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Syria, Kurdish-Led SDF Extend Truce 15 Days to Enable U.S. ISIS Transfers

The extension prioritizes U.S.-led detainee transfers, reflecting Damascus’s push for SDF integration.

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Syrian security force members ride in the back of a pickup truck in the town of Ain Issa, northeastern Syria, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Members of the Syrian security forces stand guard outside al-Aqtan prison, where some Islamic State detainees are held, in Raqqa, Syria January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Karam al-Masri

Overview

  • Damascus announced a 15-day extension of the ceasefire beginning 11pm local Saturday to support the U.S. operation moving ISIS detainees to Iraq, and the SDF confirmed the deal.
  • U.S. officials say about 150 detainees have been relocated so far with plans to move up to 7,000, while Iraq’s foreign minister signaled Baghdad does not want to bear the security and financial burden alone.
  • Syrian forces now hold large parts of the northeast, including Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, major oil fields, dams, and detention facilities previously overseen by the SDF.
  • The unresolved issue is SDF incorporation into state structures, with Damascus seeking individual integration of fighters and soliciting Kurdish nominees for government posts and representation.
  • Accounts of detainee escapes vary, with Syrian authorities acknowledging breakouts in Hasakah and Reuters citing a U.S. official estimating roughly 200 fugitives, some reportedly recaptured.