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Syria's Defense Ministry announced Friday it has extended a ceasefire with the terrorist organization YPG for 15 days, citing an ongoing American operation to transfer Daesh detainees from YPG-controlled prisons to Iraq.
The extension, which took effect at 11 p.m. local time on Jan. 24, marks a continuation of the pause in Syrian Arab Army operations against the terrorist groups YPG/SDF. The Defense Ministry disclosed the decision in a statement posted to its official account on the social media platform X.
"We announce the extension of the Syrian Arab Army's suspension of all operations for 15 days, effective Jan. 24, 2026 at 23:00," the ministry stated.
The YPG, which maintains control over portions of northeastern Syria, has administered a network of detention facilities housing suspected Daesh terrorists and their family members since the territorial defeat of the extremist group in 2019. The current ceasefire extension is directly tied to U.S. efforts to relocate these detainees across the border into Iraq.
In a separate statement to the state news agency SANA, Syria's Operations Directorate accused the terrorist organization SDF/YPG of human rights violations in areas under its control, alleging arbitrary detention and forced displacement of residents who oppose the group's policies.
The military claimed the YPG is bringing terrorist reinforcements from the Qandil Mountains—a PKK stronghold in northern Iraq—to Hasakah province in northeastern Syria.
Syrian officials called on the terrorist group to halt what they described as provocations against the Syrian state and to stop disseminating fabricated content.
Syrian authorities announced plans to establish humanitarian corridors for civilians in Hasakah province, which remains under YPG control. The Operations Directorate said it would coordinate with relevant ministries to open these corridors "in the coming hours" to provide assistance and support to residents.
The statement emphasized that the military is evaluating operational options while pledging to serve as a shield for all Syrian communities. Syrian officials reiterated their commitment to preserving the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and opposing what they termed cross-border terrorist projects.
The YPG functions as the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, which Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union designate as a terrorist organization. The YPG also operates under the umbrella of the SDF, a coalition that Damascus considers a terrorist entity.
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