Syrians in the northeast of the country have welcomed an extended ceasefire of 15 more days between the military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a day after its announcement.Government troops have seized large swaths of northern and eastern territory in recent weeks from the SDF in a rapid turn of events that has consolidated President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s rule, as Syria seeks internal stability and secures the external lifeline of reintegration into the international fold and the economic revival that comes with it. The eruption of fighting has rocked a nation trying to recover from nearly 14 years of ruinous civil war.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe truce extension has offered a respite amid mounting tensions as the government’s army closed in on the last SDF strongholds last week. Al-Sharaa abruptly announced the ceasefire on Saturday, giving the SDF until that night to lay down arms and come up with a plan to integrate with the army or to resume fighting.The extension gives the SDF more time for such a plan.Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Raqqa, said the ceasefire extension has been received positively in the region. “The news certainly lifted the mood of the residents here in Raqqa,” he said.He added that locals said they want long-term stability with schools, which “have not been operational in a meaningful manner in a decade”, reopening in the region.Basravi said the government aims to use the coming two weeks to “cement …
