France has welcomed the truce between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces and stressed it remains loyal to the SDF, which spearheaded the battle against the armed group ISIL (ISIS). “France is faithful to its allies,” the Foreign Ministry said, urging all sides to respect the ceasefire, which will also see the Kurdish administration and forces integrate into the state after months of stalled negotiations. In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a delegation of Kurdish fighters in Paris and offered to mediate between the SDF and the Turkish government, which was conducting military operations in northern Syria at the time.
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Syria’s president to meet SDF leader after ceasefire declared
Al-Sharaa is expected to meet Abdi after the large-scale retreat of his SDF fighters and rapidly signed ceasefire on Sunday night. The meeting was postponed from Sunday because bad weather reportedly prevented Abdi from reaching Damascus, where al-Sharaa was already meeting US envoy Barrack. The Syrian presidency said the ceasefire guarantees the integration of SDF fighters into state institutions and the deployment of government authorities to Raqqa, Deir Az Zor and Hasakah.
US envoy Tom Barrack, left, at the presidential palace with President Ahmed al-Sharaa on January 18, 2026 [Handout/Syrian Presidency via AFP]
No ceasefire violations reported as Syrian forces stabilise taken areas
The first 24 hours that we’re in now will no doubt be the period people will be looking to as an indication of how things are going to go. So far overnight, from our read, we can confirm there have been no violations of the ceasefire. According to state TV, the Syrian military, which made these rapid advances in its operations to take as much territory as possible, is now moving to secure areas and stabilise them. Army forces have begun redeploying in these taken areas to secure them in accordance with that truce agreement signed yesterday with the Syrian Democratic Forces.
1,700 families flee Tabqa towards Qamishli: UN
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Syria says thousands of people fled the town of Tabqa towards Qamishli in the country’s Kurdish-led north last night. The mass exodus came as government forces swept through northeast Syria on Sunday. It added that 102 families arrived at the Newroz refugee camp. In a post on X, the United Nations agency welcomed the ceasefire agreed on between the SDF and the Syrian government.