Syrian Government Forces Sweep into Northern Towns as Kurdish Fighters Withdraw
In a significant development, Syrian government forces have entered two northern towns, Deir Hafer and Maskana, after the command of Kurdish-led fighters announced their withdrawal from the area. The move comes amidst a fragile ceasefire and amid reports of deadly clashes between government troops and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Eyewitnesses reported seeing government tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other vehicles, including pickup trucks with heavy machine guns mounted on top, entering Deir Hafer after bulldozers removed barriers. The SDF was noticeably absent from the outskirts of the town.
The Syrian military claimed that its forces had taken full control of Deir Hafer, captured the Jarrah air base to the east, and were in the process of clearing mines and explosives. They also announced plans to move towards Maskana, where a military convoy was spotted hours later.
However, the SDF has accused the government of violating an agreement that was meant to facilitate their withdrawal from the area. "Damascus violated the terms of the agreement and entered the towns before our fighters had fully withdrawn, creating a highly dangerous situation with potentially serious repercussions," the group said in a statement.
The decision by the Kurdish-led fighters to withdraw from Deir Hafer followed a meeting between US military officials and SDF leaders in the area. The easing of tension came after a decree issued by Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa recognized Kurdish as a national language and adopted the Newroz festival, a traditional celebration of spring and renewal marked by Kurds around the region, as an official holiday.
Despite this, the Kurdish-led authority in northeast Syria said that the rights of Kurds should not be protected by "temporary decrees" but by mentioning them in the country's constitution. The group added that a decree "does not form a real guarantee for rights of Syria's ethnic groups."
The development marks a significant escalation in the conflict in northern Syria, where government forces have been pushing to take control of territory held by the SDF. The situation remains volatile, with over 11,000 people fleeing Deir Hafer and Maskana in the past two days after the government announced an offensive to take the towns.
In a significant development, Syrian government forces have entered two northern towns, Deir Hafer and Maskana, after the command of Kurdish-led fighters announced their withdrawal from the area. The move comes amidst a fragile ceasefire and amid reports of deadly clashes between government troops and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Eyewitnesses reported seeing government tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other vehicles, including pickup trucks with heavy machine guns mounted on top, entering Deir Hafer after bulldozers removed barriers. The SDF was noticeably absent from the outskirts of the town.
The Syrian military claimed that its forces had taken full control of Deir Hafer, captured the Jarrah air base to the east, and were in the process of clearing mines and explosives. They also announced plans to move towards Maskana, where a military convoy was spotted hours later.
However, the SDF has accused the government of violating an agreement that was meant to facilitate their withdrawal from the area. "Damascus violated the terms of the agreement and entered the towns before our fighters had fully withdrawn, creating a highly dangerous situation with potentially serious repercussions," the group said in a statement.
The decision by the Kurdish-led fighters to withdraw from Deir Hafer followed a meeting between US military officials and SDF leaders in the area. The easing of tension came after a decree issued by Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa recognized Kurdish as a national language and adopted the Newroz festival, a traditional celebration of spring and renewal marked by Kurds around the region, as an official holiday.
Despite this, the Kurdish-led authority in northeast Syria said that the rights of Kurds should not be protected by "temporary decrees" but by mentioning them in the country's constitution. The group added that a decree "does not form a real guarantee for rights of Syria's ethnic groups."
The development marks a significant escalation in the conflict in northern Syria, where government forces have been pushing to take control of territory held by the SDF. The situation remains volatile, with over 11,000 people fleeing Deir Hafer and Maskana in the past two days after the government announced an offensive to take the towns.
. These power struggles are like a domino effect - one side wins, but who's left to pick up the pieces? It's heartbreaking to see so many innocent people fleeing their homes. I remember when my kids were young, we used to talk about how important it was for kids to have a place they could call home and feel safe. Now, it seems like that's just a distant memory for so many Syrians.
. We need to keep talking and working towards a peaceful resolution. It's a complex issue, but I believe that every voice matters and we all have a role to play in finding a way forward 
.
what's going on here tho? the syrian gov just swooped in and took over those northern towns like they own the place 
. but hey, who needs a ceasefire when you got tanks and armor rolling in 
. i'm not surprised though, the sdf is already being super paranoid about this whole situation 
. but let's be real, it's all just politics 
. the kurdish-led authority needs to get its act together if they wanna protect their rights 
. this whole situation is just a mess 
.
and theres all these reports of clashes between gov troops and us-backed sdf 
. at least the US is trying to broker some peace deals between the gov and the sdf, fingers crossed it works! but honestly, with 11k people fleeing those towns in just 2 days, it's like a humanitarian crisis waiting to happen 
. what do u guys think its gonna happen next? 
. And what's up with these military convoys just rolling into towns without anyone pushing back? It feels like they're testing the waters or something 
.
The last thing we need is more bloodshed and displacement. It's like they're playing a game of chicken with each other, and it's not gonna end well 
.
. Can we just get some real solutions for this crisis instead of just more drama and tension? It's time to step up the diplomacy and find a way forward that works for everyone 
need real change and guarantees in the constitution. anyone else worried about what this means for the region? 
. i feel bad for all those ppl who have to leave their homes 'cause of some gov't move. and what's up with them gov't tanks just waltzing into town? is this really the kinda thing we need right now? 
i mean the us has been backing the kurdish-led fighters but now they're just withdrawing 
they're not even following through on their promises about recognizing kurdish as a national language 
what's going to happen next? 
its all very confusing cuz the ceasefire is fragile & ther r deadly clashaz btw gov forcez n US-backed SDF 
the kurdish fighters were supposed to withdraw but the govt forces just swooped in and took control anyway, it's super suspicious 
.
which is insane... according to reports, gov forces are using pickup trucks with heavy machine guns mounted on top to clear out the area 
. anyone else worried about what this means for the ppl living in northern syria? 
meanwhile, the SDF withdrawal was supposed to be part of a bigger ceasefire deal, guess they were just using it as a pawn in the game 
don't know what the future holds but one thing's for sure - this region is about to get even more complicated 