Complete Capture of Hasakah by Syrian Kurds; Army and People's Defense Units Ceasefire

Syrian Kurds, under the banner of the 'People's Defense Units,' have gained almost complete control of the city of Hasakah in northeastern Syria after a week of fighting with Syrian army forces. The past week’s battles represent the most serious clashes between Syrian Kurds and the government in five years. Previously, government forces had greater control over Hasakah. With the control of Hasakah, the influence of Syrian Kurds in the north of the country increases, raising concerns among Turkish officials. Ankara accuses the People's Defense Units of aligning with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and is worried about the formation of an autonomous Kurdish government in northern Syria. The People's Defense Units, the military force of Syrian Kurds, are considered key allies of the U.S. in the fight against ISIS. Meanwhile, Kurdish sources reported on Tuesday, August 23, the establishment of a ceasefire between Syrian government forces and the 'People's Defense Units' in Hasakah. Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the 'Syrian Democratic Council,' confirmed the ceasefire news in an interview with Radio Farda, stating that the ceasefire was mediated by the Russian government and the leaders of Arab and Kurdish tribes in the region. Regarding the terms of the ceasefire, Ilham Ahmed said, 'According to the agreement, Syrian government forces have committed to withdraw their troops from Hasakah, and in their place, Kurdish security forces known as 'Asayish' will take control of the city. It has also been agreed that both sides will exchange their prisoners.' The co-chair of the 'Syrian Democratic Council' added that Syrian government forces have agreed to reconsider the activities of the so-called 'National Defense' forces. According to Ilham Ahmed, from the Kurdish perspective, part of the problems and conflicts stemmed from the behavior of these forces. On the other hand, Hoshang Ahmed, a Kurdish journalist who recently visited the war zones in Hasakah, told Radio Farda that Kurdish forces have managed to take control of over 90% of the city of Hasakah. According to him, government forces remain only in a very small part of the city. In this context, the co-chair of the 'Syrian Democratic Council' stated that one of the clauses of the ceasefire is that employees who were suspended and dismissed by the Syrian government due to their connections with the Kurdish Federation of Syria can return to work. The Syrian government has not yet officially communicated regarding this ceasefire and its terms. During the past week’s clashes, the Syrian army's air force bombed Kurdish positions in Hasakah for the first time. Following this event, U.S. military officials warned the Syrian government. The People's Defense Units are allies of the U.S. and the international coalition in the fight against ISIS, and dozens of U.S. military advisors are present in Kurdish Syria.