Syrian Kurds Announce Full Merger with Damascus Government

Syrian Kurdish authorities have announced the completion of their civil and military integration into the central government in Damascus. The announcement comes after months of negotiations between the two sides. It follows a January agreement that called for the full incorporation of Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state. Washington has described the move as "historic." The integration is expected to reshape the balance of power in Syria's northeast, where Kurdish forces have operated with significant autonomy since the start of the civil war.