Syria government agrees new truce with Kurdish forces

In Hasakeh city earlier Tuesday, an AFP correspondent saw Kurdish residents including women and the elderly bearing weapons in support of the SDF, which patrolled and manned checkpoints.

Fighter Shahine Baz told AFP: “We promise our people to protect them until the end.”

In northeast Syria’s Qamishli, Hasina Hammo, 55, holding a Kalashnikov, said “we will not surrender”.

Earlier Tuesday, the SDF said its forces “were compelled to withdraw from Al-Hol camp and redeploy” near north Syria cities “that are facing increasing risks and threat”.

Northeast Syria’s Kurdish-administered camps and prisons hold tens of thousands of people, many with alleged or perceived IS links, nearly seven years after the group’s territorial defeat. Al-Hol is the largest camp.

The defence ministry said it was ready to take responsibility for Al-Hol camp “and all IS prisoners”.