Syrian government announces ceasefire with Kurdish forces

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00:00Celebrations on the streets of Raqqa.

00:03After months of deadly clashes between the Syrian government

00:06and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces,

00:10Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharrah says the two sides have agreed on a ceasefire deal.

00:16It's a victory for all Syrians.

00:19God willing, it will be the beginning of reconstruction, development and rebuilding,

00:24and for Syria to put an end to the current state of division

00:27and move towards unity, progress and leadership.

00:31The 14-point peace plan will see the SDF merge with government-led military and state institutions.

00:38The Kurds hand administration of Deir Azor and Raqqa to Damascus,

00:43and the Syrian government assume full responsibility over Islamic State group detainees and camps,

00:50as well as take control over the rights of oil fields, including the country's largest, al-Omar.

00:56A previous agreement signed in March failed, with both sides accusing the other of violating the deal.

01:03The latest truce comes after a lightning offensive by Syrian forces into Kurdish-controlled territory in the northeast.

01:11Syrian government forces entered the strategic town of Taqba,

01:15and the city of Raqqa, which was under SDF control since 2017.

01:19Damascus had been locked in deadly clashes with the SDF since earlier this month,

01:25steadily extending their grip on SDF-controlled territory, including three Aleppo neighborhoods.

01:33Thousands of Kurdish civilians have been displaced by the fighting.

01:37Many have fled to the Kurdish-controlled city, Kamishlo.

01:40For now, there isn't a timeline for implementing the entire peace agreement.

01:45But Syria's president has said that the first step will be the cessation of all hostilities.

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