Damascus: A ceasefire between the transitional government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria has been extended by 15 days, according to both sides.
According to Ghana News Agency, the decision was reached through international mediation, as stated by the SDF. The extension aims to facilitate the transfer of prisoners from prisons holding fighters of the extremist militia organization Islamic State (IS) to Iraq, as announced by the Ministry of Defence.
In recent weeks, Syria's transitional government has taken military action against areas in the north-east of the country that were previously controlled by Kurdish forces. During the fighting, government troops managed to bring large areas under state control.
The north-eastern regions of the country contain prisons and camps for IS fighters and their families, which until recently were under the control of Kurdish forces. Some of these camps and detention centers have now been taken over by government troops.
The ongoing conflict raised concerns about losing control of the prisons and their inmates, with reports indicating that some prisoners have escaped. In response to the ceasefire, the US has initiated the transfer of dozens of imprisoned IS supporters to Iraq, with plans to move up to 7,000 individuals to the neighboring country. Iraqi sources have indicated that these individuals hold both Iraqi and foreign citizenship.
The initial ceasefire, agreed upon last Tuesday, expired at 8 pm (1700 GMT) on Saturday. The SDF was expected to present a plan for integrating more of its institutions into the Syrian state structure. Both sides had previously agreed in March of last year to incorporate the Kurdish-administered institutions into the state apparatus.