ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Commander of the Kurdish-led internal security forces (Asayish) Mahmoud Khalil Ali on Friday said 400 of the forces' members are set to be released in a prisoner exchange with Damascus on Saturday as part of the January 29 agreement.

“Tomorrow will witness the release of 400 of our heroic prisoners, who will return to their families. Simultaneously, a new group of prisoners held by us will be released, reflecting our belief in the necessity of moving forward to close this humanitarian file,” Ali said on X.

The exchange, which was initially set for Thursday but postponed due to what local media described as “technical problems,” will mark the third such swap between Damascus and the Kurdish-led forces.

On Thursday, Ahmed al-Hilali, spokesperson for the presidential team tasked with following up on the January 29 agreement confirmed that the exchange would take place on Saturday.

On March 19, around 300 detained fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were released by Damascus in Rojava’s Hasaka as part of an exchange process between Damascus and Rojava authorities.

On March 11, the Syrian government released approximately 100 SDF prisoners in a one-for-one exchange with Kurdish-led forces.

“On this occasion, we renew our pledge to our people that we will spare no effort in working to secure the release of all prisoners, and we will continue to fulfill our duty to society in a manner that guarantees comprehensive security and lasting justice for all,” Ali said.

The two sides formed a joint committee to follow up on the files of displaced persons and prisoners in March.

The move is in implementation of the January 29 agreement signed between the Syrian government and the Rojava authorities, which includes a key provision involving the release of prisoners detained in the recent conflicts.

The January ceasefire and integration agreement was signed after weeks of intense military confrontation between the two sides, which began early January after Syrian-backed factions advanced into SDF-held areas.