Units affiliated with Syria’s Ministry of Interior entered the city of Kobani on Monday, marking the start of a major security transition in Western Kurdistan (Rojava) and the first concrete implementation of a recently signed agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the central government in Damascus.

According to Anwar Abdullatif, Kurdistan24’s correspondent in Kobani, the deployment took place at around noon and involved approximately 100 personnel traveling in a convoy of 20 vehicles. Abdullatif confirmed that the forces entered the city peacefully, without any armed confrontation with SDF units that have controlled Kobani for years.

The move signals a reconfiguration of the city’s security architecture under a deal aimed at reintegrating local security institutions into the Syrian state framework while maintaining stability in the region.

Residents reported a calm atmosphere following the arrival of the Interior Ministry forces. Abdullatif noted that tensions and instability around Kobani have noticeably subsided since the announcement of the agreement. Humanitarian aid deliveries to the city and surrounding areas are continuing uninterrupted, indicating that the administrative handover has not disrupted essential services.

The deployment follows the public disclosure of the agreement’s terms by Mazloum Abdi, the General Commander of the SDF. Speaking on Friday, January 30, Abdi described the accord with Damascus as a necessary step taken “to protect the people and prevent massacres.”

Under the agreement, the Asayish—Rojava’s internal security forces—will be formally integrated into the Syrian Ministry of Interior and tasked with maintaining security inside cities. At the same time, the regular Syrian Army is barred from entering Kurdish cities and villages, a provision intended to keep civilian centers demilitarized.

The SDF, meanwhile, is set to become part of the Syrian Ministry of Defense while retaining its organizational structure as brigades and military units stationed in their own regions.

Kobani occupies a special place in the agreement. Abdi said the deal guarantees the lifting of the long-standing siege on the city, with military forces withdrawing from the urban center to its outskirts, allowing internal security units to assume control.

The accord also includes administrative and cultural provisions long sought by the Kurdish population. Kurdish-language education is to be officially recognized in schools and universities, and employees of the Autonomous Administration will be transferred to state employee status, securing their jobs. The agreement further stipulates that local administration will remain in the hands of the region’s residents.

Abdi emphasized the international dimension of the pact, noting that the United States and France are aware of its details and will act as political guarantors.