DEIR HAFER, Syria: The Syrian military continued its push into Kurdish-held territory on Saturday (Jan 17), regardless of US calls to halt its advance in cities within the space in Syria’s north.
State media stated the military took over the northern metropolis of Tabqa and its adjoining dam, in addition to the key Freedom dam, previously generally known as the Baath, west of the Syrian metropolis of Raqaa.
Syrian Kurdish authorities had not acknowledged their lack of management over these strategic factors, and it was unclear if combating was nonetheless ongoing.
For days, Syrian troops had amassed round a cluster of villages that lie simply west of the winding Euphrates and had referred to as on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces stationed there to redeploy their forces on the alternative financial institution of the river. They’ve been clashing over strategic posts and oilfields alongside the Euphrates River.
SDF fighters withdrew from the world early on Saturday as a gesture of goodwill – however then accused Syrian troops of violating the settlement by persevering with to push additional east into cities and oilfields not included within the deal.
Brad Cooper, who heads the US army’s Central Command, stated in a written assertion posted on X that Syrian troops ought to “stop any offensive actions in areas” between the town of Aleppo and the city of Tabqa, roughly 160km additional east.
ARAB RESIDENTS REJOICE AT TROOPS’ ARRIVAL
The preliminary withdrawal deal included the principle city of Deir Hafer and a few surrounding villages whose residents are predominantly Arab. The SDF withdrew on Saturday and Syrian troops moved in comparatively easily, with residents celebrating their arrival.
“It occurred with the least quantity of losses. There’s been sufficient blood on this nation, Syria. We now have sacrificed and misplaced sufficient – individuals are uninterested in it,” Hussein al-Khalaf, a resident of Deir Hafer, advised Reuters.
The Syrian Petroleum Firm stated that the close by oilfields of Rasafa and Sufyan had been captured by Syrian troops and will now be introduced again on-line.
SDF forces had withdrawn east, some on foot, in direction of the flashpoint city of Tabqa – downstream however nonetheless on the western facet of the river and close to a hydroelectric dam, an important supply of energy.
However when Syria’s military introduced it aimed to seize Tabqa subsequent, the SDF stated that was not a part of the unique deal and that it could battle to maintain the city, in addition to one other oilfield in its neighborhood.
Syria’s military stated 4 of its troops had been killed in assaults by Kurdish militants, and the SDF stated a few of its personal fighters had been killed, however didn’t give a quantity.
US-led coalition planes flew over the flashpoint cities, releasing warning flares, in line with a Syrian safety supply.
The US has needed to recalibrate its Syria coverage to stability years of backing for the SDF – which fought in opposition to the Islamic State – in opposition to Washington’s new help for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose insurgent forces ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
MAIN OILFIELDS ARE STILL UNDER KURDISH CONTROL
To attempt to finish the combating, US envoy Tom Barrack travelled to Erbil in northern Iraq on Saturday to satisfy with each Abdi and Iraqi Kurdish chief Masoud Barzani, in line with two Kurdish sources. There was no instant remark from Barrack’s spokesperson.
The newest violence has deepened the faultline between the federal government led by Sharaa, who has vowed to reunify the fractured nation after 14 years of struggle, and native Kurdish authorities cautious of his Islamist-led administration.
The 2 sides engaged in months of talks final yr to combine Kurdish-run army and civilian our bodies into Syrian state establishments by the top of 2025, repeatedly saying that they needed to resolve disputes diplomatically. However after the deadline handed with little progress, clashes broke out earlier this month within the northern metropolis of Aleppo and ended with a withdrawal of Kurdish fighters. Syrian troops then amassed round cities within the north and east to stress Kurdish authorities into making concessions within the deadlocked talks with Damascus.
Kurdish authorities nonetheless maintain Arab-majority areas within the nation’s east which are dwelling to a few of Syria’s largest oil and gasoline fields. Arab tribal leaders in SDF-held territory have advised Reuters they’re able to take up arms in opposition to the Kurdish drive if Syria’s military points orders to take action. Kurdish fears have been deepened by bouts of sectarian violence final yr, when practically 1,500 Alawites had been killed by government-aligned forces in western Syria and a whole bunch of Druze had been killed in southern Syria, some in execution-style killings.
