On Jan. 24 at 20:00, the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces agreed to extend a 15-day ceasefire to support a US operation to evacuate ISIL prisoners from SDF-run prisons to Iraq. Damascus’s defence ministry framed the extension as necessary to enable the transfers; the SDF publicly committed to the pause.

The move aims to facilitate the relocation of detainees amid shifting front lines as Syrian government forces reclaim territory previously held by the SDF. The arrangement underscores Washington’s continuing operational role and the fragile coordination among local and international actors over detention and repatriation of ISIL suspects.