19/02 • SYRIA

In January 2026, intense clashes erupted between the Syrian transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s north and northeast, upending fragile post‑civil‑war stability and driving widespread displacement.

The offensive followed stalled efforts to implement the March 10, 2025 integration agreement, which aimed to merge Kurdish‑led forces into state structures. 

Heavy fighting first flared around Aleppo’s Kurdish districts, with significant territorial shifts as government forces expanded their control over Raqqa, Deir ez‑Zor, and Hasakah regions.  Casualty figures from the offensive — including roughly 1,000 fighters killed on both sides and at least 152 civilians killed with hundreds injured — reflect the stark human cost of the confrontation. 

Mass displacement followed. Families fled frontline towns and cities as frontline shifts and violence uprooted long‑established communities, deepening insecurity already shaped by years of war.

By January 30, Damascus and the SDF agreed to a ceasefire and a phased integration plan aimed at ending hostilities and embedding SDF units into official military and security structures. This includes gradual withdrawal of SDF combat units from urban frontlines, the deployment of Syrian Interior Ministry forces to cities such as Hasakah and Qamishli, and steps toward administrative integration. 

While international actors, including the United States and France, welcomed the deal as a milestone toward stabilisation, significant ambiguity remains about implementation and future security. 

The conflict also raised concerns about the future of Kurdish civil and political rights in Syria. The SDF has historically administered vast areas with a degree of autonomy, and this shift toward central control poses risks as well as potential opportunities for inclusion, depending on how agreements are upheld. 

Amid the fighting, security gaps allowed the Islamic State (IS) faction to exploit instability, with prison escapes reported and thousands of detainees remaining in camps like al‑Hol — many of them women and children. International transport of detainees to facilities in Iraq is underway as immediate security concerns are addressed. 

Throughout these events, ordinary civilians — families, children, displaced persons, and those still living in contested towns — have borne the greatest burden. Displacement ruptures education, livelihoods, healthcare access, and psychological well‑being. The peace deal offers a pause, but durable security, reconciliation, and human dignity remain fragile.

PRAYER POINTS:

• We pray for civilians caught between combat and negotiation, especially those displaced or wounded, that they may find safety, shelter, and peace.

   

• We pray for leaders on all sides — that they would protect human life and uphold justice and accountability in implementing agreements.

• We pray for communities in northeast Syria — that the ceasefire may hold, pathways to reintegration be genuine, and long‑term reconciliation and dignity be pursued with compassion.

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