Oct 2025 – Hard‑line factions on both sides block the planned March integration talks, deepening the divide between Damascus’s centralized vision (citing Law 107) and the SDF’s push for a decentralized federal model, which stalls any immediate settlement [14].

Dec 11, 2025 – The United States pivots to cooperate with interim President Ahmad al‑Sharaa, shifting from a Kurdish‑centric strategy to a dual‑track approach that seeks security cooperation with Damascus while still addressing counter‑ISIS needs [8].

Dec 22, 2025 – Syrian army and Kurdish‑led SDF clash in Aleppo, killing at least three and wounding 31, just eight days before the March 10 integration deadline, underscoring the volatility ahead of the planned ceasefire [6].

Dec 23, 2025 – A Turkish delegation led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrives in Damascus; intense fighting erupts in Aleppo as both sides blame each other, and Fidan urges “the SDF to cease to be an obstacle to stability, unity and prosperity” while pushing the integration agenda [13].

Jan 6, 2026 – Coordinated assaults by Syrian Interim Government forces, Turkey‑backed brigades, HTS and ISIS force the SDF to withdraw from Tabqa, Raqqa and Deir ez‑Zor, prompting a strategic pull‑back to protect civilians in Kurdish‑majority towns [12].

Jan 18, 2026 – Damascus and the SDF announce a ceasefire that obliges the SDF to hand over Deir ez‑Zor and Raqqa, with commander Mazloum Abdi confirming the withdrawal terms and pledging to explain them to his fighters [11].

Jan 19, 2026 – Despite the ceasefire, fresh clashes erupt in the northeast as SDF units and Syrian troops contest control of prisons and border posts, while the agreement calls for the SDF’s dissolution and individual integration into the defence and interior ministries [5].

Jan 20, 2026 – Syria seals a new ceasefire after the SDF withdraws from al‑Hol camp; the presidency promises a four‑day consultation window on integrating tens of thousands of fighters and transferring key infrastructure, while the U.S. envoy Tom Barrack calls the moment “a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state” [4].

Jan 21, 2026 – The SDF publicly seeks urgent U.S. and international aid as Damascus advances, with Ilham Ahmed stating “the mission is over but we need guarantees for Kurdish protections, language rights and citizenship” [7]; the same day, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack declares the SDF’s anti‑ISIS role “largely expired,” signaling a further policy shift [10].

Jan 22, 2026 – Interim President Ahmed al‑Sharaa’s forces launch a rapid offensive that seizes the Kurdish‑held northeast, prompting the SDF to sign a 14‑point framework that reverses earlier concessions and envisions individual SDF members joining the Syrian army [3].

Jan 23, 2026 – Turkish President Erdogan congratulates the Syrian government on crushing the SDF, reiterating Turkey’s refusal to tolerate any separatist structures near its border and highlighting Ankara’s coordination with Damascus during the offensive [9].

Jan 29, 2026 – The United States backs former jihadi interim president al‑Sharaa, prompting Kurdish commander Azad to denounce the move as “a slap in the face” and warning of continued resistance; negotiators note the fragile cease‑fire will lapse on Feb 7 unless extended [2].

Jan 30, 2026 – The Syrian government and Kurdish SDF sign a historic integration deal that creates a three‑brigade military division, transfers the Omar oil field and Tabqa dam to Damascus, and grants Kurdish cultural and civil rights, with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack describing it as “a profound and historic milestone in Syria’s journey toward national reconciliation” [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – ISIS resurges as the interim government’s security gaps allow the release of roughly 2,000 prisoners and renewed attacks; Afrin warns that the recent offensives target the gender‑equal autonomous model of DAANES and calls for an international political solution to prevent further extremist growth [12].

Feb 7, 2026 – The January 18 cease‑fire reaches its expiration date, prompting renewed diplomatic pressure to either formalize a permanent truce or risk a full‑scale renewal of hostilities [2].

Mar 10, 2026 – The originally agreed integration deadline approaches, with the Syrian army expected to absorb SDF fighters and assume control of all northeastern civil and military institutions, while observers watch for compliance or a possible breakdown of the settlement [6].