Ceasefire Between SDF and Syrian Arab Army Extended

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached an agreement to extend a standing ceasefire for at least one month, according to several diplomatic and local sources. The extension, which was finalized just hours before a scheduled deadline on Saturday, occurs against a backdrop of a mounting humanitarian catastrophe in northern Syria and a large-scale, United States-coordinated operation to transfer thousands of Islamic State detainees across the border into Iraq.

The ceasefire, which had been set to expire at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, represents a fragile but essential reprieve for a region that has seen intense combat and displacement in recent weeks.

While neither the Syrian Arab Army nor the SDF leadership has issued a formal public communique regarding the new arrangement, three informed sources provided details of the extension to Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

A diplomatic source based in Damascus confirmed to the agency that the cessation of hostilities has been extended for a duration "that may reach a month," while a Kurdish source familiar with the high-stakes negotiations stated that the truce would remain in effect until a "political solution that satisfies both sides" can be reached.

The decision to maintain the ceasefire comes at a critical juncture for the civilian population of Rojava, particularly in the city of Kobani, where isolation and extreme weather have turned a military siege into a lethal humanitarian emergency.

On Saturday, local officials and medical teams confirmed that the combination of a blockade and record-breaking cold has resulted in the deaths of at least four children.

Humanitarian Collapse in Besieged Kobani

Despite the broader ceasefire agreement between Damascus and the SDF, the city of Kobani remains under an encompassing military siege that has prevented life-saving aid from reaching its residents.

Dilan Barzan, a correspondent for Kurdistan24 reporting from Western Kurdistan, confirmed on Saturday that the humanitarian situation in the urban center has reached its "most severe point." The correspondent reported that the four children died from causes related to cold exposure as temperatures plunged throughout the region.

According to field reports, the city’s approximately 150,000 residents are currently living without electricity, running water, or access to any form of centralized heating. The correspondent noted that the KRG’s humanitarian assistance, which has been scaleable in other parts of northeastern Syria, has been unable to penetrate the military lines surrounding Kobani.

This isolation has left families unable to protect themselves from a winter season that regional meteorologists have described as the most severe in five decades.

The crisis is exacerbated by a wave of internal displacement. Thousands of civilians who previously fled the outskirts of the city and surrounding villages have taken refuge in Kobani’s city center, often seeking shelter in mosques and schools. These families, many of whom arrived with only the clothes they were wearing, are struggling to meet basic survival needs.

The Kurdish Red Crescent has characterized the environment as a major humanitarian emergency, citing reports of families forced to sleep outdoors or in their vehicles in freezing conditions.

The United Nations has expressed increasing alarm over the situation.

Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated on Friday that the closure of all access routes to Kobani has placed the lives of its citizens at high risk. "There is no electricity, water [quality] is poor, and people cannot access basic services," Haq said.

He added that while health centers in the city remain technically operational, supplies of medicine and basic medical equipment have become "very scarce."

The UN is reportedly engaged in ongoing discussions with officials in Aleppo to establish a mechanism for the delivery of urgent aid.

While the international body has successfully delivered assistance to other northern hubs, including Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor, it has formally requested "facilitation" from the relevant authorities to reach the trapped population of Kobani.

Discrepancies in Aid Delivery and Fuel Shortages

The lethal conditions in Kobani stand in stark contrast to the humanitarian efforts being carried out by the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) in other areas of Rojava. According to previous reports from Kurdistan24, the BCF has expanded its mission in northeastern Syria, delivering 102 trucks of aid and 300,000 liters of fuel to the region.

This campaign, launched under the orders of President Masoud Barzani and the supervision of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, has seen over 850 tons of food and supplies distributed by more than 160 staff members.

A specialized medical team from the foundation has also been active, treating hundreds of civilians in areas accessible to their convoys. In cities such as Qamishlo, Amuda, Girkê Legê, and Tirbespi, the BCF has allocated 40 liters of kerosene per family to support heating needs.

However, these relief efforts have been entirely blocked from Kobani, leaving the 150,000 civilians there without the fuel and food resources available to their neighbors.

The Kurdish Red Crescent team in Kobani has issued urgent appeals to international organizations and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, demanding immediate intervention.

They noted that the blockage of essential supplies has persisted despite the regional ceasefire, paralyzed the daily lives of citizens, and cut off internet and communication services.

The Transfer of Islamic State Prisoners

As regional leaders and aid agencies navigate the humanitarian crisis, a significant security operation involving the United States is proceeding in tandem with the ceasefire.

According to reports cited by AFP, the U.S. military has begun the process of transferring approximately 7,000 Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners from facilities in Syria to Iraq.

The operation aims to relocate detainees from prisons currently under SDF control—which have become increasingly vulnerable due to regional instability—to more secure facilities in Iraq.

On Wednesday, two Iraqi officials confirmed that a convoy of 150 ISIS fighters reached Iraq. This initial group reportedly included prominent leaders of the organization and several European fighters who were transferred from a high-security prison in Hasakah.

Amnesty International provided further demographic details on the prisoner population on Friday.

The organization predicted that the 7,000 individuals targeted for transfer include Syrian and Iraqi nationals as well as foreign fighters from various countries. Notably, the group estimated that the total includes approximately 1,000 youth and minors who have been held in these facilities.

The prisoner transfer and the ceasefire extension appear to be linked to a broader effort by international mediators and regional actors to prevent a total collapse of the security architecture in northern Syria.

By securing the ISIS detainees and maintaining the truce between the SAA and the SDF, negotiators are attempting to create the necessary space for the political dialogue mentioned by Kurdish sources.

However, the reported deaths of children in Kobani serve as a grim reminder that the political and security arrangements have yet to address the immediate survival needs of the civilian population.

While the ceasefire extension provides a reprieve from active combat for the next month, the continued blockade of Kobani remains the most significant obstacle to preventing further loss of life during this winter season.

This article was updated on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at 01:18pm.