Agreement to use Kurdish as an official language and to make Kurdish New Year a national holiday
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A ceasefire has been reached between the Syrian government and the minority Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following nearly two weeks of fighting, under a 14-point agreement between the two sides.
The agreement includes the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army and government agencies. Syrian state media reported that the entire country has come under government control.
The Kurds are the largest minority community in Syria. They make up about 10 percent of the total population (about 2.5 million). Syria has also reiterated its commitment to recognizing Kurdish culture and linguistic rights.
It has been agreed that Kurdish will be used as an official language and that the Kurdish New Year will be a national holiday. The Kurds have gained their own identity in Syria for the first time since independence from France in 1946. The agreement also states that Syria will participate in the US-led fight against the Islamic State.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sarrah said that with the agreement, the northeastern regions of Al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa have come under government control. The agreement came shortly after a meeting between President al-Sarrah and the US special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack. Barrack hailed the agreement as a significant step towards a unified Syria.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi was also expected to attend the meeting. However, bad weather postponed the visit and he would arrive only on Monday, al-Sarrah said. Abdi confirmed the agreement in a televised address. He said he would provide Syrian Kurds with more information about the agreement after returning from the capital, Damascus.
The Kurdish-led force established its own autonomous administration in the northeast nearly a decade ago during the Syrian civil war. It was supported by the US. The force was the main US ground force in the fight against the Islamic State group.
With US support, the SDF has gradually taken control of Kurdish and Arab-majority areas in northeastern Syria after defeating ISIS.
Under the agreement signed by al-Sarrah and Abdi, Syrian authorities will oversee public institutions, border crossings, and oil and gas fields in Kurdish-held areas. SDF fighters and security personnel will be integrated into the Syrian security forces and the Interior Ministry.
The Syrian government will also run prisons and detention centers in Kurdish-majority areas. Thousands of ISIS fighters and their families are being held in those areas.
