Syrian government forces have seized control of large areas in northern Syria from Kurdish-led forces, marking a significant shift in the region's power dynamics. State media reported on Saturday that the army took over the city of Tabqa, its adjacent dam, and the Freedom dam west of Raqaa, despite US calls to halt the advance.
The military push follows stalled implementation of a March 2025 deal intended to integrate Kurdish forces into the national army. President Ahmed al-Sharaa had issued a decree recognising Kurdish as a national language and granting official recognition to the minority group, but progress on the accord faltered.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led militia, accused Damascus of violating the withdrawal agreement. The SDF said it withdrew from some areas as a goodwill gesture, but Syrian troops continued pushing east into towns and oilfields not covered by the deal. Clashes erupted south of Tabqa, with the army urging the SDF to fully withdraw east of the Euphrates River.
On Sunday, Syrian state media reported that Kurdish fighters destroyed two main bridges over the Euphrates in the Raqqa region, including the Alrashid bridge. The US, France, and Iraqi Kurdistan leaders called for de-escalation, while US envoy Tom Barrack met with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi in Erbil to try to end the fighting.
The Syrian Petroleum Company said troops captured the Rasafa and Sufyan oilfields, which could now be brought back online. Both sides reported casualties, with the army saying four soldiers were killed and the SDF acknowledging losses but not providing numbers. Residents in Deir Hafer, where the initial withdrawal went smoothly, expressed relief at the relatively peaceful transition.
