Syria's al Sharaa/ Jolani and Kurds Make Peace in Cease Fire

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

By The Associated Press

Syria's government recently announced a major ceasefire and integration deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) following intense fighting, effectively ending Kurdish autonomy in northeastern Syria and bringing those areas, including oil fields, under government control, with SDF forces slated for integration into the Syrian army, though some clashes persist as the deal's details are finalized.

There had been so much fighting coming out of Syria with SDF, Kurds, Israel, Syrian army, Iranian terrorists,  that it must have been a mess to follow.

In early 2026, Israel's "fight" in Syria involves significant military actions, including frequent airstrikes targeting Iranian-linked forces and expanded occupation in the south following the Assad regime's fall in late 2024, alongside efforts to support Druze communities and counter threats from post-regime instability, conflicting with new Syrian government and Kurdish (SDF) forces in a complex, evolving regional dynamic, as seen in intense Aleppo clashes and border tensions. 

How Israel was involved was: Intensified Air Campaign: Israel has dramatically increased airstrikes, primarily targeting Iranian military infrastructure and operatives, nearly tripling the rate from previous years.

Other ways they were involved was:  

• Expanded Southern Presence: Israeli forces have occupied territory deeper into southern Syria (Daraa/Sweida) and are fostering ties with local Druze communities, positioning them as a buffer against jihadist threats.
• Response to Power Vacuum: Israel aims to prevent anti-Israeli militias from establishing themselves in southern Syria after the Assad regime's collapse, notes J Street and Israel Policy Forum.
• Support for Druze: Israel is actively supporting Syrian Druze populations, leveraging familial ties and protecting them from attacks by the new Syrian government, according to J Street and Israel Policy Forum.
• Security Negotiations: Secret talks are reportedly underway between Israel and Syria to update the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, notes Wikipedia and Al Jazeera. 

The 1974 Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement, signed in Geneva on May 31, 1974, ended hostilities from the 1973 Yom Kippur War, establishing a UN-monitored buffer zone (Area of Separation) on the Golan Heights, limiting military forces, and creating a demilitarized zone, all based on UN Resolution 338, though it wasn't a peace treaty but a step towards one, leading to decades of relative calm until recent escalations after the Syrian government's fall. 

Resource:

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/18/nx-s1-5681406/syrian-government

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