Syrian authorities and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) each released 300 detainees from the other side in Rojava (northeastern Syria) on Thursday, as part of a ceasefire and integration agreement reached earlier this year, according to state media. <\/p>\n
The Damascus-affiliated detainees were freed from SDF-run prisons in the cities of Qamishli and Hasaka and transferred to the town of al-Shaddadi, according to officials overseeing the implementation of the deal, News.Az<\/a> reports, citing foreign media.<\/a><\/p>\n The releases also included 300 SDF-affiliated personnel who had been detained during recent law enforcement operations.<\/p>\n Ahmed al-Hilali, spokesperson for the presidential team tasked with following up on the January 29 agreement, said the releases would continue until detention facilities are cleared and the detainee file is closed.<\/p>\n He added that the Syrian government will assume control of SDF-run prisons in Hasaka province and plans to release all SDF<\/a> members held during upcoming phases.<\/p>\n The planned releases are seen as a key confidence-building measure under the January 29 deal, which includes broader efforts to ease tensions and advance integration arrangements in Rojava.<\/p>\n The January ceasefire and integration agreement was signed after weeks of an intense military confrontation between the two sides, which was kickstarted early January after Syrian-backed factions advanced into SDF-held areas.<\/p>\n The areas were previously liberated and maintained by the Kurdish-led forces during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS).<\/p>\n