Syria, Kurdish Forces Strike Major Integration Deal After Clashes

The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a major agreement on Friday. The deal aims to integrate Kurdish fighters and their local administration into the state's central institutions. This follows weeks of clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF. The fighting had reduced the area of northeastern Syria under Kurdish control. The sweeping agreement could reshape governance and security in the resource-rich region. The SDF, which spearheaded the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State, has long sought a formal political arrangement with Damascus.