Syrian army extends hold in northESCALATION: The SDF had agreed to withdraw from Aleppo, but accused the Syrian government of breaking previous agreements as clashes erupted between themAFP, DEIR HAFER, SyriaSyria’s army has seized swathes of the country’s north, dislodging Kurdish forces from territory over which they held effective autonomy for more than a decade. People welcome Syrian army troops following the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Maskanah, Syria, on Saturday. “The Syrian army controls the strategic city of Tabqa in the Raqqa countryside, including the Euphrates Dam, which is the largest dam in Syria,” Syrian Minister of Information Hamza Almustafa was quoted by the official SANA news agency as saying. However, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had “taken the necessary measures to restore security and stability” in Tabqa. Syria’s army said four soldiers had been killed, while Kurdish forces reported several fighters dead.

Source: Taipei Times January 18, 2026 17:55 UTC