Syrian Army Advances East of Aleppo Following Kurdish Withdrawal

Sun Jan 18 2026 08:10:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant development, the Syrian army has commenced operations east of Aleppo after Kurdish forces announced their withdrawal, marking a pivotal shift in control of the region.

The Syrian army has begun advancing into areas east of Aleppo as Kurdish forces withdraw following an agreement mediated by the US. President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to integrate Kurdish units into Syrian institutions and recognize Kurdish rights, but tensions remain amid ongoing disputes over the implementation of previously agreed-upon terms.

The Syrian army is moving into areas east of Aleppo city, after Kurdish forces started a withdrawal.

Syrian troops have been spotted entering Deir Hafer, a town about 50km (30 miles) from Aleppo.

On Friday, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia announced it would redeploy east of the Euphrates river. This follows talks with US officials and a pledge from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to make Kurdish a national language.

After deadly clashes last week, the US urged both sides to avoid confrontation. President al-Sharaa is seeking to integrate the Kurds' military and civilian bodies into Syrian national institutions.

In a statement to state-run news agency Sana, the Syrian army said its forces began entering the western Euphrates area, declaring it had established full military control of Deir Hafer.

The military urged civilians not to enter the operations area until it is secured and cleared it of all mines and war remnants.

Images have shown Syrian forces advancing towards the area, including with tanks.

The move comes after Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi agreed to pull back his US-backed SDF towards redeployment in areas east of the Euphrates, responding to calls from friendly countries and mediators.

In recent days, the Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the Deir Hafer area, with at least 4,000 people reported to have left, according to Syrian authorities.

Before the Kurdish withdrawal, President al-Sharaa stated he would make Kurdish a national language and recognize the Kurdish new year as an official holiday, marking the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria's independence in 1946.

Despite this apparent easing of tensions, disagreements linger. Both sides accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement, with Syria's army reporting two soldiers killed by Kurdish forces while the SDF accused Damascus of prematurely sending troops in.

Kurdish forces have controlled significant parts of Syria's oil-rich north and northeast, areas largely gained during the civil war and the fight against the Islamic State group over the past decade.

Following the ousting of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, President al-Sharaa has been working to integrate Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions.

In March 2025, the SDF signed an agreement with the government to facilitate this integration, although implementation has been stalled with both sides blaming one another.