The Syrian Government is Considering Its Options After the Ceasefire Ends and SDF Talks About Extension

SadaNews - A Syrian government source announced to SANA that the ceasefire with the SDF organization has ended, adding that the Syrian government is considering its options. Meanwhile, the head of external relations in the Autonomous Administration, affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Ilham Ahmed, revealed to Al Jazeera that there are communication channels with the government and that resolving the outstanding issues is possible.

Ilham Ahmed confirmed that talks are ongoing with the Syrian government to extend the ceasefire, noting the seriousness of the discussions without detailing the implementation of the agreement with the government. She added, "We are trying not to be dragged into war, under the bad conditions for the residents of the region."

Last Tuesday, the Syrian presidency announced that an understanding had been reached between the Syrian government and the SDF regarding several issues related to the future of Al-Hasakah province, while the Ministry of Defense announced a ceasefire across all sectors of operations of the Syrian Arab Army for a period of four days, adhering to the understanding.

SDF Violates Ceasefire

For his part, Dr. Mohammed Taha Al-Ahmad, Director of Arab Affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, confirmed that there is no truth to what is being circulated about an extension of the deadline granted by the Syrian government to the SDF regarding the future of Al-Hasakah province, according to what SANA reported.

Al-Ahmad said in a statement to SANA that "SDF is constantly requesting deadlines and ceasefires to buy time, but the understood goal is unclear," adding that they "are today trying to spread rumors about extending the ceasefire, thinking it would embarrass the Syrian state."

Al-Ahmad clarified that so far there has been no positive response to the offers from the Syrian state, stating, "On the contrary, there has been a continuous violation of the ceasefires and the ceasefire agreement." He pointed out that "the Syrian state offered a proposal regarding high-level positions in the state, and so far the SDF has not nominated anyone."

He mentioned that "all options are available while presenting de-escalation and dialogue to enforce the law by making a unified Syria and safeguarding the rights of the Syrian people away from oppression and threats."

Al-Ahmad emphasized that all heavy, light, and medium weapons must be under the control of the Syrian state represented by the Ministries of Defense and Interior, explaining that "there is no need for any piece of weaponry to be outside these two institutions, as they will provide protection against external and internal security threats."

Military Buildup

In the same context, the SDF reported that the Syrian government is continuing its military preparations and field escalation in the regions of northeast Syria and Ain Al-Arab/Kobani, adding that they have "observed a military buildup and logistical movements of the Syrian army confirming an intention to escalate and drag the region into a new confrontation."

For his part, the Director of Arab Affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry told Al Jazeera that the military buildup around Al-Hasakah is a response to the buildup of SDF forces, adding that Damascus has multiple options to prevent bloodshed before resorting to military action.

Al-Ahmad added that extending or ending the ceasefire is linked to the SDF's response to the demands of the Syrian government, indicating that the government is trying to achieve a balance by prioritizing dialogue.

He added in a post on X that this phenomenon is natural amid the wide media and informational openness but noted that "some of these statements may sometimes be used by certain parties for purposes that are not related to the essence of the information itself, but rather extend to other non-media considerations."

The SDF had previously disavowed the implementation of the agreement made in March 2025 with the Syrian government, which stipulates respecting the Kurdish component within equal rights for all components of the people, and integrating civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the state's administration.

The administration of President Ahmad Al-Shara is making intensive efforts to maintain security and assert its control over the entire Syrian geography since the overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024.