa toppled Syria’s longtime president, Bashar al-Assad — whose family has ruled the country for some five decades — in December following nearly 15 years of civil war.
After appointing himself interim president, al-Sharaa has been leading a fragile transition government while battling against remnants of the Assad regime.
The agreement, which comes amid a wave of sectarian violence that erupted in Syria late last week, is seen as a major win for al-Sharaa in his efforts to unify the country.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that tens of thousands in southern Suwayda province took to the streets in celebration of the agreement.
Some held placards and signs that read “Syria is united,” the war monitor reported.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio late Tuesday said the United States “welcomes” the agreement.
“The United States reaffirms its support for a political transition that demonstrates credible, non-sectarian governance as the best bath to avoid further conflict,” he said in a statement.
“We will continue to watch the decisions made by the interim authorities, noting with concern the recent deadly violence against minorities.”