Fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces arrive at the Kurdish-held city of Kobani after they withdrew from the Al-Aqtan prison in the Raqqa (Photo by AFP)
Four Western powers back extended Syria ceasefire, press corridors and services for Kobani
NEWSROOM – France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States said Tuesday they support a 15-day extension of the ceasefire between Syrian interim government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announced Jan. 24, urging all sides to show restraint and stick to the truce.
Foreign officials, French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, German Minister of State Serap Guler and U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack, met to discuss developments in northeastern Syria. “We call upon all parties to strictly adhere to the ceasefire and to exercise their utmost restraint,” the joint statement said. “We urge all external parties to join us in pursuit of peace and de-escalation of violence.”
As of late January 2026, a fragile ceasefire has held after clashes between Syrian interim government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces. Government forces and allied Islamist militias launched an offensive earlier this month that captured areas once under Syrian Democratic Forces control, including territory in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo governorates, triggering displacement and disrupting civilian life.
“We reiterate the obligation of all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the statement said.
The four countries also welcomed steps to facilitate aid. “We welcome the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance. We emphasise that these corridors must be maintained, and basic services resumed in the city of Kobane,” the statement said.
Kobani, the Kurdish city that became a symbol of resistance during the war against the Islamic State group, has again faced siege conditions during the latest fighting. The joint statement also acknowledged what it described as the “vital role” of regional actors, including Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, in responding to the threat posed by ISIS.
“We urge all parties to swiftly agree to a permanent ceasefire, and to resume as soon as possible negotiations aiming at the peaceful and sustainable integration of North-East Syria into a unitary and sovereign state that effectively respects and protects the rights of all its citizens, based on the 18 January 2026 agreement,” the statement said.
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has rejected autonomy or federalism for Kurdish areas, insisting on a unitary, centralized state.
The signatories warned of the risks of any security vacuum around ISIS detention facilities and said they would promptly convene a meeting of the International Coalition against ISIS to address the situation.
“We reaffirm our support for an inclusive political transition in Syria, which protects the rights of all Syrians,” the governments said. “The stabilisation of North-East Syria through peaceful means constitutes a central priority for preventing a resurgence of terrorism and for regional security.”
They said they are ready to “support and monitor,” with regional and international partners, implementation of agreements aimed at “peaceful and sustainable integration” of northeastern Syria into an inclusive Syrian state.
Rights organizations and local reports have documented abuses and violations targeting civilians based on their Kurdish identity. In a recent report, Community Peacemaker Teams said six members of a single Kurdish family were killed and six others injured by Syrian government forces because they were Kurdish.